Thailand’s Meteorological Department (TMD) has warned of heavy rainfall, flash floods, and dangerous seas across the country on September 29–30, as Storm Bualoi moves inland after making landfall in Vietnam. The alerts cover much of the Northeast, East, and central provinces, with Bangkok also bracing for scattered storms that could snarl traffic and disrupt daily life.
Several news sources report that Bualoi hit Vietnam’s Quang Binh province over the weekend before shifting northwest into Laos. While the storm is weakening, it continues to feed intense monsoon rains into Thailand. Authorities fear swollen rivers, overflowing canals, and landslides in hillside areas.
Dark storm clouds gather over the Gulf of Thailand as Storm Bualoi drives heavy rains and high seas toward the coast Photo Courtesy THEO COURANT
The TMD has also warned that the upper Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea will see waves up to 3 metres high, especially in storm zones. Small fishing boats have been told to stay ashore, while larger vessels are being urged to proceed with caution.
For farmers in the Northeast, the timing is especially difficult. September is harvest season for rice, and heavy flooding could damage crops already stressed by weeks of rain. In Bangkok, residents are worried about clogged drainage systems struggling to handle another round of downpours.
In Vietnam, thousands of people were evacuated and several airports temporarily shut as Bualoi swept through the central region, underlining the storm’s destructive potential even as it weakens inland. For Thailand, the main threat remains the sheer volume of rainwater adding to an already challenging monsoon season.
Disaster response units across the country have been placed on alert, with evacuation shelters prepared if conditions worsen. As of Monday evening, no major casualties or damage had been reported in Thailand, but officials stress that the next 24–48 hours will be critical.
For many communities, the unanswered question is whether flood defences and drainage systems can hold up if rainfall continues at current levels. The TMD has pledged to keep issuing regular updates as the storm moves further inland.
