Another wake-up call: Hat Yai floods show Thailand is still unprepared for Climate Change
Recent severe flooding in Hat Yai is yet another wake-up call that Thailand remains unprepared to cope with climate change.
Recent severe flooding in Hat Yai is yet another wake-up call that Thailand remains unprepared to cope with climate change. This is not the first time the South has been devastated – similar floods struck Hat Yai in 2000 and 2010, and other regions have suffered from extreme weather. Yet, despite these warnings, preparedness remains inadequate. The latest deluge dumped 635 millimetres of rain in three days, submerging central Hat Yai, stranding thousands of residents and tourists, and once again we saw how extreme weather is becoming more frequent and damaging.
Climate change is disrupting the global water cycle, and Thailand is already feeling its impact. Changes in rainfall and water availability affect agriculture, industry, and daily life. For Thailand, most physical consequences of global warming are water-related—impacting food security, infrastructure, and economic stability.
First, climate change is intensifying rainfall extremes and increasing the risk of both floods and droughts. Data from the Thai Meteorological Department show that in June 2025, rainfall in the Central region was 37% below normal, while in November it surged to 358% above normal. In Hat Yai on 21 November 2025, rainfall reached 335 millimetres in a single day – an event that occurs only once every 300 years, according to data from the Thai Royal Irrigation Department. Such extremes disrupt water availability, causing cycles of flash floods and prolonged dry spells. Homes, roads, factories, and crops are damaged, undermining livelihoods. Global warming is pushing Thailand towards floods and droughts that are more severe, prolonged and frequent than anything the country has previously experienced.
Second, global warming is driving sea-level rise, threatening Thailand’s coastal areas. According to the World Meteorological Organization, global sea levels rose 4.7 millimetres per year between 2015 and 2024, an increase of 124% compared with 1993–2002. Meanwhile, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports in 2023 that global sea levels have risen 21–24 centimetres since 1880. This rise is already affecting Thailand’s 3,151-kilometre coastline, causing coastal erosion, flooding during high tides and saltwater intrusion into farmland. Bangkok’s November 2025 flooding illustrates this risk: a combination of water runoff and seasonal high tides. According to the Royal Irrigation Department, heavy rain and increased releases from upstream dams pushed water levels in the Chao Phraya River higher, while tides rose to nearly two metres, overwhelming riverside districts.
Third, rising temperatures are increasing water demand. Hotter weather accelerates evaporation and raises water consumption for people, crops and livestock. This growing demand could spark conflicts between farms, factories and cities during droughts if water is not managed effectively. Industrial zones like the Eastern Economic Corridor already struggle with water shortages, forcing businesses to invest heavily in securing supplies or risk production cuts and reputational damage.
Thailand has not been idle. Over the past several decades, governments have built dams, irrigation networks, floodwalls and drainage tunnels, and improved early-warning systems in many river basins. But most of these investments were designed for yesterday’s climate. Today’s extremes are outpacing yesterday’s infrastructure and plans. Thailand must now start treating climate change explicitly as a water crisis and upgrade its water management accordingly.
That means sustained investment in reservoirs, urban retention basins and flood defences, including drainage systems that match today’s rainfall intensity rather than yesterday’s. Smart water management technologies – such as monitoring sensors, early-warning systems and efficient irrigation like Israel’s drip technology – should be scaled up. Climate-smart agriculture and crop diversification can reduce vulnerability in farming regions, while coastal protection measures based on global best practice can safeguard low-lying communities.
Infrastructure alone will not be enough. Thailand also needs stronger institutions: integrated river-basin planning, clear lines of responsibility between agencies, strict enforcement of land-use and zoning rules, and better coordination between national agencies, local governments and the private sector. Businesses should be required – and supported – to assess and disclose their water and climate risks, and to invest in resilience, from water recycling to more robust supply chains.
Global experience shows that technology and innovation can turn a water crisis into an opportunity. The Netherlands has shifted from simply “fighting” water to “living with” it through the Delta Works and the “Room for the River” programme, which redesigns riverbanks and floodplains so they can safely absorb excess water while protecting cities and farmland. Singapore uses sensors for real-time water monitoring, enabling efficient management across the system. Mexico’s dairy factories recycle water from milk processing, cutting dependence on external supplies. Israel’s advanced irrigation systems have transformed agriculture in arid regions. These examples make one thing clear: proactive investment and innovation are far cheaper than waiting for the next disaster.
Climate change is hitting Thailand through water – and the time to act is now. The Hat Yai floods are not an isolated event but part of a worsening pattern of extremes. By investing in infrastructure, technology, governance and regional cooperation, Thailand can still protect its economy and communities from the growing climate threat. The question is not whether we can afford to act, but whether we can afford not to.
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Published in the 'The Opinion' column on the Nation Thailand website on November 25, 2025.