Heavy rains in Thailand kill 23, cause airport chaos

A man pulls a girl in an inflatable through floodwaters in the Bang Kapi district of Bangkok on Monday. The death toll from rains and flooding in Thailand has risen ‌to 23, as Bangkok was swamped by around 320 mm of rain within 3 days last week. (Chanakarn Laosarakham/AFP/Getty Images)Social SharingThe death toll from rains and flooding in Thailand has risen ‌to 23, authorities said on Tuesday. Waters receded from the hard-hit capital Bangkok, where its main airport operated in chaos, and the government approved a multi-million aid package.

Bangkok was swamped by around 320 mm of rain within three days last week, nearly as much as the sprawling low-lying metropolis usually gets in the whole of September.

A man pulls a plastic basin carrying people as he navigates the flooded compound of the Sports Authority of Thailand in Bangkok Tuesday. (Patipat Janthong/Reuters)The city's governor, ​Chadchart Sittipunt, said that he expected floodwater to drain away from Bangkok's major ​roads within two days, although it will take up to a week for other inundated areas to be cleared out.

"Recovery efforts are underway in areas where the water has gone down," he said.

People wade through a flooded street Monday in Bangkok. (Sakchai Lalit/The Associated Press)Across the country, at least ​23 people have died since Sept. 16, including four in Bangkok, according to the Interior Ministry.

Bangkok ⁠was among 42 provinces hit, with ⁠the floods causing an estimated $520 million Cdn in damage across two dozen provinces and ‌threatening to weigh on the tourism-dependent economy.

People visit a flooded fresh food market in the Bang Kapi district of Bangkok Monday. (Chanakarn Laosarakham/AFP/Getty Images)Although Bangkok's main airports kept running, chaos ensued at Suvarnabhumi Airport, the country's largest, where Thai Airways said its operations were crippled as half of its personnel were unable to come to work.

The flag carrier said it plans to cut about 30 flights — about 30 per cent of its planned departures from Bangkok — on Tuesday, even ⁠as it grappled with some 5,600 bags from its flights that remain stranded at Suvarnabhumi.

Rows of undelivered luggage are placed in the arrivals hall at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Samut Prakan, Thailand, on Tuesday. (Sakchai Lalit/The Associated Press)"Almost 100 per cent of flights over the past two days were delayed, with fewer than three per cent on schedule as operational capacity could not be sustained," said Thai Airways chief executive Chai Eamsiri, adding that a reduction in ‌the airline's flights from Bangkok will last for at least three days.

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After flying in from Azerbaijan, Emir Demiroez was frantically looking for his bags at the airport so that he could get on his next flight to Malaysia.

"Nobody knows anything. Nobody can help us. We can't find our baggage," he said. "We have our second flight at 2 p.m., but I don't know ​if we'll get it."

Airport staff during a briefing to address the passengers affected by the flood, in Suvarnabhumi Airport on Tuesday. (Sirachai Arunrugstichai/Getty Images)Although the inability of many staff to report to work disrupted operations, Thailand's tourism minister said Thai Airways also assigned its own employees to serve other ⁠airlines for which it provides contracted ground-handling services to avoid facing penalty charges.

"This damages the country's image," Surasak Phancharoenworakul told reporters, singling out the ⁠airline for rebuke.

"We need to discuss how the management needs to work more proactively," Surasak said. "If they don’t want to do the ⁠job, then resign."

Thai ⁠Airways did not immediately respond to an email ​seeking comment on Surasak's remarks.

Tourism is a key driver of Thailand's economy, which has lagged regional peers since the ​pandemic, with foreign arrivals dropping 3.12 per cent year-on-year in ⁠the January to September period to 21.28 million visitors.

In a meeting on Tuesday, Thailand's cabinet approved over 4 billion baht ($168 million) to address the impact of the floods, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said, adding that another long-term drainage project costing 160 billion baht ($6.8 billion) had also been given the go-ahead.

A fish vendor, with his supplies for sale on a floating platform, navigates through a flooded market in Bangkok Monday. (Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters)The project will take eight years to complete, he said, adding that it is aimed at enhancing flood protection across the central region, Bangkok and its surrounding ⁠areas.