NAKHON PATHOM — High tides and runoff from northern provinces have pushed the Tha Chin River 50 centimetres above its banks in Sam Phran district, flooding homes and damaging orchards.
At Boonrat Prachanuwat Bridge across the Tha Chin River on Monday, water stood at 1.70 metres, rising to 2 metres during high tide — about 50cm above bank level, local reporters said.
Water flowing from Suphan Buri through Bang Len, Nakhon Chai Si and Sam Phran is expected to rise further. High tides entering from Samut Sakhon are also adding to the flooding, which has affected Sam Phran residents for five days.
In Moo 2, Sam Phran subdistrict, residents who grow coconuts and orchids collected sandbags provided by the Sam Phran Subdistrict Administrative Organisation. Officials were also using sandbags to block water from entering homes, vegetable plots and fruit orchards, while others were used to reinforce earthen flood barriers.
Patrawit Patcharakietkanok, director of the Sam Phran health-promoting hospital, said staff were delivering medicine for skin conditions and water-related rashes by sidecar motorcycle. Bedridden patients and pregnant women can seek assistance through village heads or the local administration, including transport to hospital if needed.