Flash floods have killed at least 18 people in Thailand as heavy rains continued to ravage the country's south.

The flooding, which is roof-high in some areas, affected more than 700,000 people since it started a week ago, Thailand's interior ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

At least 18 people have died and one is missing, it added, with the rains turning roads into rivers, inundating farmland, and damaging more than 1,500 schools in the region.

The downpour is expected to persist for at least two more days, according to Thailand's Meteorological Department, which warned of more flash flooding.

"The situation is very bad today and tomorrow. It's still raining heavily," said Junjuda Pornsri, a meterological official.

Military bases across the region were mobilised to help evacuate flood victims, provide temporary shelters, and distribute emergency aid.

In hard-hit Nakhon Si Thammarat province, two army helicopters were deployed to airlift food to families trapped inside their homes.

Bapha Suthiphanya, a 60-year-old who has spent the past three nights in a makeshift government shelter, said she was forced to evacuate her home after the waters rose above her head.

"I was so shocked and scared. I've never seen water like this and I also cannot swim," she told AFP news agency.

Neighbouring Malaysia was also hit by severe flooding earlier this week with thousands stranded in relief centres in two northeastern states.

The rain is unusually strong for this time of year in the region, which normally sees a three-month long stretch of relatively dry and cool weather from November through to January.

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It is high season for tourists who flock to the Thailand's island resorts, powering a crucial sector of the economy.

But the deluge has already disrupted beach holidays in several traveller hotspots, including the popular islands of Samui and Phangan.

Hundreds of tourists have had their flights delayed, while train and bus services on the mainland have also been suspended in flood-hit areas.

Yet some travellers are refusing to let the storm stop the fun, with photos circulating on social media of tourists coasting through flooded streets on pool floats.

"Some tourists are enjoying the flooding, they're taking pictures and going swimming," said Nongyao Jirundorn, a tourism official on Samui island. </s> Six people are dead after torrential rain and flooding battered the southern regions of Thailand over the last week, Channel News Asia reported. The flooding has affected 120,000 households, according to a statement from the Interior Ministry, as well as delayed flights and disrupted tourism.

Start the conversation, or Read more at Asian Correspondent. </s> Flash floods triggered by heavy unseasonal downpours continue to hit Thailand’s southern regions, leaving a dozen people dead and affecting thousands of villages. Official counts released on Saturday showed that at least 12 people had lost their lives over the past week.

 Several southern Thai provinces have been affected by the rains since January 1, with transportation disrupted, thousands of foreign tourists stranded and the resort islands of Ko Samui and Ko Pha Ngan deluged. The Thai Interior Ministry said in a statement that the flooding had affected over 700,000 people.

 Local officials also said the flood waters have damaged more than 1,500 schools in the battered regions.

 Meanwhile, the Thai Meteorological Department warned of possible “heavy rain and flash floods” with downpours expected to continue for two more days. “The situation is very bad today and tomorrow. It’s still raining heavily,” said Junjuda Pornsri, a metrological official. Nakhon Si Thammarat, the capital of a province with the same name, saw a record 162.1 millimeters of rain on Friday night, she noted. Additionally on Saturday, army bases across southern Thailand were mobilized to assist flood victims and deliver aid to the trapped citizens. “There are two helicopters airlifting food and supplies to flood victims who cannot leave their houses,” said Colonel Chaisak Pornnipatkul from the Thia Southern Army Headquarters. Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha visited the country’s flood-hit areas. Thailand’s wet season usually ends in late November and heavy downpours are rare in January. Widespread floods killed over 900 people in the Southeast Asian state in 2011.—Agencies </s> BANGKOK — Severe flooding due to heavy rain in southern Thailand has killed 14 people, including five students, the interior ministry said Tuesday.

Six days of floods have affected 582,345 people in 11 of Thailand's 76 provinces, the ministry said in a statement. One person is reportedly missing, while three others suffered injuries.

Trains have also been halted in one province off the Gulf of Thailand as the rails there were submerged under rising floodwaters.

Southern Thailand is a popular destination for visitors due to its scenic islands and beaches, and the floods are expected to put a dent in the area's tourist industry, with the high season running from November to February.

However, the waters are receding, with three of the 11 provinces now off the list of flooded provinces. A fourth province is expected to be declared clear as well, an official at the interior ministry said.

But Thailand's Meteorological Department forecasts more heavy rains next week for southern Thailand. </s> Floods in Thailand have killed 14 people and badly affected southern holiday islands as thecountry heads into the December-January high season for tourism,authorities said on Tuesday.

A low pressure system has brought heavy rain to parts of thesouth including the islands of Samui and Pha Ngan in the Gulf of Thailand, and floods have also severed the rail link to the south and Malaysia beyond.

Tourism has been a rare bright spot for an economy that hasstruggled to gain traction since the army seized power in a bloodless coup in 2014 to end months of political unrest.

The death on Oct. 13 of long-reigning King BhumibolAdulyadej plunged the country into grief and also raised questions about tourist arrivals though authorities say thecountry is open for business despite a year of mourning.

“There has been heavier rain than usual which has causeddrainage problems,” Nongyao Jirundom of the state TourismAuthority of Thailand on Samui island told Reuters.

“Swimming is out of the question.”

The National Disaster Warning Centre said 14 Thai people hadbeen killed in various accidents caused by the weather indifferent parts of the south.

Southbound trains have been halted in the town of Thung Songin Nakhon Si Thammarat province because of flooding.

Nakhon Si Thammarat has had 447 mm of precipitation in thepast 7 days, 380 mm more than the average for this time of year,according to Thomson Reuters data.

December marks the beginning of the dry season when touristsdescend on palm fringed beaches to celebrate the Christmas andNew Year holidays.

Despite the mourning period for the late king, authoritiesare bullish about the outlook for tourism, which accounts for 10 percent of gross domestic product.

Widespread floods in 2011 killed more than 900 people andcaused major disruption to industry, cutting economic growththat year to just 0.1 percent. </s> At least 12 people have died and many villages been submerged after heavy rains caused severe flooding in southern Thailand.

Hundreds of thousands of people have been affected with water levels reaching “roof-high” in some areas, Thailand’s interior ministry said.

Transport services, including flights, have been disrupted and rescue efforts are under way to reach those stranded.

The unseasonal downpour is expected to continue for at least two more days.

The flash floods have also damaged hundreds of schools and toppled power cables across southern Thailand.

Residents in villages across the region are using inflatables, such as rubber rings, to cross submerged roads.

Meanwhile, the airport in Nakhon Si Thammarat province has been forced to close after the area received a record 162mm (6.4 in) of rain on Friday, officials said.

An official for Thailand’s Meteorological Department told AFP news agency that the situation was “very bad”, adding that it was still “raining heavily” in the south.

In response to the crisis, the Thai navy has stationed its largest ship in the South to act as a floating command centre, dispatching aid using helicopters and small boats.

Last month, aerial footage showed flood damage to parts of southern Thailand with only rooftops visible above the flood waters. Supplies were being delivered to residents by boat.

The downpour in Thailand is unseasonably heavy for this time of year, with the country usually dry between November and January.

It comes at an unfortunate time for the Thai economy, which relies heavily on tourism, with this being peak holiday season.

In 2011, devastating floods in southern Thailand displaced thousands of people in more than a third of the country’s provinces, resulting in more than 600 deaths. </s> Flooding from heavy rains hammering Thailand’s south has left at least 18 people dead and thousands of villages partially submerged.



The flooding, which was roof-high in some areas, has affected nearly one million people in 10 southern provinces since it started a week ago, according to the country’s interior ministry.

At least 18 people had died and one was missing, the government said, with the rains turning roads into rivers, inundating farmland and damaging more than 1,500 schools in the region.

The downpour was expected to persist for at least two more days, according to Thailand’s meteorological department, which warned of flash floods.

“The situation is very bad today and tomorrow. It’s still raining heavily,” said Junjuda Pornsri, a meterological official.

Armed forces across the region were mobilised to help evacuate flood victims, provide temporary shelter and distribute emergency aid, the government said on Saturday.

In hard-hit Nakhon Si Thammarat province two army helicopters were deployed to deliver food to families trapped inside their homes in Cha-uat district.

Bapha Suthiphanya, a 60-year-old who has spent the past three nights in a makeshift government shelter in the district, said she was forced to evacuate her home after the waters rose above her head.

“I was so shocked and scared. I’ve never seen water like this and I also can not swim,” she told AFP.

The monsoon rains are unusually heavy for this time of year in Thailand, which normally sees a three-month stretch of relatively dry and cool weather starting in November.

It is high season for tourists who flock to the kingdom’s island resorts.

But the deluge disrupted beach holidays in several traveller hot spots, including the popular islands of Samui and Phangan.

Hundreds of tourists had their flights delayed, while train and bus services on the mainland were suspended.

Some travellers refusedto let the storm stop the fun, coasting through flooded streets on pool floats and sipping drinks.

“Some tourists are enjoying the flooding, they’re taking pictures and going swimming,” said Nongyao Jirundorn, a tourism official on Samui island.

Neighbouring Malaysia was also hit by severe flooding earlier in the week, with thousands stranded in relief centres in two north-eastern states.

By Saturday the number of evacuees in Kelantan and Terengganu had dropped to about 13,500, from almost 23,000 on Wednesday, as weather conditions improved and authorities forecast less rainfall over the weekend.

The prime minister, Najib Razak, visited Kelantan on Saturday and met with people sheltering at a relief centre. </s> Bangkok, Thailand | AFP |.Days of torrential rain and flooding have killed at least 14 people in southern Thailand, with authorities declaring much of the region a disaster zone, the government said on Tuesday.

Heavy rains have lashed the central part of Thailand's south for much of the last week, including the popular tourist draws of Krabi, Koh Samui and Koh Pha-ngan, affecting some flights and ferry services.

"582,343 people from 88 districts are affected and 14 have people have been killed," the interior ministry said in an update.

Three people have been injured, the statement added, with 11 southern provinces declared disaster zones, a process that frees up more emergency government aid and resources.

At least three people are known to be missing.

In Saiburi district, Pattani province, rescuers on Tuesday were searching a swollen river for two missing boys who were swept away in a flash flood as anxious relatives looked on, an AFP photographer at the scene said.

Railway services have also been suspended south of Nakhon Si Thammarat province after floodwaters covered the train line there.

The rains are unusually heavy for this time of year, with most of Thailand usually experiencing a cooler, dry period from early November -- part of a three month long peak tourist season that is crucial to the economy.

Thailand's Meteorological Department has forecast continued downpours across the region for the next few days. </s> BANGKOK, Dec 6 (Reuters) - Floods in Thailand have killed 14 people and badly affected southern holiday islands as the country heads into the December-January high season for tourism, authorities said on Tuesday.

A low pressure system has brought heavy rain to parts of the south including the islands of Samui and Pha Ngan in the Gulf of Thailand, and floods have also severed the rail link to the south and Malaysia beyond.

Tourism has been a rare bright spot for an economy that has struggled to gain traction since the army seized power in a bloodless coup in 2014 to end months of political unrest.

The death on Oct. 13 of long-reigning King Bhumibol Adulyadej plunged the country into grief and also raised questions about tourist arrivals though authorities say the country is open for business despite a year of mourning.

“There has been heavier rain than usual which has caused drainage problems,” Nongyao Jirundom of the state Tourism Authority of Thailand on Samui island told Reuters.

“Swimming is out of the question.”

The National Disaster Warning Centre said 14 Thai people had been killed in various accidents caused by the weather in different parts of the south.

Southbound trains have been halted in the town of Thung Song in Nakhon Si Thammarat province because of flooding.

Nakhon Si Thammarat has had 447 mm of precipitation in the past 7 days, 380 mm more than the average for this time of year, according to Thomson Reuters data.

December marks the beginning of the dry season when tourists descend on palm fringed beaches to celebrate the Christmas and New Year holidays.

Despite the mourning period for the late king, authorities are bullish about the outlook for tourism, which accounts for 10 percent of gross domestic product.

The tourism ministry expects a record 32.4 million arrivals this year.

Widespread floods in 2011 killed more than 900 people and caused major disruption to industry, cutting economic growth that year to just 0.1 percent. (Reporting by Amy Sawitta Lefevre and Panarat Thepgumpanat; Editing by Robert Birsel)
Flash flooding in southern Thailand kills at least 18 people.