UPDATE: Southern Thailand, including Phuket, faces heavy rain and flash-flood risk as airports prepare
The TMD warning runs through 28 October, while a separate 10-province flood-risk advisory covers 23–26 October and southern airports prepare for possible flooding.
Southern Thailand, including Phuket, is facing overlapping heavy-rain and flood-risk advisories. The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has extended its warning for heavy to very heavy rain from 24–28 October 2026, while a separate warning from the Office of the National Water Resources (ONWR) covers 23–26 October.
Accumulated rainfall could cause flash floods, rapid run-off and flooding in foothill communities near waterways, flood-prone areas and low-lying locations.
The separate ONWR advisory warns of waterlogging, flash floods, forest run-off and mudslides in Ranong, Phang Nga, Phuket, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, Songkhla, Satun, Yala and Narathiwat. This is a narrower, overlapping advisory covering 23–26 October, while the TMD forecast covers a wider group of southern provinces through 28 October.
The flood risk has also prompted Thailand’s Transport Ministry to order southern airports under the Department of Airports to prepare and monitor conditions around the clock. Airport teams have been instructed to assess airport grounds, surrounding areas and access routes, obtain weather and aviation information from the TMD, and check water-level and flood forecasts from the ONWR, the Royal Irrigation Department and local water agencies.
Preparations include inspecting drainage channels and removing obstructions, checking pumps, electrical systems and backup power, and tracking rainfall, water levels and the condition of runways, taxiways and aircraft parking aprons. Airports must coordinate with provincial authorities and disaster prevention and mitigation offices. If airport grounds or facilities are deemed unsafe for flight operations, affected areas may be restricted or operations suspended as necessary. Airports must also coordinate with air traffic control, airlines and other agencies, issue any required notices to pilots and provide passengers with up-to-date information.
At Narathiwat Airport, preparations include plans to request additional pumps and dredge about 4,110 metres of drainage channels. Danai Ruangsorn, director-general of the Department of Airports, said the airport had coordinated with provincial authorities and Regional Irrigation Office 17.
In its 24-hour forecast from 6pm on 23 October to 6pm on 24 October, the TMD expected thundershowers across 60% of both southern coasts. On the west, or Andaman, coast, the forecast covered Ranong, Phang Nga, Phuket, Krabi, Trang and Satun, with heavy rainfall expected in Phuket, Krabi, Trang and Satun. On the east coast, isolated heavy rain was forecast in Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, Songkhla, Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat.
The west-coast forecast gave minimum temperatures of 24–26°C and maximum temperatures of 32–35°C, with northwesterly winds of 15–30 km/h. Waves were expected to be around one metre high but could exceed two metres in areas affected by thundershowers.
On the east coast, temperatures were expected to range from 22–25°C at night to 33–35°C during the day, with variable winds of 15–30 km/h. Waves were expected to be around one metre high and could also exceed two metres during thundershowers.
The TMD warned that waves in both the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea could exceed two metres in areas affected by thundershowers. Mariners were advised to navigate cautiously and avoid sailing through thundershowers. Residents were advised to remain alert to flooding, take precautions against strong wind gusts, plan daily activities and travel carefully, and monitor official weather forecasts and warnings.
