Mae Sai Border Residents Continue to Be Haunted By Flood Trauma

Home - Chiang Rai News - Mae Sai Border Residents Continue to Be Haunted By Flood Trauma MAE SAI – Life along the Thai-Myanmar border in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai remains a daily struggle with fear. Even two years after the devastating floods of September 2024, thousands of residents still live behind massive sandbag barriers. The trauma of losing their homes to the raging Sai River has left deep emotional scars on the community. Today, any sign of dark clouds or a sudden announcement on the village loudspeaker sends locals into a panic. Families keep their bags packed and cars ready, prepared to abandon their homes at a moment’s notice. The recent rise in water levels on July 31 has only added to this ongoing anxiety. The Thai government and the military have worked hard to secure the border town. They constructed both temporary and semi-permanent flood walls stretching nearly 12.8 kilometers along the riverbank. This includes a sturdy 1.36-kilometer section built specifically to protect the bustling economic zone. However, the physical barriers have not erased the mental toll on the people. Thousands of families across several municipalities still live directly behind these towering sandbags. For many locals, the nightmare of 2024 feels like it happened just yesterday. Mr. Saeng, a resident of the Mai Lung Khon community, remembers watching the water swallow his home completely. He survived only by climbing onto a neighboring tall building with his family. Now, he refuses to take any chances with the unpredictable river. He closely monitors online updates and local broadcasts for any signs of danger. If the water threatens to breach the wall, his family will immediately flee to relatives outside the city. Similarly, Ms. Noi, who lives right next to the river, remains deeply traumatized by the past. She and her elderly parents were trapped on an upper floor for days during the last disaster. Whenever a heavy rain warning is issued, they simply pack up and leave to sleep at a safe house. Despite the fear, the situation has improved significantly in terms of disaster preparation. Mae Sai District Chief Warayuth Koybun explained that a new water monitoring station was recently set up in Myanmar. This station, located in Tachileik, provides highly valuable data to Thai officials across the border. Because of this new system, authorities now get a four-hour warning before floodwaters hit Mae Sai. This allowed them to act quickly when heavy rains struck early in the morning on July 31. Officials were fully prepared by the time the water reached the city limits. While the early warning system works well, the threat of flooding is far from over. Weather forecasts predict at least another week of heavy rainfall in the upstream mountainous areas. Authorities are refusing to let their guard down and are maintaining strict emergency protocols. Emergency response teams are on standby with clear evacuation plans for vulnerable neighborhoods. With over 65,000 residents living in these border municipalities, keeping the community safe is a massive task. For now, the people of Mae Sai can only watch the skies and hope the walls hold firm.