Mae Sai Flood Threat Grows as River Nears Critical Level

Home - Chiang Rai News - Mae Sai Flood Threat Grows as River Nears Critical Level MAE SAI, Chiang Rai – Heavy rainfall has pushed the Sai River dangerously close to its limits today, September 7. Monitoring stations in neighboring Myanmar reported severe weather conditions starting early this morning. Ban Jotada, located just 25 kilometers from Thailand’s Mae Sai district, recorded 89.4 millimeters of rain. Water levels there quickly surged to over 77 percent of the area’s maximum holding capacity. Closer to the border, the situation at the first Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge is even worse. Rainfall in this specific area reached a staggering 102.44 millimeters today. While flood walls have protected the Thai side so far, the same cannot be said for their neighbors. Across the river in Tachileik, Myanmar, rising waters overwhelmed local sandbag defenses and flooded nearby border communities. Meanwhile, a concerning situation is currently unfolding on the Thai side in the Koh Sai community. Local officials found several large holes in the big bag barriers placed near a riverside hotel. Because of these newly discovered gaps, river water is now spilling right through the defenses. The water has already started flowing into the inner eastern areas of the town. This is not the first time this specific flood barrier has faced frustrating problems. Mae Sai District Chief Warayuth Khombun previously dealt with a local man repeatedly tampering with the defenses. The elderly resident had dismantled the sandbags three or four times simply to get inside a building. Authorities strictly warned him on August 6 about the severe dangers of his actions. Despite those past warnings, it appears the barrier has been damaged once again today. The threat of a major flood remains very real for the entire Mae Sai district. District Chief Warayuth shared the latest water measurements for the vulnerable Ban Tham Pha Chom area. The river there has reached a depth of 4.07 meters, while the critical overflow level is 4.30 meters. Local authorities urge everyone to stay alert and monitor the changing weather closely. Emergency response teams are ready to patch up the damaged barriers in the Koh Sai community. They are working fast to stop more water from reaching the vulnerable eastern zones. The coming hours will be absolutely crucial for both Mae Sai and Tachileik. If rainfall continues at this heavy pace, the Sai River will easily break the critical 4.30-meter mark. Community cooperation is now more essential than ever to keep the remaining flood walls intact. Everyone must respect the emergency barriers to protect the entire border town from a devastating disaster. Officials are also asking residents to move their valuable items to higher ground immediately. People living near the riverbanks should pack emergency survival kits just in case. The local government has promised to send more sandbags to reinforce the known weak spots. For now, all eyes remain closely fixed on the dark skies and the rapidly rising river.