Tachileik Floods Submerge Border Market, Mae Sai Holds the Line

CHIANG RAI – Heavy rains caused the Sai River to surge along the Thai-Myanmar border on the afternoon of September 7. The rising waters severely eroded flood defenses in Tachileik, Myanmar. This sudden breach sent floodwaters pouring directly into local border communities. Eventually, the overflow reached the popular Tha Lor Market, a vital economic and tourist hub in the city. Meanwhile, on the Thai side of the border in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai, officials worked quickly. Local authorities, military personnel, and disaster relief teams rushed to fix leaks in the flood barriers. They successfully reinforced the large sandbag walls protecting the Koh Sai community. Thanks to their fast response, no further water breached the Thai side. Key Takeaways Officials in Mae Sai are now keeping a strict 24-hour watch over the flood barriers. They are especially on guard against anyone trying to damage or dismantle the protective sandbags. In the past, a local elderly man repeatedly tampered with the barriers. His actions caused deep frustration and fear among the border residents. To manage the crisis, leaders from both nations joined forces to monitor the river. Chiang Rai Governor Chucheep Pongchai and Tachileik Governor U Tin Win Tun led the joint inspection. They focused heavily on conditions upstream at Ban Jo Ta Da in Myanmar. This key monitoring station sits about 25 kilometers from the Mae Sai border. At 1:20 PM, the upstream station recorded a heavy rainfall of 90.6 millimeters. Despite the downpour, the river’s water capacity remained safely at 75.55 percent. Officials confirmed that this upstream level is still within the normal, safe range. However, they are not taking any chances with the unpredictable weather. To speed up the water flow, work crews brought in heavy backhoe machinery. They actively cleared weeds, branches, and debris trapped near the first Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge. Removing this blockage helps the Sai River flow freely into the Ruak and Mekong rivers. Currently, the water levels along the border are slowly beginning to drop. The immediate threat to the Mae Sai district seems to be fading. Still, disaster relief teams refuse to lower their guard just yet. Security teams will maintain their round-the-clock patrols until the water fully recedes.