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> 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> 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) </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
• The Thai authorities yesterday warned of flash floods across the south as torrential rain lashed the region leaving at least eight people dead, delaying flights and disrupting holidays during the peak tourist season.

Nine provinces along Thailand's southern tail have been hit by unseasonable rain for nearly a week, with the resort islands of Samui and Phangan deluged, leaving thousands of tourists stranded or delayed.

Eight people have been killed and at least 120,000 households have been affected by the flooding across the south, the Interior Ministry said.

Waters have turned roads into rivers and upended rail tracks.

The authorities fear there may be worse to come.

The Thai Meteorological Department warned of possible "heavy rain and flash floods" in the region, with the downpour expected to continue for two more days.

A smattering of foreign tourists on Samui took advantage of the flooded streets, drawing bemused looks from locals as they bobbed along in inflatable tubes sipping beers.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha visited the southernmost province of Narathiwat yesterday to distribute aid.

Thailand's wet season usually begins in May and ends in late November. Heavy rain and flooding are rare in January, which is high season for beach resorts in the south.

Twenty-six flights to and from the main airport in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat were cancelled yesterday because the runway was flooded, the Department of Airports said.

"The floods began on Jan 1 and are due to the unseasonable heavy rain," said an official at the National Disaster Warning Centre .

Railway services on the main line linking Thailand to Malaysia have been suspended because the track is flooded.

Meanwhile, clear skies across the border in Malaysia's north- eastern states meant flood waters and river levels receded yesterday. Still, some 13,000 people in Kelantan remained stranded at relief centres though they are expected to return to their homes in the coming days. Sungai Golok, the river which lies on the border between Malaysia and Thailand, stayed above its danger level of 9m.

Residents in Terengganu state fared better; just under 1,300 people remain at relief centres, compared to 10,600 a day earlier. Those who made their way home began the tough task of assessing the damage and cleaning up.

They were grateful to see the flood waters subsiding but were wary of the rains returning.

"Last night, the flood waters rose up to my chest and today it receded. We will begin cleaning the mud, which we think is about two inches thick, from the house," said Mr Mohd Anuar Ali, 41, as he cleared debris from his house. </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.
Heavy flooding kills 14 people in Thailand and badly affects the islands of Samui and Pha Ngan in the Gulf of Thailand. It has also severed the rail link to southern Thailand and Malaysia.