Residents of downtown Chiang Mai and outlying districts have been advised to prepare for worse flooding tonight and to move to safer ground, according to Chuchoke Aryupong, a water expert at Chiang Mai University.
The water level in the Ping River, which flows through downtown Chiang Mai, has been at 4.81m since 2am this morning, which is still below the 4.93m recorded during recent flooding.
Commercial areas, such as Chang Klan Road, the Night Bazaar and the huge Mueang Mai wholesale market, remain flooded, prompting hotels to transport their guests to and from the hotels in trucks, because the flooded roads are impassable by small vehicles.
Nonetheless, few booking cancellations have been reported so far, but several tour agencies have been sending their staff to hotels to pick up their customers.
Some villagers in Tha Wang Tarn sub-district of Saraphli district told the media that they have just cleaned their homes, which are now flooded again, adding that belongings saved from the recent flooding may be now be ruined.
Pornnarin Khumthong, chief of Chiang Dao wildlife sanctuary, said that rainfall in Chiang Dao district over the past 24 hours was measured at 82mm, prompting concerns of more flash floods and mudslides.
He said villagers have been advised to comply with the advice offered by officials.
