Chiang Rai flood alert after Mae Sai River reaches bridge underside
Chiang Rai warns low-lying Mae Sai communities of possible overflow after the Mae Sai River rose to the underside of Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge No 1.
- A flood alert was issued in Chiang Rai after heavy rain caused the Mae Sai River to rise to the underside of the Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge.
- Residents in low-lying riverside areas of Mae Sai district were warned to move belongings to higher ground and monitor the situation.
- Officials assessed the situation as manageable, reinforcing flood defences which successfully prevented a local market from flooding.
- Water levels later began to fall after authorities coordinated the closure of drainage gates to redirect the river's flow.
The Chiang Rai Provincial Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office issued an emergency mobile alert at about 9.04am on Monday (September 7), warning residents in at-risk areas after heavy rain upstream caused the Mae Sai River to rise steadily near Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge No 1.
Residents in low-lying riverside areas of Wiang Phang Kham, Mae Sai and Ko Chang subdistricts in Mae Sai district were urged to closely monitor the risk of the river overflowing its banks.
The provincial disaster office advised people to move belongings to higher ground, take particular care of vulnerable residents, including elderly people and bedridden patients, and closely follow official local warnings.
Alarm over the rising water prompted many residents to gather near Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge No 1 to monitor conditions and alert relatives. The river had risen to the underside of the bridge, while driftwood and vegetation became lodged beneath the structure, restricting the flow of water.
Officials nevertheless assessed the overall situation as manageable and were inspecting possible seepage points along the big-bag flood barrier so that vulnerable sections could be reinforced.
At Sai Lom Joy Market, an area that previously flooded quickly when water levels rose because it lacked a flood barrier, improvements to the flood-protection system prevented water from entering the market. Shops and vendors were therefore able to continue operating as normal.
Pornjet Hancharoenkitwanich, mayor of Mae Sai Mittraphap Subdistrict Municipality, explained that water levels in local drainage canals had risen during the morning because farmers had left drainage gates open.
Officials subsequently coordinated the closure of the gates to redirect water along the Mae Sai River and towards the Ruak River as quickly as possible.
The situation later began to ease, with water levels falling and remaining stable.
