Anutin visits flooded Sai Mai, promises special Bangkok relief

Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul visited flood-hit Sai Mai district late on Monday (September 29, 2026), saying he wanted to see residents’ hardship first-hand and pledging special assistance for people affected by flooding in Bangkok.

Anutin arrived at Baan Eua Arthorn Bang Khen (Khlong Thanon) at around 10.30pm, accompanied by Defence Minister Lt Gen Adul Boonthamcharoen and other officials. The housing complex, home to more than 10,000 residents, had been dealing with standing floodwater for about five days.

Anutin said the visit had not been scheduled in advance because he wanted to observe conditions as they were. Roads leading into the area, including Phoem Sin and Watcharaphon roads, remained difficult to use because of flooding.

He said the Interior Ministry, through the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, was coordinating with other agencies to ensure residents had sufficient food, medicines and essential supplies.

The Metropolitan Electricity Authority was also asked to send a rapid-response team to address lighting and electrical problems in the area to improve public safety.

Pumps prepared for possible Chao Phraya rise

Anutin said he was also monitoring the possibility of higher Chao Phraya River levels affecting Nonthaburi.

He instructed the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning to prepare pumps so water could be removed as soon as external river levels allowed drainage.

The department was also told to work closely with the Royal Irrigation Department on reservoir and water management outside Bangkok to avoid additional inflows worsening conditions in already flooded areas.

Anutin said assistance for Bangkok would be treated as a special case. The government had already instructed agencies to accelerate damage surveys and prepare relief and rehabilitation funding for flood victims.

Video shows Anutin handing residents cash

During the visit, a livestream by the Sai Mai Tong Rod volunteer network showed Anutin taking out cash and handing it to some residents.

The banknotes appeared to be THB1,000 notes, although the total amount distributed was not stated.

At one point, Anutin was heard telling residents, “Please be patient. I only have this much, or there won’t be enough,” while members of his team appeared to ask people not to film the moment. The incident was subsequently widely shared on social media and reported by Thai media.

Visit follows mixed reactions at earlier flood-hit communities

Anutin’s visit to Sai Mai followed earlier inspections of flood-hit areas including Khlong Chan flats in Bang Kapi and Rom Klao housing communities.

Reports from those visits described mixed reactions from residents, with some criticising the government’s flood response while others thanked Anutin for visiting and delivering relief supplies. Government agencies have continued deploying personnel and equipment across affected Bangkok districts.

By September 29, Bangkok had reduced the number of districts officially classified as disaster-affected from all 50 districts to 29, although Sai Mai remained among the areas still affected.