Southern Thailand cut off as floods shut rail lines, sever highways
HAT YAI, Nov 25 — Heavy flooding has disrupted rail services and cut off major highways across southern Thailand, with authorities warning that water levels continue to rise in several provinces.
According to Bangkok Post, persistent rain since Monday forced the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) to halt a dozen local services and reroute several others as tracks became impassable.
SRT said trains 447 and 448 were being diverted to operate on the Surat Thani–Thung Song–Surat Thani sector, while trains 445 and 446 were running via the Chumphon–Thung Song–Chumphon route instead of their usual Chumphon–Hat Yai path.
Local services 451/452, 453/454, 455/456 and 463/464 were suspended due to inundated tracks. Four special express trains — 947, 948, 949 and 950 — on the Hat Yai–Padang Besar sector were also halted.
Thailand’s Highways Department said several routes had been cut by rising floodwaters. In Songkhla, parts of Highway 43 in Thepha and Highway 4145 in Sadao were underwater. Phatthalung saw closures on Highway 4121 in Tamot, while in Satun, Highways 404 and 4052 in Langu were affected.
Pattani recorded closures on Highway 4092 in Mayo and Thung Yang Daeng and Highway 4075 in Yaring. In Narathiwat, Highways 4167, 4168 and 4300 were blocked in Bacho and Yi-ngo respectively.
The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation said floods had spread across 10 southern provinces, with conditions worsening in most of the affected areas.
