The famous temple city of Chiang Mai in northern Thailand was flooded in many places on Thursday after a night of torrential rain.
The Ping River burst its banks and reached its highest water level in 13 years, the Bangkok Post newspaper reported, citing the authorities of the picturesque city, also known as the Rose of the North.
According to the report, the floods caused chaos in downtown Chiang Mai, including the famous Night Bazaar, with water levels rising by as much as 1 meter in some places.
Tourist police warned holidaymakers of the danger and issued an emergency number. Authorities also announced assistance for tourists stranded in their hotels by the high water.
Hospitals were also hit, announcing they would only accept emergency patients until Monday, and residents were urged to move their belongings to safety.
Meanwhile, the waters were moving towards Chiang Mai’s train station. The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) plans to suspend some train services for the time being.
In large parts of Southeast Asia, it is still the rainy season. This year, it has been particularly bad in the north. Earlier in September, days of heavy rain caused serious flooding, especially in the equally popular Chiang Rai province on the border with Myanmar and Laos.
The temple city of Chiang Mai, with its historic old town and many sights, is considered one of the most beautiful sights in the country.
However, it often makes negative headlines. Between January and April, Chiang Mai regularly ranks first on the list of cities with the highest air pollution in the world. This is largely due to farmers across the region burning stubble at the end of the dry season.
