More rain is forecast this week for Sukhothai, where locals are beefing up flood defences.
The swollen Yom River broke flood walls in Muang district on Monday after a weekend of heavy rain.
Somsak said the river’s flow rate had surged to 400 cubic meters per second.
Residents woke up to flash floods in the early hours of Monday and were forced to flee their homes to higher ground.
Government officials had built the river barriers only two months ago to contain water at least 8 metres in depth. However, the surging current broke through and inundated homes in Muang district and other areas of the province.
Highway 1056 in the province is also flooded and impassable in some areas, according to the Highways Department.
Somsak said the damage had not yet risen to levels seen during the 2011 flood. He said the government understood the need for long-term water-management plans…
