bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

sponsorType

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

factSheets

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

copyrighted

customTimezone

liveContents

The world-famous temple city of Chiang Mai in northern Thailand was once again under water on Friday after heavy monsoon rains battered the region.
According to local authorities, the Ping River, which flows through the city of 115,000 residents, reached an all-time high in the evening.
Huge volumes of water from upstream districts flooded the popular tourist location, where both residents and visitors had to be brought to safety from affected areas.
Volunteers were working to hold back the advancing floodwaters with sandbags.
Many animals were also threatened, especially in elephant camps, where the animals were literally up to their necks in water, media and eyewitnesses reported.
In several locations in Chiang Mai, many elephants that were once mistreated and were then rescued live in such facilities, which can also be visited by tourists.
The Elephant Nature Park was particularly badly affected and sent out a call for help to the authorities.
“We are in a serious crisis!” employees wrote on Facebook. “We urgently need help, big cars and big boats to evacuate animals and people from here.”
In the evening, it was reported that several animals, including a buffalo, had been washed away. The Khaosod newspaper quoted the founder of the Friends of Asian Elephants foundation as saying that at least one elephant had already drowned and 30 more were missing.

However, 117 elephants had also been rescued, said Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai. Many smaller animals such as cats and dogs had also been brought to safety.
It is still the rainy season in many parts of Southeast Asia, which has been particularly heavy in the north this year.
Chiang Mai, also known as the Rose of the North, is considered one of Thailand’s prime showpieces with its historic old town and many sights. It already experienced severe flooding in September.
Flooding also occurred repeatedly in other provinces, especially in the province of Chiang Rai, also popular with tourists, located on the border with Myanmar and Laos.


Rush to ‘value up’ may be Asia stocks’ best defence against Trump

Bangkok Art Biennale 2024: where ancient temples meet modern art

Floods wreak havoc in Malaysia, southern Thailand as tens of thousands evacuated

Thailand’s hand-raised baby leatherback sea turtles fight extinction

Thailand

Thailand scrambles to save elephants from drowning in flood-stricken Chiang Mai

Elephants stand in floodwaters at a sanctuary in Thailand’s Chiang Mai province on October 3. Photo: Photo: Elephant Nature Park Via AP

Wat Mai Lung Khon temple in Chiang Rai is surrounded by floodwaters. Photo: EPA-EFE

Thailand zoo defends viral baby hippo Moo Deng against Peta’s captivity claims

Moo Deng, a female baby pygmy hippo, became a Thai zoo’s starlet and global online celebrity after a zookeeper posted videos of her on social media. Photo: EPA-EFE

The popularity of Moo Deng resulted in a 50 per cent increase in visitors at Khao Kheow Open Zoo between September 1-19. Photo: EPA-EFE

A two-month-old female pygmy hippopotamus named Moo Deng has become an internet sensation. Photo: EPA-EFE

Thailand counts cost of climate crisis as tourists in Chiang Mai warned of flood risks

A street in the Chang Khlan area, Chiang Mai, which was flooded due to the Ping River overflowing into urban areas. Photo: dpa

Rescue workers searching for victims in flooded areas in Chiang Rai province, Thailand. Photo: AP

Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra talking to flood victims during a visit to monitor the flood situation in Mae Sai district, Chiang Rai. Photo: EPA-EFE

Will climate change push Thailand to move its capital Bangkok?

Tourists at Bangkok’s Temple of Dawn. Projections consistently show that low-lying Bangkok risks being inundated by the ocean before the end of the century. Photo: EPA-EFE

Customers feed fishes in a flooded noodle shop at the banks of Tha Chin river in Nakhon Pathom, in the outskirts of Bangkok. Photo: Reuters

News

Asia

Southeast Asia

Authorities rescued 117 elephants, while at least one had already drowned and 30 more missing


Authorities rescued 117 elephants, while at least one had already drowned and 30 more missing.


Natural disasters

Extreme weather

Animals

Conservation