Around 700,000 people have been hit by the recent floods, and the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation announced a city‑wide disaster on Saturday.

The capital’s problem is deep‑rooted: Bangkok sits on former marshlands and is criss‑crossed by many canals, a layout that makes it especially vulnerable when heavy rain falls.

Pumping stations are operating at full capacity, but officials warned that it may take as long as a week for the water to drain completely from the city.

Many residents said they received no warning before the water rose. Supachai Pongchan, a local resident, complained, "The government miscalculated. So when the huge volume of water arrived, we just didn't know what to do."

Scientists added that, as global warming speeds up, the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events are expected to rise, meaning Bangkok could face even stronger rainstorms in the future.

These facts show why the floods are so severe despite flood‑control measures: the city’s low‑lying geography, its canal network, limited drainage speed and increasingly intense rainfall all combine to overwhelm the existing systems.