CHIANG RAI– The water levels in Mae Sai have dropped, but new storms are forecast to hit between 4 and 6 August. Over the next two months, locals living near the border are anxious and jumpy. Many say the recent floods left their homes covered in thick mud.
Repairs from last year are still unfinished, and repeated flooding this year has left many feeling trapped and without options.
On 30 July 2025, Mae Sai district officials reported on the ongoing flood situation in the Mae Sai district of Chiang Rai. Authorities and volunteers worked all day to help residents clean up and remove mud in the flood-affected areas.
Some places still have standing water. Army engineers, local officials, and community leaders are rushing to patch leaks along the Sai River embankment and reinforce temporary barriers where the floodwall collapsed near Hua Fai village.
Damaged houses that haven’t been demolished yet are also being used as makeshift barriers.
Residents hit by the floods are struggling with more than just property damage. They have to dig mud out of their homes again and again.
Warayut Khombun, the district chief of Mae Sai, explained that as long as there is no rain upstream in both Tachileik, Myanmar, and Mae Sai, water levels return to normal. However, there are still some leaks along the riverbanks.
The Army Corps of Engineers, the municipal authority, and the local administration are aiming to seal all leaks by the end of the day.
More storms are expected to move through in the next few days, with heavy rain likely between 4 and 6 August. Authorities will monitor the situation closely throughout August and September.
Across the border from Mae Sai in Myanmar, river dredging is still not finished, so the risk of blockages and further flooding remains high.
Residents are urged to pay attention to official updates. If a warning is issued, they should move valuables to higher ground and relocate vulnerable family members to evacuation centres that have already been set up.
Chayada Nitchanan, a resident of Koh Sai, said last year’s floods at the end of 2024 left her home badly damaged. Repairs are still unfinished, and repeated flooding this year has left her shaken. Household items such as fridges, mattresses, and furniture were ruined during the previous flood.
“Last year, I got 55,500 baht in relief funds, but I’ve already spent over 20,000 baht just to clear mud from the house. It’s exhausting and I really don’t know what to do next,” she said.
