Mae Sai red-flagged on possible flash floods

PUBLISHED : 31 Jul 2026 at 12:24 Thai and Myanmar authorities monitor the Sai River from a bridge bordering their countries, in Mae Sai district of Chiang Rai. (Photo: Chiang Rai Public Relations Office) Residents living near the Sai River in Mai Sai district have been advised to closely monitor the water level and wait for signals from authorities to move the elderly and patients to higher ground as rains could possibly trigger flash floods.The Mae Sai Municipality Office's main concern is four communities in the district town, including Sai Lom Joy located by the Sai River, as the water level looked like it would burst its banks and inundate the area. People vulnerable to flooding should prepare to move the elderly and patients first and stand ready to move to safe places after the office made an evacuation announcement, it added. The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department sent a warning message through mobile phone broadcast on the rising water levels of the river in the district. Riverside locations in the Mae Sai district town are prone to severe flooding. Authorities have blamed a few structures built into the river, obstructing its flow. Mae Sai is a trade post between Thailand and Myanmar, separated by the river. The Meteorological Department on Friday put Chiang Rai among the provinces to be hit the hardest by storms. Other districts in Chiang Rai with flooding potential include Mae Suai and areas affected by the surging Lao River, according to the Chiang Rai Public Relations Office. Muang district could also be affected because water from the Lao River will flow to the Kok, which passes the city.