Thursday 29 October

A man with a green and white umbrella wades through floodwater on a Phuket street in heavy rain, with parked cars and a motorbike rider in a rain poncho behind him

Weather

Phuket City issues red flood alert; Patong opens shelters

Residents along Bang Yai Canal were told to move valuables to higher ground, and a landslide shut Na Nai 3 Road. Forecasters expect more very heavy rain, with hillside and canal-side stays most exposed.

Phuket City issued a red flood alert at 7:40am on 29 October, and Patong ordered residents in high-risk areas to shelters.

Why it matters: the rain that flooded Patong on 26 October has not eased, and the Thai Meteorological Department forecast very heavy rain in parts of Phuket on Thursday. Visitors staying near hills or canals face the most risk.

The Phuket City alert told people along Bang Yai Canal to move electrical goods and valuables to higher levels. A landslide sent soil and rocks onto Na Nai 3 Road in Patong, which is closed, and shuttle vehicles were arranged for residents of Na Nai 3 and Na Nai 8 roads.

Karon temporarily closed Khok Tanot Road because of flooding, and floodwater in Chalong was too deep for small cars and motorbikes at two spots. The meteorological department linked the rain to a low-pressure area over the Andaman Sea and said waves could top two metres in thunderstorms. It advised small boats to stay ashore.

Preliminary estimates put damage in Patong at about 100 million baht, with more than 100 households and businesses affected. No reports mentioned injured tourists.

What to do Stay away from hillsides, streams and canals while the rain lasts, avoid Na Nai 3 Road in Patong, and don't drive through floodwater. Call 1784 for disaster help or the tourist police on 1155.

Travel

Thailand hotel closures up 42% on a year earlier

Small operators are hit hardest, and a small-hotel association says occupancy in major cities is down 30 to 40%. Arrivals are heading for 79% of the 2019 level, while room supply is 11.7% higher.

Hotel closures in Thailand rose 42% to 148 in the first nine months of 2026, Kasikorn Research Centre said on 27 October.

Why it matters: rooms now outnumber visitors, and the businesses closing are mostly small ones.

New registrations fell 31.2% to 779, according to Department of Business Development data cited by the research centre. Rooms reached 876,000 by mid-year, 11.7% more than in 2019. Kasikorn expects 31.4 million foreign arrivals this year, 4% fewer than last year and 79% of the 2019 level.

Small operators carry the most strain: 54% reported losses in 2025, against 51% across the industry. The president of the Thailand Hostel and Small Accommodation Association said occupancy in major cities has fallen 30 to 40%, and asked for easier loans and a review of the foreign tourist fee.

The Chiang Mai Tourism Business Association said some closures are temporary low-season shutdowns and others are permanent. Kasikorn projects 31 to 33 million foreign tourists in 2027.

What to do If you booked a small hotel months ahead, confirm the reservation with the property before you fly.

In brief

TransportBelavia plans first Minsk to Phuket flight on 29 October.
The Phuket service is due to run twice a week, and the airline also flies Minsk to Bangkok every Sunday on an Airbus A330-200.

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