As the rest of the country celebrated the festive season, people in the deep South provinces struggled with the effects of severe flooding.
Southernmost Narathiwat, Pattani, and Yala were the most hard-hit areas as water reached levels not seen in five decades.
The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) on Dec 29 put the death toll at 12, with the highest number of deaths in Narathiwat.
Higher sea levels also slowed down water flow, resulting in longer inundation and making it difficult for rescue workers to reach some areas.
Many villages are still fighting on their own, without state assistance. They have to cope with flood-related diseases while food and medical supplies are scarce.
The inundation has also caused damage to some hospitals and health centres. The authorities say the devastating floods affected over 28,000 families or 100,000 residents in 25 districts.
Local authorities are now in a position where they must do their best to speed up assistance for flood victims and compensation for their losses.
This week, while much of the flooding is receding, several districts remain under the water, including parts of Pattani's Muang and Nong Chik, Yala's Raman, Narathiwat's Cho Airong, Sungai Padi and Sungai Kolok districts.
Floods are not unusual for the southern region as this is the monsoon season for this area. Local residents and authorities, like those along the river in Rangae and Rueso districts of Narathiwat, are familiar with floods.
However, changes in rain patterns induced by climate change have aggravated the situation, with even the driest areas being inundated.
The catastrophic floods, which began on Dec 22 following hours of heavy rains, signal a serious need for adaptation to the climate crisis and stronger efforts to combat such problems.
Unarguably, the disaster and its impact also raise questions about early warning systems or lack thereof.
Due to the lack of an efficient warning system, many residents did not prepare for flash floods that struck their homes around 2am on Dec 22. Some had to wade through waist-deep water as they sought safety, while others were seen taking refuge on rooftops, awaiting rescue and evacuation teams. In some areas, the water levels are as high as three metres.
In an interview with the BBC, Asst Prof Somporn Chuayaree of Prince of Songkla University expressed concerns over severe climate patterns due to global warming. The fact that some villagers had to stay on roofs showed there was no warnings or proactive measures to deal with such catastrophic situations, the academic said. This and the severe damage showed local authorities had underestimated the weather.
Most of the budget for this southernmost area has been used for national security and economic development, rarely on building local capacity to deal with floods. Such a mindset is indeed costly regarding loss of life and property, not to mention economic costs for the country due to extreme weather conditions.
The DDPM and provincial authorities must review their performance and immediately correct their mistakes. First of all, flood warning systems must be revamped. The department must also give weight to prevention, work on flood risk mapping and find ways to improve the capacity of those involved with evacuation and rescue operations.
With the threat of climate change, the business-as-usual mindset has to change.