KHON KAEN: Mountain runoff flooded many areas of Mancha Khiri district on Tuesday after hours of heavy rain overnight, with more flooding expected in the general area over the next few days.
Residents said it was the worst flooding in a decade or so.
Rescue workers, soldiers and volunteers on Tuesday evacuated residents from flooded-hit communities to safe areas.
Na Muang road in tambon Mancha Khiri was under water to a depth of more than one metre around soi 10. In many houses, the water was waist high.
At Mancha Khiri district office the water was at least 50cm deep. The office was closed.
Local resident Mongkhol Sukcharoen said the flooding was the worst he could remember in at least 10 years. The district had been flooded before, but not as severely as this year.
Hours of downpouring rain overnight triggered runoff from Phu Meng mountain that poured through the district.
Wat Pho Klang was opened as a temporary shelter for affected residents.
Khon Kaen governor Somsak Jangtrakul said workers had been sent to help people whose houses were flooded.
Government agencies worked to pump water out of flood-hit communities and into Bueng Khad Khao swamp and the Chi River.
The governor said a huge volume of water was expected to flow from the Chi River into municipal areas in Khon Kaen over the next three days.
Preparations were in place to deal with the flooding, Mr Somsak said.