PHUKET - Persistent rain blocked flights at Phuket airport from 7am and caused flooding throughout this tourist island province.
About 10 inbound flights were diverted to Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi airports as well as airports in Krabi, Langkawi, Penang and Surat Thani because pilots had no vision of the runway, Phuket airport director Monchai Tanod said.
Four outbound domestic flights could not take off from Phuket airport during the same period because they were waiting for passengers on the delayed incoming flights.
Diverted to Krabi were flights QR842, EY430, TR658, G9687 and FD3029.
Other diverted flights included FD3001 to Surat Thani; WY833 to Langkawi; C8771 to Don Mueang; SU274 and VZ314 to Suvarnabhumi; and AI378 to Penang.
Flights resumed at Phuket airport at 10.04am due to improved visibility, Mr Monchai said. He added that the airport itself was not flooded.
Sophon Thongsai, Phuket's disaster mitigation chief, said that flooding happened throughout Phuket and deep floodwater was reported in the northern part of the island, Thalang district.
Weather forecasters predicted rains would cover 60% of Phuket on Sunday and decline on Monday.
Later on Sunday afternoon, floodwater remained in parts of Muang Kathu and tambon Kamala in Kathu district; tambon Koh Kaew in Muang district; and tambon Thepkasattri, tambon Sakhu and tambon Srisoonthorn of Thalang district.