Government agencies are on alert for increasing rainfall and have been told to monitor a tropical storm developing in the South China Sea in the coming days, the Office of the National Water Resources (ONWR) said.
The ONWR has held a strategic meeting to coordinate flood preparation efforts as the country braces for the tropical storm expected in the coming days.
Surasee Kittimonthon, secretary-general of the ONWR, chaired the meeting of the subcommittee on water resource management, where participants assessed the current water situation and plans to handle increasing rainfall influenced by a monsoon trough. This trough is currently moving across northern Thailand, northern Laos, and into a low-pressure system near Vietnam's northern coast, compounded by a strengthening southwest monsoon over the Andaman Sea.
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) said rainfall was expected to increase from Monday, with heavy downpours likely in the eastern and western southern regions.
From Tuesday to Thursday, the moderate-strength monsoon trough will move southwards, covering the North, Northeast, and Upper Central regions, feeding into a low-pressure area in the central South China Sea. This will intensify the southwest monsoon, bringing widespread rain and heavy to very heavy rainfall to many parts of the country.
The TMD also warned of a potential low-pressure system in the upper South China Sea during this period, which may strengthen into a large storm.
While it is currently projected to move toward southern China without directly impacting Thailand, it could intensify the prevailing monsoon.