Continuous heavy rain caused the Moei River in Mae Sot district of Tak province to overflow on Friday morning, forcing vendors at Rim Moei market to move their goods to higher ground.
Authorities have closely monitored the Moei River in the border district, after persistent rainfall caused water levels at a monitoring point beneath the First Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge in tambon Tha Sai Luat to rise steadily overnight.
The Moei River began overflowing by about 60 centimetres, with floodwater reaching the river island and the parking area of Rim Moei market. More than 200 shopkeepers at the border market rushed to move merchandise and valuables to higher ground to prevent damage.
Soldiers, Mae Sot district officials, officers from Border Patrol Police Company 346, Tha Sai Luat Municipality and other relevant agencies were deployed to assist vendors with relocating their belongings while continuing to monitor the situation.
At about 9.30am, rainfall in Mae Sot had stopped for about 30 minutes, but the water level beneath the First Friendship Bridge was still rising.
Officials said concerns remained as rainfall persisted in the area and additional runoff from Phop Phra district was flowing downstream into the Moei River.
Across the border in Myawaddy, Myanmar, riverside areas along the Moei River were also reported to have been affected, with water overflowing riverbanks and flooding nearby communities.
The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation issued an alert via the Cell Broadcast system on Friday morning, warning residents living along the Moei River in several tambons of Mae Sot district and tambon Mae Charao in Mae Ramat district, to closely monitor the situation.
The department advised residents to move household belongings and valuables to higher ground, relocate vehicles to safe areas, and prepare for the possible evacuation of vulnerable groups should conditions worsen.
Residents requiring assistance or facing possible evacuation were urged to contact Kamnan, village headmen or local administrative organisations for immediate support.
