The overflow from the Ping River that flooded Chiang Mai has now subsided, and life for some communities is slowly returning to normal. However, in some districts, roads are still covered in garbage, mud and dried soil, causing thick dust to float everywhere.
Many roadsides and sidewalks are filled with trash and damaged household items left behind without being collected.
In Chiang Mai’s San Pa Tong district, one of the hardest-hit areas, the flooding has greatly affected the villagers. They say they received almost no assistance from the government.
Residents told reporters that the only help during the flooding came from rescue workers and soldiers who brought food and water. Since the water has receded, the government and military have not assisted.
One local headman told reporters he understood that other important economic areas needed urgent attention first. Now that those areas have improved, it would be nice to get help restoring the San Pa Khoi area, which has many markets, shops, and restaurants.
Garbage and debris are piled up everywhere because many villagers do not have pickup trucks to take the waste to the designated places. Renting a pickup truck for a trip costs 1,000 baht, and no laborers are available.
The headman said that municipal workers sometimes come to help collect the rubbish. They ask not to be scolded because there is so much garbage to collect, so they do not come daily. Residents feel frustrated because some people are careless. When they see piles of garbage, they secretly dump more in front of others’ houses instead of in front of their own.
Ms. Busaba Posarakorn, a San Pa Khoi Road resident, Wat Ket Subdistrict, Mueang Chiang Mai District, said their roads had not been cleaned. Residents in this area have to live with the dust that covers everything. There is a problem with tap water not flowing; they have to buy their own water daily.
She hoped Chiang Mai Provincial Officials would help distribute personnel and equipment to smaller areas because many people suffer. She said the situation is no different from that of the shop owners along the main road.
Meanwhile, the Chiang Mai Provincial Administrative Organization, local administrative organizations, and military volunteers have partnered together.
Over 700 people and 200 water trucks have been mobilized to spray and clean the main roads, alleys, and lanes. This effort aims to reduce the dust accumulating on Charoen Mueang Road from Nong Prathip Intersection to Nawarat Bridge.
They will start working on other routes in the future to quickly improve Chiang Mai’s appearance, making it clean and beautiful before the tourist season in November.
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Geoff Thomas is an award winning journalist known for his sharp insights and no-nonsense reporting style. Over the years he has worked for Reuters and the Canadian Press covering everything from political scandals to human interest stories. He brings a clear and direct approach to his work.
