2010 floods in Thailand and north Malaysia

A series of flash floods hit different areas of Thailand and Malaysia in 2010. Separate but related floods began in Northeast and Central Thailand (per the six-region definition) in early October due to abnormally late monsoon moisture over the Bay of Bengal, overflowed the Chao Phraya where the rivers meet, and affected Bangkok, and in the South were triggered by a tropical depression about two weeks later, and were later aggravated by related La Niña monsoon rains. Floods subsequently occurred in the Malaysian states of Kedah and Perlis in November 2010.

Although flooding is a common and annual occurrence in this part of the world, a combination of inadequate drainage and higher-than-average rainfall in October and November 2010 caught the nation off guard and led to disaster. The death toll in Thailand stands at 232 people. According to the Thai government data, the floods affected nearly 7 million people in more than 25,000 villages, mostly by destruction of property, livelihood, and infrastructure. The government announced that 38 provinces were hit by floods from 1 October until 13 November, and waters had receded in eight provinces, leaving 30 provinces still affected, including 12 in the southern region of the country.