The destroyed bridge was on Highway 4 in Prachuap Khiri Khan Province. Witnesses reported that a flash flood swamped the bridge and some vehicles were submerged up to their roofs. Buses and other vehicular traffic on the highway were caught up in the subsequent tailback.
Farther south in Suratthani Province, another bridge collapse in Chai Buri District caused additional woes for people using the highway. In the town of Nakhon Si Thammarat, almost 500 millimetres of rain in just seven days has rendered roads impassable and residents are having to resort to punts just to get around.
Due to flooded tracks in Prachuap Khiri Khan’s Bang Saphan District, the State Railway of Thailand was forced to suspend services between Bangkok and the south yesterday. 12GO ASIA says flights to the likes of Koh Samui, Phuket and Krabi are still operating and flying is the way to go until the rains ease and floods abate.
Floods cause gigantic traffic jam on southern Thailand highway
News in Asia
Vehicles travelling between Bangkok and southern Thailand got stuck in a 200km traffic jam yesterday. The reason for the gargantuan tailback was that a bridge on the main highway was inundated and washed away by the floods and heavy rain which has been plaguing the region for the past 10 days or so.