Navigating ‘rain bombs’

‘Travelling around is hard, and I’m scared of snakes. Last year, the flood lasted only three days, but this year it’s been much longer. Every time it floods, the vegetables I plant die,” says Nathanicha Lamai, an 8-year-old second-grader, as she shares her feelings about the flooding that has submerged her home in Sukhothai, caused by the overflowing Yom River.
Nathanicha has missed several school days because her school was closed due to the flood, and the Chinese cabbage she planted with a neighbour has rotted and been washed away by the water.
Many children, as well as adults, are affected by flooding and climate change. According to the Office of the Basic Education Commission (Obec), more than 5,800 students and over 600 teachers were affected by the floods between August and September this year, with damage to 249 schools. These numbers are expected to rise as the rainy season, with its unpredictable and extreme weather, continues.
As cleanup efforts began in areas affected by flooding since late August, a new flash flood struck at least three districts in Chiang Rai during the second week of September, submerging towns. Many people and pets were left stranded on rooftops.
Unicef Thailand’s report, The Impact Assessment on Climate Change and Environmental Degradation on Children in Thailand, found that Thai children are at the highest risk from the effects of flooding. Several provinces affected by floods in August and September were classified as high-risk areas.
Unicef launched the #CountMeIn campaign earlier this month, to raise awareness of the challenges children face and to provide a platform for them to voice their opinions and needs. Children and young people should be included in discussions and solutions around the climate crisis, as they are directly affected and will shape the future of the planet.
“The worst damage to our school was to the vocational training rooms, the music room, the home economics room, our workshops, clean drinking water facilities, and the lunch area for students. Just the musical instruments alone suffered damages of about 600,000 to 700,000 baht,” said Maitri Yala, director of Panghud Sahasart School in Wiang Kaen district, Chiang Rai, describing how the school was hit by flash floods twice on Aug 21 and 31.
The muddy floodwaters overflowed from Phatang Canal and flooded the back of the school. Although no students were harmed, the water’s volume and strength caused severe damage, including to the teacher’s lounge, musical equipment purchased with last year’s budget. Once the floodwaters receded, they left behind mud and debris, which had to be moved to the school’s football field.
Panghud Sahasart School was one of many schools forced to close for four days due to the flooding. While some schools were able to reopen, students in flood-affected areas struggled with the challenge of getting to school.
“If I want to go to school, I have to go home to get my clothes, then take a shower at the evacuation centre. It’s hard because there’s no running water at home,” said Natwipa Chantothai, a 14-year-old eighth-grader, who had to move to the Wat Tha Thong evacuation centre in Sawankhalok district, Sukhothai, after her home was flooded.
After school, Natwipa does her homework at the evacuation centre, near where she sleeps, alongside about 40 other flood victims. On the fourth night at the centre, the power went out because floodwaters knocked over high-voltage poles. Natwipa still remained determined to finish her homework using a flashlight.
“I want to be a cardiologist because when I was young, I took care of my grandfather who had heart disease. I like learning about the heart; it’s a fascinating system. It’s also a job where I can help people,” she said, sharing her dream in the darkness.
In addition to schoolchildren, young children and their parents are also struggling with the flood crisis.
“The hardest part right now is water,” said Kannchanok Thammarat, the mother of six-month-old Auto and two-year-old August, sharing her concerns about the flooding in Sri Samrong district, Sukhothai. “We don’t have water, so we’re using rainwater stored in jars and treating it with alum for cleaning baby bottles and bathing the children. The water is almost gone, and soon we won’t be able to clean the bottles.”
The effects of flooding are not only physical but also emotional, impacting parents’ mental states and, in turn, affecting their children.
“Adults are stressed, and sometimes we accidentally take it out on the children. Everything is chaotic. My child asked, ‘Mom, don’t you love me? Why don’t you play with me?’ I had to tell her that we’re just trying to survive right now. Once this is over, things will be better. We all love each other, but we just can’t show it as much right now,” said one flood victim in Wiang Kaen district, Chiang Rai. She wishes more support services would address the emotional needs of flood victims, in addition to the basic relief supplies.
Amid the uncertainty of a “changing world”, the Meteorological Department announced that Thailand must brace for the “La Niña”, expected to continue into next year. The term “rain bomb”, referring to intense rainfall over a short period that is difficult to predict, has also emerged as a term people may hear more often in the future due to climate instability and unpredictable seasonal shifts. The climate is unpredictable, much like the future of our children.