Bangkok authorities are pumping floodwater from streets across the capital as heavy rains begin to ease in some areas, but with canals already swollen and the drainage system overwhelmed, there is simply nowhere for the vast amount of water to go.
The city has received almost 300 millimeters of rain in roughly 48 hours, overwhelming major canals and other waterways. Authorities have declared the capital a flood disaster zone, covering all 50 districts.
While the situation has improved in some areas, difficult conditions remain, particularly in the east and along some of the major canals.
In one of the affected areas, cars and motorcycles were stalled or abandoned as people realized the water was too deep to continue.
Residents have been wading through the water to get food and supplies, moving belongings upstairs or to higher ground, and trying to protect whatever they can inside their homes.
"I couldn't sleep at all yesterday, and I didn't eat anything either. I was stressed—worried the water won't recede, anxious about what might happen. Whenever it rains, I would sit out front keeping watch," said Nadda Armeen, a resident.
Others were worried about how long the flooding could last, whether food supplies would run short and how they would manage if conditions persisted.
"I am anxious about how long the flooding would last. I fear it would drag on and we'd run out of food—and I have a child to look after. It's hard to go out and buy supplies, many stores have run out of food; the shortages are starting," said Sarayuth Maikaew, a resident.
"It's difficult to make a living, and we can barely go anywhere. On top of that, I'm worried about whether the water level will rise again tonight," said Sasithorn, another resident.
Authorities are racing to drain the floodwater, with pumps operating at full capacity. But major canals remain at critical levels, slowing the flow of water from smaller streets and residential areas into the drainage system.
According to official estimates, it could take another two to three days for the flooding to subside, provided Bangkok gets a sustained break from the rain.
Bangkok races to drain floodwater as rain subsides, swollen canals hamper relief efforts
An expo highlighting China's efforts to deepen global digital trade cooperation concluded in Hangzhou, a tech hub in east China's Zhejiang Province, on Sunday with a series of new product launches and announcements.
Running from Sept. 23 to 27, the fifth Global Digital Trade Expo (GDTE) featured 226 debuts, including product launches, premieres and exhibitions, and attracted more than 50,000 participants from 163 countries and regions. The event highlighted the growing role of artificial intelligence in reshaping trade and China's push to expand global digital trade cooperation.
A total of 996 AI companies, nearly three times the number at the previous expo, attended the event and showcased more than 100 AI application scenarios.
"Through this expo, we have realized that China's AI sector is garnering more attention and recognition around the world, and Chinese solutions are empowering the development of digital trade worldwide. We are shifting from merely showcasing products and technologies toward fostering chains for product and technology cooperation, ultimately creating a growing digital trade ecosystem," said Li Yang, secretary-general of the GDTE organizing committee's secretariat.
The expo serves as a crucial bridge for international dialogue and mechanism building.
The China-Arab AI International Cooperation and AFDE First China-Arab Digital Dialogue, held during this year's expo, brought together more than 200 participants from China and abroad. Seven cooperation projects worth 255 million U.S. dollars were signed, covering areas including robotics and smart manufacturing.
This year's exhibition also featured a dialogue on BRICS special economic zones, focusing on practical cooperation. In 2025. The number of Chinese enterprises engaged in trade with other BRICS members exceeded 300,000 for the first time, up 8.8 percent year on year. The China Center for Cooperation on Special Economic Zones in BRICS Countries was also launched in Hangzhou last year.
In addition, the "Global Digital Trade Development Report 2026" was unveiled at the event, outlining the scale and structure of global digital trade, technological transformation and innovative practices, while also exploring future industry trends.
The global digital trade sector has demonstrated resilience amid multiple external pressures, with export value reaching 7.75 trillion U.S. dollars in 2025, a 7.1 percent year-on-year increase, according to the report.
Fifth Global Digital Trade Expo concludes in Hangzhou
