At least 23 dead in Thailand floods, Bangkok airport in chaos

BANGKOK — The death toll from rains and flooding in Thailand has risen to 23, authorities said on Tuesday, as waters receded from the hard-hit capital Bangkok, where its main airport operated in chaos, and the government approved a multi-million aid package.Bangkok was swamped by around 320 mm (12.6 inches) of rain within three days last week, nearly as much as the sprawling low-lying metropolis usually gets in the whole of September.The city’s governor, Chadchart Sittipunt, said that he expected floodwater to drain away from Bangkok’s major roads within two days, although it will take up to a week for other inundated areas to be cleared out.“Recovery efforts are under way in areas where the water has gone down,” he said.Across the country, at least 23 people have died since September 16, including 4 in Bangkok, according to the Interior Ministry.AIRPORT CHAOS LINGERSBangkok was among 42 provinces hit, with the floods causing an estimated $367 million in damage across two dozen provinces and threatening to weigh on the tourism-dependent economy.Although Bangkok’s main airports kept running, chaos ensued at Suvarnabhumi Airport, the country’s largest, where Thai Airways said its operations were crippled by half of its personnel being unable to come to work.The flag carrier said it plans to cut about 30 flights — about 30% of its planned departures from Bangkok — on Tuesday, even as it grappled with some 5,600 bags from its flights that remain stranded at Suvarnabhumi.“Almost 100% of flights over the past two days were delayed, with fewer than 3% on schedule as operational capacity could not be sustained,” said Thai Airways Chief Executive Chai Eamsiri, adding that a reduction in the airline’s flights from Bangkok will last for at least three days.After flying in from Azerbaijan, Emir Demiroez was frantically looking for his bags at the airport so that he could get on his next flight to Malaysia.“Nobody knows anything.Nobody can help us.

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