'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.
An ethnic Hmong mother brings her child to receive donations at Panghud Sahasart School in Po Sub-district, Wiang Kaen District, Chiang Rai. Many families in the area have been affected by the floods, similar to the 5,615 households across 11 districts in Chiang Rai Province.
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.
Narawit Phonklai, a 12-year-old sixth grader, wades through water on his way home from school in Sri Samrong District, Sukhothai Province. He is one of more than 5,800 students affected by the flooding in August and September. The number of affected people is expected to rise as the rainy season continues amidst the weather instability caused by climate change.
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.
The swings in the playground at Ban Santi Pittayakarn School in Sri Samrong District, Sukhothai Province, submerged in floodwater s. The school quickly worked to drain the area, forcing all 36 students to stay home and allowing classes to resume after three days.
The flagpole field at Ban Santi Pittayakarn School in Sri Samrong District, Sukhothai Province, was flooded, affecting 36 students. During the August-September floods, over 5,800 students in the region were impacted, along with more than 600 teachers, and 249 schools suffered damage.
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.
Copter, Thitapha Pankeord, an 8-year-old first grader at Ban Santi Pittayakarn School, takes a break while cleaning her house after floodwaters from the Yom River overflowed and flooded her home. She is one of 36 students at Ban Santi Pittayakarn School who had to stop attending school due to the flood crisis.
Student desks, chairs, and learning materials are piled on the football field at Panghud Sahasart School in Po Sub-district, Wiang Kaen District, Chiang Rai, after being damaged by flash floods and mudslides which destroyed buildings and educational materials. Although the school has resumed classes, fewer students are attending because roads to the school have been cut off, and many families have been affected by the flood crisis.
"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.
A neighbour carries 'Auto', six-month-old Kunapat Thammarat, near a row of sandbags set up to prevent floodwaters from the Yom River spilling into homes along Highway 1195 in Sukhothai Province. 'The biggest issue right now is water. We don't have any, so we're using rainwater stored in jars and treating it with alum to clean the baby bottles and bathe the children. The water is almost gone, and soon we won't have any to clean the bottles,' said Kannchanok Thammarat, Auto's mother, expressing her concerns about raising small children amidst the flooding in Wang Thong Sub-district, Sri Samrong District, Sukhothai Province.
'Nat' Natwipa Chantothai, a 14-year-old Grade 8 student, had to move to Wat Tha Thong flood relief shelter in Sawankhalok District, Sukhothai Province, because her house was flooded, making travel difficult and the water system was not functional. After school, Nat does her homework at the shelter which she shares with about 40 other flood victims. On the fourth night at the shelter, a power outage occurred due to floodwaters knocking down high-voltage power poles. Nevertheless, Nat remained focused on her homework using a flashlight for light.
Textbooks were damaged by the flash floods as mud was carried from Phatang Canal and flooded the rear of Panghud Sahasart School in Wiang Kaen District, Chiang Rai Province. This is the first year such an event occurred, raising concerns among local residents about environmental changes as surrounding areas that have turned into agricultural land, with fewer large trees to hold the soil in place. Additionally, heavy rains caused by climate change have worsened the situation.
Pracha Uthit School and the Early Childhood Development Center, both located in the Sri Samrong District, Sukhothai Province, were among the 249 schools affected by flooding during August and September.
Students examine the damage at Panghud Sahasart School in Po Sub-district, Wiang Kaen District, Chiang Rai Province — particularly in the cafeteria area — after muddy flash floods damaged buildings and learning materials. Thailand is currently dealing with climate change, with the Meteorological Department announcing that the country will face the 'La Niña' phenomenon until next year.
Student chairs at Panghud Sahasart School in Po Sub-district, Wiang Kaen District, Chiang Rai Province, which were damaged after flash floods swept through and caused severe destruction to buildings and learning materials.
'The worst damage to our school was to the vocational training rooms, music room, home room, workshop, drinking water facility, and the lunch area for students. The musical instruments alone sustained damages of around 600,000 to 700,000 baht. We just bought some of these last year, and now they're all ruined. We were able to save only a few things because the water came so fast. Normally, we have around 540 students, but not all of them have returned yet because some live in the mountains, and the road is still being repaired,' said Maitri Yala, director of Panghud Sahasart School in Wiang Kaen District, Chiang Rai Province, after surveying the damage to the vocational training rooms caused by flash floods and mudslides.
Students survey the damage at Panghad Sahasart School in Po Subdistrict, Wiang Kaen District, Chiang Rai Province, where flash floods carried mud and destroyed buildings and educational materials. Aug 31 marked the second round of damages, after the first incident on Aug 21, which led to a four-day school closure.
