Tommy Balsgård lives in Hat Yai with his girlfriend. The couple has been highly affected by the massive floods that have hit the area. The couple lives about one kilometer south of central Hat Yai.
It all started at 5:30 AM on Saturday the 22nd, when the power went out. It had rained a lot, and a power outage was not unusual. The couple hoped the power would return and the flooding would subside. But over the weekend the water kept rising, first to the knees, then hips, then chest and suddenly you couldn’t reach the bottom.
“Last year I experienced the rainy season and a little flooding too. But it was nothing like this year,” the Danish man explains.
He and his girlfriend live on the second floor of their building. The water has not gotten into their apartment, but it has reached the first floor.
“When I first saw it, I was disgusted,” Tommy says. “It’s brown and dirty and it smells like a garbage truck just drove through it.”
Without power, the couple had nothing to do but sit and wait. Despite the flooding, Tommy explains that neither he nor his neighbours were left stranded alone.
“Around three times a day officials would come with water and food for us. Four bottles of water and two meals per apartment unit. I didn’t feel abandoned and helpless.”
The one of the only places in Hat Yai that still has access to electricity is Central Hat Yai, the local mall. This is where people come to gather.
“It’s like the whole city is here. Everybody comes to charge their phones and powerbanks. Nobody has power. They have put out extra plugs and outlets everywhere.”
In the beginning Tommy could still walk to the mall. But as the flooding rose, the walk became more and more difficult.
“There is a big current in the water, and you have to be strong to walk through it. I could feel the pressure from the current when I was walking to the mall.”
The flooding kept worsening. On Wednesday the 26th, Tommy, his girlfriend and his neighbours were evacuated by boat. They were transported to safer areas, alongside many other Hat Yai residents.
“There were so many people being brought to the safety areas, but it was impossible to find a place to stay. All hotels in those areas were filled to the max. No booking website had any availability. We barely managed to find a guesthouse with an available bed because they didn’t offer online.”
Since then, Tommy and his girlfriend have returned to their condo. It is still without power, so when the sun goes down, the whole area turns dark.
“Luckily, last Christmas we bought a lot of Christmas lights. Those run on batteries, so we have used them to light up the dark.”
The flooding means Tommy’s girlfriend has not been able to go to work. She is missing out on her crucial income. At the same time, her family lives in a village further north that has also been hit by flooding. The car that the family relies on is, like many others in the Songkhla province, ruined. The car doesn’t have insurance.
“She is really stressed about that. It is going to be a huge financial hit to the family. I’m trying to comfort and support her,” Tommy says.
“Thus far, the water hasn’t flooded her family’s house either, but if it does, it’s gonna be a lot of damage, and it will be really expensive.”
At the same time, Tommy worries about his other Danish coworker.
“He lives in a house in a part of Hat Yai that is really badly hit. Nobody has heard from him, Both I and our boss have reached out, and we haven’t heard anything. I’m starting to get nervous. The only thing that calms me is seeing that his girlfriend, who lives with him, has been active on Facebook 10 hours ago. But we still have not been able to get in contact with them.”
Fundraisings have been carried out all over the world to raise money for people affected by the Hat Yai flooding. The Thai government has sent aid packages and rescue crews to the hardest hit areas. According to officials, water levels are falling.
