Nan, Thailand – Authorities have placed 15 northern and northeastern provinces on the highest alert as Typhoon Kajiki moves closer, with Nan province projected to bear the brunt of the storm.

The Thai government has raised its disaster preparedness response to the maximum level, as the typhoon is forecast to unleash widespread heavy rainfall, flash floods, and landslides later this week.

Seree Supratid, director of the Climate Change and Disaster Center at Rangsit University and vice president of the National Disaster Warning Council Foundation, warned in an early-morning Facebook post that Nan faces the greatest risk. He estimated a 10% chance of rainfall exceeding 500 millimetres in the province.

“We must prepare for the worst. Floods and flash floods are certain, with a strong possibility of river overflow,” he cautioned, while noting that river basins such as the Nan and Yom still have storage capacity that could help ease, but not prevent, severe flooding.

To strengthen coordination, the National Disaster Warning Center has established a central “war room” with the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, the Department of Water Resources, the Department of Mineral Resources, and the Royal Irrigation Department. Local administrations in high-risk provinces have also been instructed to set up parallel war rooms for continuous monitoring, evacuation planning, and emergency response.

According to the Thai Meteorological Department’s 11th advisory, issued Monday at 4 a.m., Typhoon Kajiki was centred over the upper South China Sea, approximately 200 kilometres southeast of Vinh City, Vietnam, packing maximum sustained winds of 150 km/h. Moving west-northwest at 20 km/h, the typhoon is expected to make landfall in northern Vietnam on Tuesday before weakening into a tropical storm and tropical depression as it crosses Laos, reaching Nan as a strong low-pressure system by Tuesday evening.

In recent days, the North and Northeast have already endured heavy rains and strong winds, especially in the 15 provinces along the storm’s projected path.

Meanwhile, Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt confirmed the capital would likely face storm impacts until Thursday. The city has activated flood prevention measures, including lowering water levels in retention ponds and ensuring drainage tunnels remain fully operational. The Metropolitan Electricity Authority has been directed to act swiftly on power outages to avoid disruptions to pumping systems.

Governor Chadchart emphasized that while water levels in Bangkok are currently manageable, special watch zones remain in place. These include major construction areas along Vibhavadi Rangsit Road, Kasetsart University, the Orange and Purple Line rail projects, and Don Muang’s Chang Akat Uthit Road. Some drainage blockages caused by construction have already been cleared to improve flow.

Source: Bangkok Post.