Chonburi, December 7th, 2025 – At around 9:00 a.m. today, reporters observed high tidal surges causing seawater to overflow onto multiple roads in downtown Chonburi City, turning streets into temporary waterways during what should have been a relaxed weekend.
The worst-affected area was the coastal road near the Chonburi District Office, where seawater reached depths of 30–50 centimetres and stretched for more than 500 metres, all the way to the Sala Ruamjai Chon community pavilion. Despite the flooding, small vehicles and motorcycles were still able to pass through slowly.
Other impacted routes included the road behind the Chonburi Municipal Stadium and the road behind the Chonburi Provincial Administrative Organisation (PAO) office, a popular thoroughfare that connects to several directions, including the mangrove nature boardwalk tourist attraction. Traffic remained possible on these roads, though many motorists, especially those driving newer vehicles or electric cars, chose to avoid the flooded sections, fearing damage to electrical systems from the saltwater.
Some drivers opted to detour onto alternative routes when they spotted the rising seawater.
Mr. Nisit Ocharoen, a 52-year-old motorcycle taxi rider at the night market in front of the provincial court, told reporters that tidal flooding in the area is a regular occurrence. “It happens every December when the northeastern monsoon winds arrive. We usually get flooding like this for three to four days each year. The water doesn’t stay long, it recedes after a while and the roads dry out,” he said.
He added that today’s tide was not as high as yesterday’s and advised motorists to wash their vehicles immediately after driving through seawater, as the salt can quickly cause rust.
Local authorities have yet to issue an official statement, but residents say they are accustomed to the seasonal phenomenon and expect the water to subside within the next day or two.
