A typical scenario (an illustrative example based on common situations, not a review from any specific customer)

A two-unit shophouse in Mae Sot and a smell that would not leave

Somporn runs a small grocery and household-goods shop in a two-unit shophouse in the middle of Mae Sot. The ground floor is the shop front and a stockroom; the upper floor is where the family sleeps, including her mother, who is in her seventies, and her six-year-old son. At the end of September, heavy rain fell for several days in a row. Water from a nearby stream and the street drains rose onto the road and then slid under the roller shutter. Inside the shop it only reached about mid-shin, but it stayed long enough to soak cardboard boxes, sacks of rice and the wooden pallets under them.

When the water receded, Somporn and her neighbours shovelled out the mud, hosed down the floor, scrubbed the tiles with bleach and left the shutter open with fans running for three days. The shop looked clean again. Yet every morning, the moment she lifted the shutter, a sour mix of drain smell and wet cardboard rolled out. Some regular customers began buying from the doorway instead of stepping inside. Her mother started coughing at night, her son developed an itchy rash on his legs after playing on the ground floor, and when Somporn finally pulled the display cabinet away from the wall she found a long band of black mold spots behind it.

Stories like this are not limited to Mae Sot. Raised wooden houses on stilts along the Ping River in Ban Tak, single-storey concrete homes in village estates and warehouses holding goods all face the same pattern: the water has gone, but the germs and the smell have not. Recovery needs more steps than washing and airing out.

The 2026 Flood Situation in Tak: Mae Sot and Ban Tak Affected

According to the report of Thailand's Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM, known in Thai as Por Bor Por) dated 30 September 2026, Tak province had flood-affected areas in Ban Tak district and Mae Sot district, with a combined 561 households affected, and on the date of that report water levels were still rising. These figures change daily, so please follow the latest DDPM announcements and local authority updates alongside this article.

In the wider picture, DDPM reported on 2 October 2026 that 31 provinces plus Bangkok were flooded, with 1,245,581 households and 3,535,206 people affected. The main cause was heavy to very heavy rain over many days, combined with runoff from the north flowing down into lower areas. Tak, on the western side of the lower north, is one of the provinces that has had to stay on alert.

Tak's landscape mixes mountains, the lowland strip along the Ping River around Mueang Tak and Ban Tak, and the border trading town of Mae Sot on the Moei River, which marks the frontier between Thailand and Myanmar. Mae Sot is full of shophouses, markets, wholesale shops, warehouses, dormitories and housing estates. Ban Tak still has many raised wooden houses and concrete homes in farming communities. These two kinds of places face slightly different problems after a flood, but they share one thing: trapped moisture and the contamination the water carried in.

Situation sources: Bangkokbiznews and Thai PBS.

Every Kind of Germ Floodwater Brings Into Tak Homes: Bacteria, Viruses, Mold and Odour

The water that flowed into homes and shops in Mae Sot and Ban Tak was not clean rainwater. Before it reached your living room it had run across roads and through drains, septic tanks, toilets, animal pens, fields and rubbish piles. That is why it carries several groups of microorganisms at once. After the water recedes, many of them remain in the mud, the silt film on the floor, the grout lines between tiles, wood and any material that soaks up water.

1. Sewage bacteria such as E. coli

When floodwater rises to the level of septic tanks and wastewater pipes, human waste mixes into it. Gut bacteria such as E. coli, Salmonella and related organisms cause diarrhoea, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting and sometimes fever. They spread easily from hands that have touched floors, door handles, dishes or toys covered in silt and then touched the mouth. Small children who crawl or sit on the floor are especially exposed, and so are adults who eat a quick snack in the middle of cleaning without washing their hands properly.

2. Leptospirosis

Leptospirosis, called "rat-urine fever" in Thai, is caused by Leptospira bacteria shed in the urine of rats and some other animals. In standing floodwater the bacteria spread through the water and mud and can enter the body through cuts, scratches or skin that has been soaked for a long time. Farming areas and grain stores where rats are common, as well as homes where people waded in and out for days, carry a higher risk. Watch for sudden high fever, headache, muscle pain especially in the calves and thighs, and red eyes, which may begin anywhere from a few days to about two weeks after wading. If you have these symptoms after walking through floodwater, see a doctor right away and tell them you waded in floodwater. Ozone treatment does not treat disease and never replaces medical care.

3. Stomach viruses such as norovirus, and other surface viruses

Norovirus and rotavirus are leading causes of sudden diarrhoea and vomiting. They are extremely contagious: a tiny dose can make someone ill, and they survive on surfaces for a fair amount of time. During a flood, when the household shares one bathroom, tap water may be unsafe and food may have been stored poorly, a virus can move from one person to the whole family. Damp air and crowded living spaces also help respiratory viruses spread more easily from person to person.

4. Mold in walls, ceilings, furniture and stock

Mold does not only arrive with the water; it is woken up by the moisture left behind. WHO and the US CDC advise cleaning and drying within 24 to 48 hours to limit mold growth. In practice most families cannot manage that because the water has not fully drained or the house is still unreachable. So mold starts on the lower parts of plaster walls, door frames, plywood, wardrobes, sofas, mattresses and cardboard boxes in storerooms. Airborne mold spores can trigger allergies, asthma, long-lasting coughs and irritated eyes and nose, particularly in older people, children and anyone with a chronic illness.

5. Musty and sewage odours

The smell in a post-flood room comes from several sources: compounds released by bacteria as they break down organic matter in the mud, gases from the drains, and volatile compounds produced by mold. A musty smell is not just unpleasant. It is a sign that moisture and microorganisms are still active inside the building. For a shop in Mae Sot that greets customers every day, that smell is the first thing people notice.

Who is most at risk

• Older people, whose immunity is weaker, who can become dehydrated quickly after a stomach infection and who react strongly to mold spores.
• Young children, who play on floors, put hands in their mouths and have immune systems that are still developing.
• Pregnant women, who should avoid wading and direct contact with flood mud.
• People with chronic conditions such as diabetes, kidney disease or lung disease, and anyone with low immunity.
• People who must work in the water, including shop owners, warehouse staff and farmers who need to reach their fields.

What Families and Shops in Tak Face After the Water Goes Down

Health. Coughs, blocked noses, itchy rashes, diarrhoea and flaring allergies often begin a few days after people move back in. Many families assume it is a common cold, until the symptoms refuse to clear because everyone is still sleeping in a room with mold and damp air.

Money. Stock, cardboard packaging, seeds, fertiliser and rice that touched the water have to be thrown away. Plywood furniture swells and mattresses smell. If mold is allowed to creep into the structure, the repair bill can grow many times over.

Time. Shop owners lose income every day the shutter stays down, and they lose more time when they have to clean again because the smell returns.

Reputation. Restaurants, wholesale shops, dormitories and guesthouses in Mae Sot serve both local residents and visitors who come for cross-border business. A musty smell and visible mold stains quickly make customers doubt how clean a place is.

Family. Stress builds up. People worry about grandparents and children, sleep badly because of the smell and begin to feel that home is no longer as safe as it was.

Why the Usual Fixes Are Not Enough

Wiping with bleach only. Bleach works on smooth surfaces you can reach, but it does not get behind cabinets, under shelving, into the pores of wood and plaster or into the air of the room. Overusing it in a closed room irritates the lungs, and it must never be mixed with toilet cleaners or ammonia.

Running fans only. Fans help dry the surface, but they also blow mold spores around the room and do nothing to kill germs.

Air freshener or incense. These simply cover the smell. When they fade, the musty odour comes back.

Painting over mold stains. If the wall is not truly dry, the mold keeps growing under the paint, making it bubble or creating new stains within weeks.

Closing the room and waiting for it to dry. A sealed stockroom or bedroom with trapped damp is exactly what mold likes best.

What all of these methods lack is a step that deals with germs and odour in the air and every corner of the room at the same time, after the space has already been cleaned and dried. That is where ozone comes in.

How WHD Ozone Disinfection Works for Homes and Shops in Tak

Ozone (O3) is a gas with strong oxidising power. When it is released into a closed room it spreads through the whole space, including corners, the backs of cabinets, under beds and the surface of fabrics that a cloth cannot reach. Ozone molecules break down the cell structures of viruses, bacteria and mold, and react with the molecules that cause odours. It then breaks down back into oxygen (O2), so it leaves no chemical residue. According to test results certified for the company by Thailand's Department of Medical Sciences and Intertek (UK), the system eliminates viruses, bacteria and mold by 99.99%.

World Health Disinfection (WHD) is based in Bang Khae district, Bangkok, and does not have a branch in Tak. Customers in Mae Sot, Ban Tak, Mueang Tak and other districts can still contact the team to plan a service. Travel and coverage are confirmed by phone on 065-556-6294 or LINE @whd268. The team will assess the area and agree a suitable date with you. We do not promise same-day arrival, because travel time and road conditions after a flood have to be taken into account.

Step-by-step service process

1. Assessment. We ask about room sizes, how high the water rose and what materials were affected, and you can send photos or video via LINE so we can plan the number of zones.
2. Readiness check. The building must already be cleared of mud, washed and dried. Badly damaged items should be removed. The team will point out any spots that still need work.
3. Room preparation. Cupboards, drawers and internal doors are opened so the gas can reach inside; windows and external vents are closed.
4. Clear people, pets and plants. The space must be completely empty of people, pets and plants during treatment.
5. Ozone fill and contact time. A typical cycle is about 30 minutes per zone, depending on room size and how severe the problem is.
6. Rest and ventilation. The ozone is left to break down and the room is aired before anyone goes back in, following the team's instructions.
7. Handover and advice. We explain how to keep humidity under control so mold and odour do not return.

Key safety rule: Ozone treatment is only carried out in a closed, empty space. People, pets and plants must leave the area, and you may only go back in after the rest and ventilation period the team specifies.

10 Reasons Homes and Shops in Tak Should Consider Ozone After the Flood

1. It reaches places hands cannot. The gas moves behind display cabinets, under stock shelving and into gaps in wooden floors.
2. It tackles several germ groups in one cycle. Bacteria, viruses and mold, at 99.99% according to the company's certified test results. See the residential ozone disinfection service for details.
3. It reduces odour at the source instead of masking it like a spray.
4. No chemical residue. Ozone reverts to oxygen, which suits children's rooms, elderly relatives' rooms and food storage areas.
5. It is quick. Around 30 minutes per zone helps shops reopen sooner.
6. It suits Mae Sot shophouses and warehouses. Enclosed spaces that are hard to ventilate are exactly where ozone performs well.
7. It suits Ban Tak wooden houses. Wood that has absorbed water and smells musty benefits from this step once it has been dried.
8. It reassures customers. Restaurants, dormitories and guesthouses can tell guests the premises have been disinfected.
9. It is backed by certificates. You can check them on the company's certification page, and review the full service information.
10. There is a promotion. Ozone jobs from 15,000 baht receive a free medical-grade disinfectant spray. Ask the team via the service page.

Before and After Ozone Treatment

Note: results depend on thorough cleaning and drying before treatment and on humidity control afterwards. Permanently damaged materials, such as collapsed gypsum board or mattresses soaked for days, should be removed and replaced.

Example Case: A Raised Wooden House by the Ping River in Ban Tak

Example case (a hypothetical but common situation used to explain the process, not a real customer review)

Malee lives in a two-storey wooden house raised on stilts in Ban Tak. The open space under the house holds a bamboo platform for sitting, sacks of fertiliser and the family motorbike. When the water rose high enough to fill the space under the house and reach parts of the lower floorboards, the family moved upstairs. After it receded, Malee's son, who works in town, came home to help carry out damaged items, hose down the area under the house and dry the platform and mats in the sun.

Two weeks later, the downstairs room used as a bedroom by Malee's father, who has a chronic lung condition, still smelled damp. The smell clung to the curtains and the mattress, and a whitish-green film had appeared along the joints of the floorboards. The family then followed the correct order. They threw away the old mattress that had been soaked, washed the floorboards, and let everything dry with open windows and fans for several days until the wood was properly dry. Only then did they contact WHD to plan ozone treatment for the ground-floor rooms and the storeroom.

On the day of treatment, everyone, including the dog and the potted plants, moved to a relative's house. The team opened cupboards and drawers, closed the windows and worked zone by zone. After the rest and ventilation period, the family returned to find the musty smell clearly reduced. Malee's father also kept his appointment with his doctor to monitor his lungs, which is always something to do alongside cleaning the home.

The lesson from this example is simple: order matters most. Clean, dry, then ozone, and look after health with a doctor at the same time.

Tak Flood Recovery Checklist: Before and After Ozone

Before going back inside

• Follow DDPM and local announcements. Do not return while water levels are still rising.
• Have an electrician check the system before switching the breaker on if sockets or cables were under water.
• Wear boots, rubber gloves and a mask while shovelling mud, and cover any wounds completely.

During cleaning

• Remove mud and damaged items, separating what can be repaired from what must be discarded.
• Wash floors, walls and furniture with clean water and detergent, focusing on areas children touch.
• Throw away food, medicine and cosmetics that touched floodwater, as well as any consumer stock with wet packaging.
• Open windows and use fans or dehumidifiers to dry everything as fast as possible.

Before ozone day

• Check that walls and floors are dry. If they are still very damp, wait or remove water-logged materials first.
• Send room photos to LINE @whd268 so the team can plan the zones.
• Arrange somewhere for people and pets to stay, and move plants out.

After ozone

• Re-enter only after the rest and ventilation time the team gives you.
• Ventilate daily, control humidity and watch for any new damp patches.
• Wash hands often, drink safe water and see a doctor immediately for fever, calf pain, diarrhoea or breathing problems.

Frequently Asked Questions About Ozone Disinfection in Tak

Q: Does WHD have a branch in Mae Sot or elsewhere in Tak?
A: No. The company is based in Bang Khae, Bangkok. Customers in Tak can contact us to plan a service, and travel and coverage are confirmed by phone on 065-556-6294 or LINE @whd268.

Q: Can ozone replace washing the house?
A: No. Ozone is the step after mud removal, washing and drying. It cannot remove mud or dirt from surfaces.

Q: Can we stay inside during treatment?
A: No. The space must be empty of people, pets and plants, and you can only return after the rest and ventilation period.

Q: How long does it take?
A: Generally about 30 minutes per zone, not counting preparation and rest time. The number of zones depends on the size of the house or shop.

Q: Does it leave chemical residue?
A: Ozone breaks down back into oxygen, so it leaves no chemical residue.

Q: What if someone has a fever or calf pain after wading?
A: See a doctor immediately and mention the wading, because it could be leptospirosis. Ozone is home care, not medical treatment.

Q: Can warehouses and shops in Mae Sot use the service?
A: Yes. The service covers homes, condos, hotels, offices, factories, schools and hospitals. Ask for details based on your floor area.

Talk to Us About Ozone Disinfection in Tak Today

Send photos of your rooms and tell us the floor area. The WHD team will help plan the job and confirm travel to Mae Sot, Ban Tak or other districts in Tak.

Book Ozone Disinfection

Phone 065-556-6294 · LINE @whd268 · Email worldhealthdisinfection@gmail.com

Related Services and References

• Ozone cleaning service
• Disinfection service
• Contact us

References

• Bangkokbiznews: flood situation per DDPM reports
• Thai PBS: flood situation report
• World Health Organization fact sheets
• CDC: Floods and cleanup
• Thailand Department of Disease Control