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

A stilt house in Pa Mok, and a smell that did not leave with the water

Auntie Boonruean's wooden stilt house stands less than a hundred metres from the bank of the Chao Phraya in Pa Mok district. Every flood season, the open space under the house turns into a still pond. She is used to moving water jars, farm tools and the food cabinet upstairs. This year, though, the water rose higher than she expected. It pushed into the kitchen that the family had added at the back years ago, a concrete slab built straight on the ground. Her son took leave from his factory job to help, and her granddaughter went to relatives in Wiset Chai Chan.

While the water stayed high, everyone in the house waded in and out several times a day. The water was not just river water. It carried overflow from septic tanks, drains, a neighbour's chicken coop and grass rotting in the fields. When the level finally started to drop, it left grey-brown mud caked on the house posts, a tide line on the wooden walls, and a smell Auntie described as "like a drain mixed with a wardrobe that has been shut for years." Her son hosed everything down, poured toilet cleaner on the floor and ran fans for three days. The smell faded in the daytime, but every evening, once the windows were closed, the musty odour crept back. A few days later, small black spots appeared on the edge of the food cabinet and under the mattress.

This picture repeats itself across Ang Thong every time the rivers overflow: in riverside wooden homes in Pa Mok and Chaiyo, in farmhouses in the middle of the paddies in Wiset Chai Chan and Samko, and in shophouses and townhouses in Mueang Ang Thong. What every household has in common is this: the water has gone, but what it left behind is still there, and most of it cannot be seen.

The Ang Thong flood situation in 2026 at a glance

The national picture at the end of September and the start of October 2026 was one of heavy to very heavy rain, combined with large volumes of runoff from the north flowing down the main rivers. According to the DDPM report of 2 October 2026, 31 provinces plus Bangkok were flooded, affecting 1,245,581 households or 3,535,206 people. Provinces in the central Chao Phraya basin, such as Ang Thong, sit directly in the path that this water has to travel.

For Ang Thong specifically, DDPM listed five districts, Pa Mok, Chaiyo, Wiset Chai Chan, Mueang Ang Thong and Samko, with 2,009 households affected and the water still rising. Many families are still watching and moving belongings, which makes this a good time to plan the order of recovery work.

Ang Thong is low, flat floodplain. The Chao Phraya runs along its eastern side and the Noi River along its western side, and most of the land in between is rice paddy. Many traditional homes are wooden houses raised on stilts, designed to live with seasonal water. Over the past few decades, however, many families have enclosed the ground floor, adding concrete kitchens, bathrooms or storerooms, and the town has grown with single-storey concrete houses, shophouses, small shops and housing estates. These ground-level additions are where water gets in most easily, and where mold and musty odour settle in the longest.

Ang Thong's craft communities in Pa Mok and its old temples in Chaiyo and Wiset Chai Chan also hold moisture-sensitive cloth, wood and paper, where mold is much harder to undo.

Every kind of germ the Ang Thong floodwater brings: bacteria, viruses, mold and odour

Floodwater in a farming province like Ang Thong is never clean. As it flows through rice fields, animal pens, septic tanks, toilets, drains and rubbish heaps, it carries every group of microorganism into the home. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) give the same basic advice: always treat floodwater as contaminated with sewage, and clean or discard anything it has soaked with care.

1. Sewage bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella

These bacteria come from human and animal faeces. When village septic tanks and toilets flood, they spread with the water and stick to floors, walls, dishes, chopping boards and children's toys. Eating with unwashed hands, or using bowls that sat in floodwater without scalding them, can lead to diarrhoea, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting and fever. Small children and older adults can lose fluids and salts quickly.

2. Leptospirosis ("rat urine disease")

Leptospirosis is caused by Leptospira bacteria carried in the urine of rats and some animals. In rice-growing areas with large field-rat populations, the risk climbs when water stands for days. The bacteria enter through cuts, scratches or the lining of the eyes and mouth, especially in people who wade for long periods. Watch for sudden high fever, headache and marked pain in the calf muscles; some people also get red eyes. Thailand's Department of Disease Control stresses that anyone with these symptoms after wading must see a doctor quickly and mention the flood exposure, rather than self-medicating.

3. Diarrhoea-causing viruses such as norovirus and rotavirus

These viruses spread extremely easily. A tiny amount is enough to make someone ill, and they can survive on surfaces for days. When you return home, door handles, stair rails, light switches, the dining table and the bathroom are the first places to clean.

4. Mold such as Aspergillus and Penicillium

Mold does not always arrive with the water. Its spores are already in ordinary air. What a flood does is create the perfect home for it: high humidity, stale air and plenty of organic material such as wood, paper, cloth, mattresses and dried mud. WHO and CDC recommend cleaning and drying within 24 to 48 hours to limit mold growth. Beyond that window, mold shows up as black, green or white fuzzy patches. People with allergies or asthma, older adults, small children and anyone with weakened immunity may develop a blocked nose, cough, sneezing, eye and skin irritation, or asthma attacks.

5. Musty and sewage odours

A musty smell is not just unpleasant. It is a signal that moisture, rotting organic matter or growing mold is still inside the house. The drain-like or rotten-egg smell comes from sewage and plant matter breaking down without oxygen. The old-wardrobe smell usually comes from compounds released by mold. These odours soak into timber, curtains, sofas, mattresses and the hollow spaces inside walls and under floors, which is why opening the windows rarely solves them.

Who is most at risk

Take extra care with older adults who live alone or with grandchildren, a very common situation in rural Ang Thong where working-age family members have jobs elsewhere. Also at higher risk are toddlers who crawl and put their hands in their mouths, pregnant women, people with chronic conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, kidney or lung disease, and anyone with wounds on the feet or legs. If your household includes these people, keep them somewhere safe until the house has been cleaned, dried and disinfected.

What happens if an Ang Thong home is not restored properly

Health: People in the house may fall ill in waves, with stomach upsets, flaring allergies, or a cough in an older relative that will not go away, even though nobody is wading any more. The source is still inside the home.

Money: Mold that is left alone works its way deeper into timber, ceiling boards and door frames, until they have to be ripped out and replaced, which costs many times more than dealing with it early. Wooden furniture and mattresses that grow mold may have to go entirely.

Time: In families where sons and daughters take leave from jobs in other provinces to help, every extra round of cleaning because the smell and mold keep returning means more unpaid days off.

Business and reputation: For restaurants, grocery stores, coffee shops and souvenir stalls in town and near the temples that draw visitors, a customer who walks in and smells damp forms an impression instantly. Riverside homestays that host temple-hopping travellers face the same risk.

Family: A home that still smells and has mold makes it hard for elders and children to sleep well after an already stressful disaster.

Why the usual fixes do not finish the job

Pouring on bleach and calling it done: Bleach is useful on hard, non-porous surfaces such as tiles and toilets, but it does not reach inside timber, wall cavities, under floors or into the air. It also needs care: never mix it with ammonia or acidic cleaners, which can release dangerous gases.

Running fans and nothing else: Fans do speed up drying, but if mud is still in the corners or the inside of walls and floors is still wet, moving air can simply blow mold spores into other rooms.

Air freshener or incense to cover the smell: Fragrance masks the odour without destroying its source. Within hours the mustiness is back, and in homes with allergy sufferers, synthetic scents can add irritation.

Painting over mold stains: If the wall is still damp and the mold has not been removed, it will push the paint into bubbles and reappear within weeks.

Locking the house and coming back later: The longer a house stays shut, the more moisture builds up and the further mold spreads. The key principle is to dry things out as quickly as it is safe to do so.

WHD ozone disinfection for homes in Ang Thong

World Health Disinfection (WHD) is a disinfection company based in Bang Khae district, Bangkok 10160. It has no branch in Ang Thong, but families, shops, temples and organisations in Ang Thong can contact the team to plan a residential and building ozone disinfection service. Travel, coverage and appointment dates are confirmed by phone on 065-556-6294 or LINE @whd268, based on actual road conditions at the time. The team cannot promise same-day arrival, particularly while some roads are still under water.

How ozone works

Ozone (O3) is a form of oxygen with three atoms and strong oxidising power. Released into a closed space at a controlled concentration, it attacks the cell structures of bacteria, viruses and mold and breaks down odour molecules. Because it is a gas, it reaches corners, the undersides of furniture, the backs of cabinets and gaps that cloths and brushes cannot. Afterwards, ozone reverts to ordinary oxygen (O2), leaving no chemical residue. According to the test results certified for the company by Thailand's Department of Medical Sciences and Intertek (UK), the system eliminates viruses, bacteria and mold at 99.99%. You can see the documents on the certification page.

The process step by step

1. Talk and assess: Send photos of the house, its size and how high the water reached via LINE, so the team can give an initial assessment and book a date.
2. Prepare the space: Confirm all mud is out and floors and walls are reasonably dry. Close windows, doors and vents.
3. Clear out every person, pet and plant: Ozone treatment is done only in an empty, closed space.
4. Fill and contact time: A typical cycle is about 30 minutes per zone, depending on room size and condition.
5. Rest and ventilate: The ozone is allowed to break down and the space is aired according to the team's instructions before anyone goes back in.

This is essential: ozone treatment comes after mud removal, washing and drying. It does not replace cleaning, repairs or medical care. If anyone in the household has a fever, calf pain, diarrhoea or any unusual symptoms after wading, they must see a doctor.

Promotion: ozone jobs of 15,000 baht or more receive a free medical-grade disinfectant spray.

10 reasons Ang Thong homes should finish flood recovery with ozone

1. It reaches under the house and into timber joints: Riverside wooden homes have countless board seams, gaps and under-floor voids. Ozone gas gets into them far better than a mop or cloth.
2. It tackles odour at the source: Ozone breaks odour molecules apart instead of masking them, which suits the drain and musty smells trapped in add-on kitchens.
3. One treatment covers several germ groups: Bacteria, viruses and mold, at 99.99% according to the company's certified tests. See details on the ozone service page.
4. No chemical residue: Ozone reverts to oxygen, which matters for homes with small children and older adults once they return after the ventilation period.
5. It reduces airborne mold spores: Not just the surfaces you can see, but also the air in rooms that have been shut for days.
6. It is quick: About 30 minutes per zone, so work can be planned room by room without leaving home for days.
7. It suits items you cannot wash: Books, fabrics, bedding and handicrafts that should not be soaked with liquid cleaners can stay in the room during treatment, following the team's advice.
8. It helps shops and homestays reopen with confidence: Customers and visitors coming to Ang Thong to pay respects at its temples will not be greeted by a damp smell.
9. It supports repair work: Before repainting or relaying floors, treatment reduces leftover germs and lowers the chance of mold returning under fresh paint. See the related ozone cleaning service.
10. Peace of mind: Knowing the house has been washed, dried and disinfected in the right order helps elders and children come home and sleep easily again.

Before and after: an Ang Thong riverside home restored in the right order

Note: results vary with the extent of damage, remaining moisture and how thoroughly the house was cleaned before treatment.

Example case: a small coffee shop in Mueang Ang Thong

An illustrative example to aid understanding, not a verified customer review.

Ton runs a coffee shop in a two-storey shophouse in Mueang Ang Thong, with the café downstairs and his living quarters upstairs. When water spread across the road outside and covered the shop floor to about a palm's depth for several days, he managed to carry the espresso machine and fridge upstairs in time. The plywood counter, the fabric-covered chairs and the lower part of the gypsum walls, however, sat in water.

Once the water went down, Ton did everything he thought was right: shovelled out the mud, washed the floor, sprayed cleaner. What worried him was a regular customer saying, "It smells a bit damp in here." A coffee shop sells an experience and the aroma of coffee, so a musty smell hits income directly.

After talking to the team, Ton changed the order of work. First he cut out the lower section of gypsum board that had gone soft, and threw away the moldy seat cushions. Then he ran fans and a dehumidifier until the walls were dry. Only after that did he book ozone treatment for the whole ground floor and the storeroom, with everyone out of the building during the cycle and back in only after the rest and ventilation period. New wallboard and paint came last. Owners in this situation often say the real gain is confidence that the work was done in the right sequence before redecorating.

Ang Thong flood recovery checklist: before and after ozone

While the water is still rising

• Follow provincial, district and DDPM announcements closely and be ready to evacuate if told to.
• Move documents, medicines and electrical appliances up high. Switch off ground-floor power if water nears the sockets.
• Avoid wading unless necessary. If you must, wear rubber boots and wash with clean water straight afterwards.
• Photograph your house and belongings as evidence before and after the flood.

When the water has gone and it is safe to return

• Have an electrician check the wiring before switching the power back on.
• Wear rubber gloves, boots and a mask while shovelling mud.
• Remove all mud, including under the house, in the kitchen and in bathrooms.
• Wash hard surfaces with clean water and detergent, then disinfect according to product labels.
• Throw away absorbent materials that are heavily soaked or moldy, such as mattresses, cushions, carpets, insulation or softened gypsum.
• Open the house up and use fans and dehumidifiers to dry it within 24 to 48 hours as far as possible.
• Wash dishes in clean water and scald them; throw away any food touched by floodwater.

On ozone day

• Take every person, pet and plant out of the treatment area.
• Close doors, windows and vents as the team advises.
• Open cabinets and drawers so ozone can reach inside.
• Wait until the full rest and ventilation period is over before going back in.

After ozone

• Keep indoor humidity down and air the house every day.
• Look for new mold spots in the first two or three weeks. If you find any, moisture is still building up somewhere and the cause needs to be found.
• Keep an eye on everyone's health. Fever, calf pain, diarrhoea or breathing trouble means a visit to the doctor.

FAQ: ozone disinfection in Ang Thong

Q: Does WHD have a branch in Ang Thong?
A: No. WHD is based in Bang Khae, Bangkok, but you can contact the team to plan service in Ang Thong. Travel, coverage and the appointment are confirmed by phone on 065-556-6294 or LINE @whd268.

Q: The water has not gone down yet. Should I book ozone now?
A: Wait until the water recedes and the house has been cleared of mud, washed and dried. Treating a house with standing water or mud will not give full results. You can still get in touch now to ask questions and plan ahead.

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

Q: How long does it take?
A: Typically about 30 minutes per zone, not counting preparation and ventilation. Multi-room homes are treated zone by zone.

Q: If we use ozone, can we keep the moldy mattress?
A: No. Absorbent materials soaked with dirty water and heavily molded should be thrown away, in line with WHO and CDC advice. Ozone is an extra step after cleaning; it does not replace discarding damaged items.

Q: Will ozone stop us from getting sick?
A: It reduces germs in the home, but it is not medical treatment. Anyone with symptoms after wading needs to see a doctor.

Q: Is there a promotion?
A: Ozone jobs of 15,000 baht or more receive a free medical-grade disinfectant spray.

Ang Thong families: start planning your post-flood ozone treatment today

Send photos of your home, its size and your district, whether Pa Mok, Chaiyo, Wiset Chai Chan, Mueang Ang Thong or Samko, and let the team help you assess it.

See the Ozone Disinfection Service

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

Related links and references

• Residential and building ozone disinfection
• Ozone cleaning service
• Certification documents
• Bangkokbiznews: flood situation report (DDPM data)
• Thai PBS: flood situation
• WHO fact sheets
• CDC: Floods
• Department of Disease Control, Thailand