Last updated: 2 Oct 2026 | 3 Views |
The number of households hit by the 2026 flood in Rayong may be small compared with some provinces, but for families in Mueang Rayong and Klaeng districts, where water is still holding steady around their homes, every day the water stays is another day for germs to soak deeper into wooden floors, plaster walls, ceilings and furniture. This guide explains every type of germ that comes with floodwater, from bacteria and viruses to mold, musty odor and the smell of stagnant water; why water that lingers is more dangerous than water that comes and goes quickly; and how ozone disinfection in Rayong can close out home recovery once the mud is out and the house has been washed and dried.
According to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) report of 2 October 2026, Rayong province had affected areas in two districts, Mueang Rayong and Klaeng, with 1,760 households affected and water levels holding steady. This figure reflects the report date and changes daily, so follow the latest DDPM and provincial announcements as well.
Nationally on the same day, DDPM reported flooding in 31 provinces plus Bangkok, with 1,245,581 households or 3,535,206 people affected. The cause was heavy to very heavy rain combined with runoff flowing down from the north. Rayong was one of the eastern coastal provinces affected in the same period.
Rayong holds two worlds side by side. On one side is an industrial province with fast-growing urban neighbourhoods around Mueang district, full of housing estates, townhouses and rental rooms. On the other is Klaeng, which still has fruit orchards, wooden houses, fishing communities and a way of life along the Prasae River, while the Rayong River flows through Mueang to the sea. Each kind of home faces different problems after a flood, but every one of them sits in the same hot, humid, salty sea air, conditions that mold loves.
A typical scenario (an illustrative example based on common situations, not a review from any specific customer)
Aunt La-iad, 68, lives in a two-storey wooden house her parents built in Klaeng district. The ground floor is a concrete extension added later and used as a kitchen, dining area and store for garden tools. Upstairs are wooden bedrooms she shares with her granddaughter, a secondary-school student. Her son works at a factory in Mueang district and comes home every evening.
This year the water did not rise very high, just ankle- to mid-shin-deep. What was different from previous years was that it would not drop. It sat in the yard and on the ground floor for days. An oily film formed on the surface and a stale smell like drain mud hung in the air. Aunt La-iad still had to come down to cook rice in the kitchen every day with her feet in the water. The legs of the wooden food cabinet began to swell, the lower wall planks darkened, and the fertiliser bags and sacks in the corner turned to mush.
After a week, her granddaughter developed an itchy rash on the tops of her feet, and a small scrape on Aunt La-iad's shin became swollen and red. Her son worried about infection, and had no idea how to clean this old wooden house once the water dropped without making the timber rot even faster.
The first thing to do here is take Aunt La-iad to a doctor to look at the swollen wound, because wounds soaked in floodwater for a long time are at risk of bacterial infection and leptospirosis. Next, move cooking to a dry place for now, avoid walking through standing water without boots, and plan the recovery in stages once the water starts to fall.
Many people assume water that is shallow and slow is not much to worry about. From a hygiene point of view, water that stands still for days carries several risks worth understanding.
So for homes in Mueang Rayong and Klaeng where the water is holding steady, protecting yourself while the water is still there matters as much as restoring the house after it has gone.
Floodwater that passes through communities, drains and septic tanks usually carries gut bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella, which cause diarrhoea, stomach pain and vomiting and can infect wounds. In areas with orchards, grassland and villages, rats are common, so watch for leptospirosis. The bacteria enter through wounds and skin soaked for a long time. Symptoms are a sudden high fever, headache and muscle aches, especially marked calf pain, and sometimes red eyes. Anyone with these symptoms after wading should see a doctor promptly and mention the flood exposure.
These viruses spread through hands that touch contaminated surfaces and through unclean food and drinking water. During a flood, ground-floor kitchens are often splashed or flooded, so plates, bowls, pots and chopping boards become risk points. Young children and older adults with severe diarrhoea can become dehydrated quickly.
Rayong's hot, humid air and sea mist make materials dry more slowly than people expect. Wooden houses, wooden cabinets, mattresses, pillows, clothes and ceilings that soaked up water can grow mold within days. The WHO and CDC advise cleaning and drying within 24 to 48 hours, which is almost impossible when water stands for days, so mold has usually rooted itself in the material already. Mold spores can trigger allergies, asthma, chronic cough and irritation of the eyes and skin.
The smell in a home after long-standing water often has two layers. The first is a damp, musty smell from mold and bacteria. The second is a stagnant-water and drain smell from sulphur compounds in wastewater that have soaked into wood and plaster. Both are signs that microbes and odor compounds are still present in the house.
Health: repeated illness, infected wounds and allergy flare-ups, especially among older adults who recover slowly.
Property: old wooden houses rot faster if moisture and mold remain. Wooden cabinets, beds and furniture with sentimental value can be permanently damaged.
Time: painting, oiling wood or laying new flooring too early lets mold return, and the work has to be done again.
Reputation and income: for homes that double as shops, guesthouses or restaurants in Mueang Rayong and Klaeng, a musty smell is the reason customers do not come back.
Family: children working elsewhere must take leave to come home and care for older parents, and worry and costs pile up.
The right order is: wait until the water has truly gone, remove mud, wash with clean water and detergent, disinfect surfaces following public health guidance, allow enough drying time, and only then use ozone to deal with germs and odor in the air, corners and material surfaces that cleaning cannot reach.
World Health Disinfection (WHD) provides residential and building ozone disinfection. Its office is in Bang Khae, Bangkok, and it has no branch in Rayong, but families and businesses in Mueang Rayong, Klaeng and nearby areas can contact the team to plan a service. Travel and coverage are confirmed by phone or LINE before booking.
Ozone (O3) is a gas with strong oxidising power. Released in a closed room, it works its way into gaps between floorboards, under cabinets, behind furniture, inside open cupboards and across wood, fabric and plaster. It breaks down the cell structures of viruses, bacteria and mold and breaks apart odor molecules such as musty and stagnant-water smells, then reverts to oxygen (O2), leaving no chemical residue on wooden floors or furniture. According to the test results certified for the company by Thailand's Department of Medical Sciences and Intertek (UK), it eliminates viruses, bacteria and mold by 99.99%. Details are on the certificates page.
Safety essentials: ozone is used only in a closed, empty space with no people, pets or plants inside. Do not enter during treatment, and return only after the rest and ventilation period. Ozone comes after washing and drying; it does not replace cleaning and is not a medical treatment. Anyone with fever, calf pain, a red swollen wound or diarrhoea after flood contact must see a doctor.
Example case (a simulated scenario to explain the process, not a real customer review)
Chanpen, an accountant, lives in a two-storey townhouse on a housing estate in Mueang Rayong with her husband and their eight-year-old son, who has asthma. Water stood in the lane and on the ground floor for several days. The family moved upstairs and sent their son to stay with his grandmother while the water held steady.
When the water dropped, her husband and neighbours removed the mud, washed the floors and cut out the lower sections of gypsum wall that had soaked up water. They threw away the fabric sofa and carpet, had an electrician check every socket, and kept doors, windows and fans open for nearly two weeks until the walls and floors were properly dry. Even so, Chanpen did not dare bring her son home: whenever the house was closed for half a day, the musty smell returned, and she feared mold spores would trigger his asthma.
She sent photos and room sizes to WHD on LINE. The team confirmed travel to Rayong and a date, and advised opening every cupboard and drawer and moving houseplants outside. On the day, the family went out on errands. The team treated the ground and upper floors as separate zones, about 30 minutes each, then rested and ventilated before telling the family they could return.
In cases like this, families usually notice a clear reduction in the musty smell when the house is closed and feel more confident about bringing a child home. Even so, a child with asthma should stay under a doctor's regular care, and the family should keep managing indoor humidity, because ozone helps the environment and does not replace treatment.
Not yet. Wait until water has left the house completely and the mud has been removed, the house washed and dried. Treating while there is standing water or high humidity is less effective, but you can contact the team to plan ahead.
No. WHD is based in Bang Khae, Bangkok. People in Mueang Rayong, Klaeng and other parts of the province can call 065-556-6294 or LINE @whd268. The team will confirm travel and a date; same-day arrival cannot be guaranteed.
Yes, once it has been washed and dried. One advantage is that no large amount of chemicals needs to be poured onto the wood. The team will assess zones and explain how to prepare before the day.
For the whole treatment and the rest and ventilation period. A typical cycle is about 30 minutes per zone plus rest time, and the team will tell you clearly when you can return.
Wrong. Washing and drying must always come first. Ozone is an extra finishing step, not a replacement.
See a doctor immediately, especially if you also have fever or calf pain, and mention the flood contact. More information is available from the Department of Disease Control and the CDC.
Talk to the WHD team to plan ozone treatment for wooden houses, townhouses, shops or guesthouses in Mueang Rayong, Klaeng and nearby areas.
View the Ozone Disinfection ServicePhone 065-556-6294 · LINE @whd268 · Email worldhealthdisinfection@gmail.com
Promotion: free medical-grade disinfectant spray with any ozone job of 15,000 baht or more.
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