What happened in Nang Rong, Buriram

According to Manager Online (ผู้จัดการออนไลน์), flooding in Nang Rong district began on 24 September 2026 and spread to cover 15 subdistricts (tambon). At the time of the report, more than 100 houses were still underwater, with water levels of roughly 80 centimetres to 1 metre. More than 500 households were affected, and around 20,000 rai of rice paddy were submerged.

The same report said the area was on watch for a new mass of water flowing in from Nakhon Ratchasima province. In other words, even where levels were steadying, villagers could not assume the water would drop soon. At provincial level, Manager Online reported flooding in 8 districts of Buriram, 4 of which had returned to normal.

These figures reflect the time of reporting and can change daily; follow local announcements for updates.

What sets Nang Rong apart from an urban flood is duration. Water that arrived on 24 September, more than 100 homes still submerged, and a second wave being watched for, all mean that many houses may stay wet for a long time. The longer water sits, the deeper building materials absorb it, the more time mould has to grow, and the more contamination builds up in still water.

Source: Manager Online https://mgronline.com/local/detail/9690000095727. Figures as reported; they can change daily.

The homes affected, and why 80 cm to 1 m hits hard

Rural homes in Buriram come in several styles: traditional wooden houses raised on stilts, half-concrete, half-timber houses with a masonry ground floor and wooden upper floor, and newer single-storey concrete houses. Each is affected differently by water at this depth.

In a stilt house, 80 cm to 1 m may not reach the bedrooms, but the space under the house, where daily life actually happens, goes completely under: the bamboo platform for sitting, the dining table, the outdoor kitchen, rice storage, farm tools and animal pens. In half-concrete houses and single-storey homes, water at this level means bedrooms, kitchens, bathrooms, beds, wardrobes and nearly every appliance that could not be lifted in time.

There are also parts of rural life that are easy to overlook: large rainwater jars and tanks used for drinking and cooking, shallow wells, pit latrines and septic pits reached by the flood, chicken coops, cattle and buffalo pens, rice barns and drying yards. When everything is joined into one sheet of standing water, contamination from latrines, animal pens and rotting rice spreads across the whole area and into the household water supply.

The submerged paddies are not only an economic loss. Rice and vegetation rotting under water turn it foul-smelling and low in oxygen, a breeding ground for microbes. Farmers who wade out to check fields, look for livestock or paddle between houses are in contact with this water every day.

Example case: a farming family's half-timber house in Nang Rong

Note: this is an illustrative example of a common situation in long-duration floods. It is not a real person from the news report.

Picture Grandma Boon, who lives in a half-concrete, half-timber house with her daughter, son-in-law and two primary-school grandchildren. The family farms about twenty rai of rice and keeps chickens behind the house. In late September the water seeps slowly into the back of the village. Her son-in-law carries rice and fertiliser sacks upstairs; Grandma Boon bags up clothes and blankets. Within two days the ground floor is under water almost to waist height.

The family moves upstairs, paddles a plastic boat out to collect relief packs, and wades to the drowned paddy every day. The rainwater jar beside the house is half submerged and the latrine out back is under water. The younger grandchild develops an itchy rash on her legs from playing in the water; the son-in-law cuts his foot on a piece of wood beneath the surface.

When the water finally recedes, the ground floor is covered in centimetres of mud. A tide line runs nearly a metre up the walls, wooden doors have swollen shut, the wooden food cabinet smells musty, a mattress that could not be saved is speckled with black, and the house reeks of stagnant water and dung. Grandma Boon wants the children sleeping downstairs and back at school, but she worries germs remain, and there is talk of more water coming from Korat. How should the family clean so the effort counts, disinfect so the children are safe, and what happens if the water returns? Read on.

Why long-standing floods like Nang Rong's carry a higher germ risk

An urban flash flood is dangerous because of its force. A long-standing flood in farmland is dangerous in slower ways that people tend to underestimate, for at least four reasons.

Still water accumulates contamination. When water cannot drain, waste from latrines, dung from pens and rotting plants dissolve and spread through the same body of water. The household's water sources are at greater risk with each passing day.

Building materials absorb more. Timber, rendered walls, doors, plywood cabinets, mattresses and cushions become saturated, dry slowly, and harbour mould deeper than the surface.

People are exposed again and again. Farmers check fields, move animals, fetch food and travel through water daily. Repeated, prolonged contact increases the chance that germs enter through cuts and scrapes.

The risk of re-flooding. With a new water mass from Nakhon Ratchasima under watch, a freshly cleaned house may flood again. Recovery has to cover cleaning, disinfection and ongoing care, not a one-off job.

The germs that follow floods in Nang Rong's villages and rice fields

The World Health Organization (WHO), the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Thailand's Department of Disease Control all warn that floodwater is often contaminated with waste and opens the door to several groups of disease. In a rural rice-growing setting like Nang Rong, these are the ones to watch.

Leptospirosis: a top risk for rice farmers

Thailand has long recorded many leptospirosis cases in the northeast and among farmers. Leptospira bacteria live in the urine of rats and some other animals, such as cattle, buffalo and pigs, and contaminate wet soil and water. When fields and villages flood, field rats move close to people and the bacteria spread with the water. Anyone wading or walking barefoot through mud, especially with cuts on hands or feet, is at high risk. Early symptoms include sudden high fever, headache, severe muscle pain especially in the calves, and red eyes; some cases become serious, affecting the kidneys or lungs. Anyone with these signs after wading must go to a hospital or subdistrict health clinic immediately and tell the doctor about the exposure.

Bacteria from latrines and animal pens

When pit latrines and septic pits flood, gut bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella enter the water, along with germs from chicken and livestock dung. These cause diarrhoea, food poisoning, stomach cramps and vomiting, particularly when they reach drinking-water jars, food containers or the kitchen under the house.

Viruses that spread when people crowd together

During floods many families move to temporary shelters, temple halls or relatives on higher ground. Crowding helps viruses spread: norovirus and rotavirus, which cause severe diarrhoea in children; influenza and RSV, dangerous to young children and older people; and hand, foot and mouth disease viruses, passed via toys, utensils and hands. When families return home, germs travel back with clothes and belongings.

Mould in homes that soaked for days

A house soaked for days is ideal for mould. Saturated timber and walls plus humid rainy-season air let mould spread over walls, under-house spaces, doors, cabinets and mattresses. Spores cause allergy symptoms, sneezing, congestion and asthma attacks, and can be dangerous for people with weak immunity. CDC advises cleaning and drying as fast as possible, ideally within 24 to 48 hours. Where water lingers, starting the moment it drops below floor level is what matters most.

Skin problems and immersion foot

Long soaking softens skin, causing immersion foot and secondary fungal or bacterial infections. A small, harmless-looking wound can become infected if it is not cleaned and cared for properly.

Who in a Nang Rong household needs extra care

Many rural northeastern households are extended families, with grandparents and children under one roof while some working-age adults work in other provinces. Older people, often with diabetes or high blood pressure and at risk of falls on muddy floors, need extra care, as do young children and schoolchildren who play in water and pick up stomach bugs easily, pregnant women, and anyone with a chronic illness or weakened immunity.

Another very high-risk group is farmers and anyone working in water every day: checking paddies, moving cattle, repairing bunds, or helping neighbours carry belongings. They carry the highest leptospirosis risk because of long contact with water and mud and frequent cuts on hands and feet. Wearing boots and rubber gloves, and washing with clean water after every trip into the flood, should become a habit for as long as the water stays.

The toll on Nang Rong families

The flood hits households on several fronts at once. Health: leptospirosis, diarrhoea, skin rashes and mould allergies can mean lost workdays and costly trips to hospital. Income: submerged paddies may mean a whole season's harvest lost, often the main income of the year. Time: restoring a house that soaked for days takes far longer than one flooded for a few hours, and a second wave restarts the job. Family: children may miss school, grandparents move their beds, and worry about farm debts piles up.

Why detergent scrubbing or a splash of bleach is not quite enough

The familiar rural routine after a flood is to hose out the mud, scrub with washing powder and pour bleach on the floor. It helps, and removing every bit of mud is an essential step, but it has limits.

Detergent lifts dirt and washes many germs away, but it is not made for high-level disinfection. Chlorine bleach does disinfect, yet used too strong or too often it can corrode zinc sheeting, nails, hinges and farm tools, and bleach and damage wood and fabric. Its sharp fumes irritate the airways of older people and children with allergies, and mixing bleach with certain toilet cleaners produces toxic gas.

In Nang Rong's situation there is one more limitation: chlorine evaporates quickly and leaves little ongoing protection once dry. In a house where people walk in with muddy boots from the fields every day, and where re-flooding is possible, a freshly disinfected surface is soon contaminated again. Mosquito coils, incense to mask smells, or paint over mouldy walls only cover the problem.

The solution: CHEMGENE HLD4H, a medical-grade disinfectant for homes after the water recedes

Once the mud is out, the step that closes the gaps is disinfection with a product built for high-level disinfection. CHEMGENE HLD4H is a medical-grade high-level disinfectant made in England. According to the product information, it is used in hospitals, clinics, laboratories, schools, offices, airports, homes, and elderly and child care settings.

According to the product information, it is listed against bacteria, fungi and mould, mycobacteria, Salmonella, and viruses including influenza H1N1, RSV, norovirus, hand, foot and mouth virus and SARS-CoV-2. The product page states it kills within 1 minute, reports 99.85% efficacy against COVID-19, and provides residual surface protection for up to 14 days, which matters for homes where people come in from the fields every day.

For rural homes with many materials, the product information states CHEMGENE HLD4H is non-corrosive to stainless steel, aluminium, rubber, plastic and fibreglass, so pots, trays, plastic water tanks, boots and plastic boats can be treated without corrosion worries. It is biodegradable, and the product page says it is safe for people, pets and medical equipment when used as directed. Dilutions of 1:30, 1:50, 1:60, 1:100 and up to 1:200 are available for different tasks per the label, so one bottle makes a large volume, enough for a whole house or to share between neighbours.

The product page lists tests and approvals from Mahidol University, NHS England, ISO 9001:2015, ISO 13485, SGS, Intertek, CE, and EN 13727, EN 14348, EN 13624 and EN 14476.

To be clear: CHEMGENE HLD4H does not prevent flooding and is not a medicine. It reduces the risk of infection from household surfaces during recovery. Anyone with fever, calf pain, diarrhoea or an inflamed wound must see a doctor.

Restoring a Nang Rong home step by step: mud out first, disinfect after

1. Make sure it is safe to go back in. Confirm the power is off, and do not switch on or plug in anything that was submerged until an electrician has checked. Watch for snakes and centipedes sheltering inside, under the house or in piles of belongings. Always wear boots, rubber gloves and a mask.

2. Take things out and decide what can be kept. Mattresses, pillows, blankets, cushions and plywood cabinets that soaked for days usually cannot be saved. Set hard containers, plastic tanks, pots and farm tools aside for washing. Rice, dry food and seed reached by floodwater should not be eaten.

3. Remove all mud, under the house and inside. Shovel mud while still wet; it comes away more easily. Hose and scrub with detergent across floors, walls, posts, stairs, doors, window ledges and the under-house space, then rinse with clean water.

4. Deal with jars and water containers. Empty flooded jars and tanks, scrub the inside with clean water and a cleaner, rinse, then disinfect as health authorities and the product label advise. Meanwhile use bottled or boiled water for drinking and cooking.

5. Dilute CHEMGENE HLD4H per the label. Mix with clean water at the label's surface-disinfection dilution, using the rate recommended for high-risk areas such as bathrooms, around latrines and surfaces touched by floodwater. Use clearly labelled buckets or spray bottles.

6. Apply to cleaned surfaces and wait the full contact time. Wet the surfaces thoroughly and leave for the time on the label. Key points: lower floors and walls, the under-house area, bathroom, kitchen, food-prep counter, door handles, stair rails, the beds of children and grandparents, and the boots used for wading.

7. Open the house up to dry. Open every door and window, use fans, and let in as much sunlight as possible. Saturated timber and walls take days to dry; check daily for mould.

8. Plan for a second wave. While the water from Nakhon Ratchasima is under watch, keep valuables high and keep diluted solution ready in a sealed container. If it floods again, always start with mud removal before disinfecting. Throughout, wear gloves and boots, ventilate, follow the label, never mix chemicals, and keep products away from children.

10 reasons Nang Rong households keep CHEMGENE HLD4H on hand during floods

1. Hospital grade. According to the product information, a high-level disinfectant made in England. Read the product details
2. Covers latrine and livestock bacteria. Listed against bacteria and Salmonella.
3. Covers viruses that spread in shelters and big families. Norovirus, influenza, RSV and hand, foot and mouth virus.
4. Tackles mould in long-soaked homes. Listed against fungi.
5. Works within 1 minute. Per the product page, saving time on a whole-house job.
6. Residual protection up to 14 days. Useful when people come in from the fields daily. Order CHEMGENE HLD4H
7. Non-corrosive to plastic, rubber and many metals. Safe for tanks, boots, pots and plastic boats.
8. Highly economical. Dilutes from 1:30 to 1:200 per label, enough for a whole house or a few neighbours.
9. Biodegradable. A better fit for farming land.
10. Clearly tested and certified. Mahidol University, NHS England, ISO, SGS, Intertek, CE and EN standards. See certifications

Before and after: a Nang Rong farmhouse once the water drops

If Grandma Boon's family takes the second path, they lose an old mattress and wait several days for the house to dry, but the children return to a home that is genuinely clean, the adults know how to protect themselves in the fields, and if a new wave arrives they have a plan instead of starting from confusion again.

Checklist for Nang Rong households and long-duration floods

While the water is still up

• Wear boots every time you wade or walk in mud
• Wash with clean water and soap after leaving the water
• Cover wounds with waterproof plasters; see a doctor if they redden or swell
• Drink bottled or boiled water
• Keep children out of floodwater
• Follow announcements about water from Nakhon Ratchasima

When the water recedes

• Power off, watch for snakes, wear protective gear
• Discard food, rice and mattresses that soaked
• Remove mud from floors, walls, posts, the under-house area and bathroom
• Clean and disinfect jars and water containers
• Dilute CHEMGENE HLD4H per label, apply to cleaned surfaces, wait the contact time
• Open the house to dry and check for mould daily

Watch for symptoms for 2 to 3 weeks after wading

• High fever, calf pain, red eyes: see a doctor and mention wading
• Severe diarrhoea or vomiting, especially in children and older people: see a doctor
• Rashes, infected wounds or asthma flare-ups: see a doctor

Frequently asked questions about disinfecting homes after the Nang Rong flood

Q: My house soaked for days. Where do I start?
A: With safety: power off and watch for snakes. Remove damaged belongings, wash out all mud, then disinfect with CHEMGENE HLD4H per label. Spraying onto mud is far less effective.

Q: Can I use CHEMGENE HLD4H in a wooden house?
A: Yes, on cleaned surfaces per the label. Saturated timber must also be dried, because disinfectant does not dry wood. Rotten or deeply mouldy timber may need replacing.

Q: Can I use it on boots and plastic boats?
A: Yes. According to the product information it does not corrode rubber or plastic. Wash off mud first, then spray or wipe per label.

Q: If more water comes from Korat, do I have to start again?
A: If floodwater reaches the same surfaces, wash and disinfect again. The up-to-14-day residual protection applies to surfaces not re-flooded or re-washed.

Q: Is it safe with small children and older people at home?
A: The product page states it is safe for people and pets when used as directed. Keep them out while spraying, ventilate, let surfaces dry, and store the product out of children's reach.

Q: Does disinfectant prevent leptospirosis in people?
A: Disinfectant is for surfaces and equipment, not for the body and not a medicine. Avoid wading, wear boots, wash after contact, and see a doctor at once with fever or calf pain.

Q: Can you deliver to Buriram?
A: The World Health Disinfection team is based in Bangkok. Ask about orders and delivery to Nang Rong and Buriram on 065-556-6294 or LINE @whd268.

Make home safe for the children again

Get every bit of mud out, then disinfect with medical-grade CHEMGENE HLD4H at the label's dilution and contact time.

Order CHEMGENE HLD4H

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

Related links and references

• All Chemgene products
• Disinfection services
• Manager Online, Nang Rong flood report: https://mgronline.com/local/detail/9690000095727
• World Health Organization fact sheets: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets
• CDC Floods: https://www.cdc.gov/floods/
• Thailand Department of Disease Control: https://ddc.moph.go.th/

Flood information is based on news reports at the time of publication; figures can change daily. Product information is from the product page. Always read the label.