A typical scenario (an illustrative example, not an interview with any resident)

Uncle Sombat lives in a two-storey wooden house on the riverbank that his parents built. The open space beneath the house used to be where the family sat in the afternoon heat, with a bamboo platform, a large water jar and a few cages for the fighting cocks he keeps as a hobby. Most years the river touches the ground under the house and then leaves. This year it rose quickly, covered the platform and the stairs, and then flooded the kitchen and the bedroom that had been built in under the house for his wife.

He and his son lashed bamboo poles to plastic drums to make a raft, lifted the cages onto it and tied it to a house post. Every morning Uncle Sombat paddles out to buy ice and rice through water that smells sour and drain-like.

His wife worries most about their three-year-old grandchild and about her own diabetes. She has heard that people who wade for a long time and then develop fever and calf pain may have leptospirosis. Meanwhile a musty smell has started to rise to the upper floor even with every window open. The question the family keeps asking is simple: when the water goes, where do we start, and how will we know the downstairs room is safe for the child again?

Where the Flooding Is in Moo 8-9, Ban Pom: What the Reports Say

Facts below come only from published reports; water levels change daily, so follow local announcements too.

• According to MGR Online on 5 October 2026, the riverside community along the Chao Phraya in Moo 8 and Moo 9 of Ban Pom was flooded 1 to 2 metres deep.
• The water had stabilised at around 1.2 to 1.5 metres, meaning it was not a flash event but standing water inside homes.
• Moo 9 alone has about 80 households, roughly 250 people, affected.
• Residents use boats to get around, and some have built rafts to keep fighting cocks above the water.
• The main cause was the Chao Phraya Dam releasing around 2,500 cubic metres per second, raising the river through Ayutthaya and pushing water into bank-side communities.

For national context, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) reported on 4 October 2026, via Thai PBS, that flooding continued in 27 provinces plus Bangkok, covering 154 districts, with 1,171,165 households and 3,262,676 people affected, and warned of renewed heavy rain from 4 to 7 October. These are national totals.

What this tells us is that many homes in Moo 8-9 had water above the ground-floor level, above power sockets and above downstairs beds, and that it stayed for days. River floodwater also carries sewage, animal waste and septic overflow.

What Long Standing Water Does to a Riverside Home in Ban Pom

Homes in Ayutthaya's riverside communities differ from suburban housing estates. Many are wooden houses on stilts; some have enclosed the space underneath with brick rooms or a kitchen; others are half concrete, half timber; and many have a private landing with a boat tied out front. Each of these features shapes what happens after the water drops.

1. Timber floors and walls that hold water

Wood absorbs water deep into the grain. After days underwater, the surface may look dry within a day or two, but the core stays damp for a week or more. Gaps between floorboards trap silt and grow mold first, and damp timber keeps releasing a stale smell.

2. Concrete rooms built under the house

Rooms added beneath the house usually have plastered brick or lightweight walls. Masonry wicks water tens of centimetres above the flood line, paint blisters and peels, and mold grows behind wardrobes, behind beds and in corners with no airflow. These rooms often belong to elderly relatives.

3. Mattresses, pillows and fabrics

Mattresses and floor cushions that were submerged are almost never worth keeping; water reaches the inner fill, which cannot be washed and dries very slowly. Washable bedding and clothes should be laundered in hot water with detergent and sun-dried completely.

4. Septic tanks, toilets and drains

Many riverside homes use septic or soak-away tanks. When the water rises above the tank, waste floats up, mixes with floodwater and comes back through bathrooms and floor drains. That is the source of the sewage smell that lingers after the water is gone, and the reason all indoor mud should be treated as faecally contaminated.

5. Rafts, coops and animal cages

Raising animals on rafts keeps them alive, but it also brings animals, people and floodwater very close together. Droppings fall into the water and spread around the house. Once the water recedes, the ground under the raft and around coops needs especially thorough washing, always with rubber gloves and boots.

Every Kind of Germ the Ban Pom Floodwater Brings: Bacteria, Viruses, Mold and Odour

WHO, the US CDC and Thailand's Department of Disease Control all advise treating floodwater and indoor mud as contaminated. The threats fall into four groups.

Group 1: Bacteria

E. coli lives in human and animal intestines; finding it in floodwater signals sewage contamination. Swallowed via unwashed hands, food or utensils, it can cause diarrhoea and stomach cramps, and young children and older people can become dehydrated quickly.

Leptospira causes leptospirosis, known in Thai as "rat urine disease". It comes from the urine of rats and some other animals and enters through cuts, scrapes or skin softened by long soaking. Warning signs are sudden high fever, headache, muscle pain especially in the calves, and red eyes. Anyone who wades, paddles or moves belongings in Ban Pom right now is in the risk group. If symptoms appear within one to two weeks of wading, see a doctor and mention flood exposure.

Salmonella is common in poultry and other animal droppings, so communities that keep chickens close to the house should be extra careful. It causes food poisoning with fever, diarrhoea and vomiting, and spreads easily through hands, food and kitchen surfaces.

Group 2: Viruses

Norovirus and rotavirus cause diarrhoea and vomiting and spread very easily through water, food and contaminated surfaces. Rotavirus hits young children hardest; norovirus can sweep through a household quickly. Handwashing matters enormously.

RSV and influenza are respiratory viruses that spread well in rainy, humid weather. Crowding, fatigue and poor sleep lower immunity, so small children and older adults fall ill more easily. Damp, crowded living after a flood makes transmission easier.

Group 3: Mold and fungi

The CDC notes that mold can start growing on wet materials within 24 to 48 hours. In homes where water stood for days, as in Ban Pom, mold has had far longer. You can see black, green, white or grey patches on walls, timber and furniture; you cannot see the spores in the air. Those spores trigger allergies, sneezing, blocked noses and itchy eyes, and can worsen asthma and lung disease.

Group 4: Musty and sewage odours

Odour is more than a nuisance. Musty smells usually come from compounds released by growing mold and bacteria; sewage smells come from waste and rotting organic matter in the mud. These odours sink into wood, curtains and cushions and remain even after floors are scrubbed. A smell that will not leave is a sign that moisture or a source of contamination is still present.

Who is most at risk

• Young children, who crawl, put hands in mouths and dehydrate quickly.
• Older adults, whose immunity is lower and who often sleep downstairs.
• Pregnant women, who should avoid wading and direct contact with mud.
• People with chronic illness such as diabetes, kidney or heart disease, asthma or allergies.
• Anyone cleaning or paddling, who has long water contact and small cuts on hands and feet.

Remember: fever, calf pain, repeated diarrhoea, vomiting, heavy coughing or difficulty breathing after wading or returning home means you should see a doctor at a hospital or local health centre. Do not self-medicate or wait it out. Ozone treats the home environment; it does not treat illness.

The Real Impact on Ban Pom Families After the Water Drops

Health: the weeks after a flood are when people touch the most mud and contaminated belongings, carrying, scrubbing and repairing. Without protection, the chance of infection through cuts and the mouth rises sharply, and sleeping night after night in a damp room makes allergies and asthma worse.

Money: furniture, mattresses, appliances and some floorboards may need replacing. Putting damp items back into cupboards or painting over walls that are not dry invites mold back and means paying for repairs twice.

Time and income: many Ban Pom families trade, work for daily wages, commute to jobs in town or earn extra from raising animals. Every day off is income lost.

Wellbeing: weeks of smell and water around the house are stressful; a clean, odour-free home means normal life again.

Why the Usual Fixes Fall Short After Long Standing Water

Bleach on the floor only: bleach can disinfect smooth surfaces once mud is gone, but it does not reach board gaps, behind cabinets, under floors or the air. Never mix it with ammonia or toilet cleaners.

Leaving fans on: fans dry the surface faster, but in humid rainy-season air the inside of timber and walls stays damp much longer.

Air freshener or incense: fragrance masks odour for a while without removing its cause. When the scent fades, the mustiness returns.

Painting over mold: a very common mistake. Fresh paint looks clean, but live mold underneath pushes it into blisters or black spots within weeks.

What these methods share is that they cannot reach the air and every corner of a room. That gap is where ozone helps, after the home has been cleared of mud, washed and dried.

WHD Ozone Disinfection: The Step After Cleaning in Ban Pom

World Health Disinfection (WHD) provides residential and building ozone disinfection for homes, condominiums, hotels, offices, factories, schools and hospitals. Ozone (O3) is a strongly oxidising gas. Released into a sealed room, it spreads through the air and into corners a cloth or brush cannot reach, breaking down the structures of viruses, bacteria and mold and the molecules that cause odour. It then reverts to oxygen (O2), leaving no chemical residue.

According to test results the company has had certified by Thailand's Department of Medical Sciences and Intertek (UK), WHD's ozone system eliminates viruses, bacteria and mold by 99.99%. The certification documents are on the company website.

How a typical job runs

1. Assessment: the team asks about the flood height, building materials and number of rooms, and reviews photos to plan zones.
2. Preparation: all people, pets (including chickens and caged birds) and plants leave the area; doors and windows are closed; open food is put away.
3. Ozone fill: the generator raises the concentration to the set level.
4. Contact time: ozone works on the air and surfaces; a typical cycle is about 30 minutes per zone.
5. Rest and ventilation: ozone reverts to oxygen, the space is aired, and only then do people return.

Key rule: ozone treatment is carried out in an empty, closed space with no people, pets or plants. Re-enter only after the rest and ventilation period the team specifies. Concentrated ozone irritates the airways, so nobody should stay inside during treatment.

Be clear on this: ozone does not replace mud removal, washing and drying. It follows them, dealing with germs and odour left in the air and hidden spots. For surface disinfection with liquid products as well, see WHD's disinfection service.

WHD is based in Bang Khae, Bangkok, and has no branch in Ayutthaya. Service in Ban Pom is arranged in advance by phone on 065-556-6294 or LINE @whd268 to confirm date, travel and scope. The team cannot promise same-day arrival and schedules visits once roads are safely passable.

10 Reasons Riverside Homes in Moo 8-9 Ban Pom Should Consider Ozone After the Flood

1. Reaches every gap in a timber house: as a gas, ozone gets between boards, under cabinets and behind wall panels.
2. Treats airborne germs: spores and microbes in the air are beyond any floor cleaner, but ozone treats the whole room volume.
3. Tackles musty and sewage odour at the source: ozone odour removal breaks down odour molecules instead of masking them.
4. No chemical residue: ozone reverts to oxygen, which suits homes with small children and older relatives.
5. Helps the downstairs bedroom: rooms built under the house are usually the dampest; treatment helps them return to use with more confidence.
6. Short cycle per zone: about 30 minutes per zone plus ventilation makes it easy to plan the move back.
7. Backed by test results: according to company-certified testing, 99.99% elimination of viruses, bacteria and mold.
8. Works for shops and rental rooms: reopening businesses can welcome customers without a lingering smell.
9. Protects your repair spending: done after washing and drying, it reduces the chance of mold returning under new paint.
10. Planned around your home: talk to WHD's ozone disinfection team to set zones and pick a date once the house is dry.

Before and After Ozone: How a Riverside Home Changes

Note: results depend on how well mud was removed and how dry materials are before treatment. If materials are still wet or water is still seeping in, mold can return.

Example Case: A Stilt House on the Chao Phraya in Ban Pom

(An illustrative example of the process, not a real customer review.)

Paeng works in Ayutthaya town. Her parents live in Moo 9 in a two-storey wooden house whose ground level was enclosed to make her mother's bedroom and a kitchen. While the water stood above a metre, her parents lived upstairs and she paddled food and water to them every evening.

When the water started to fall, Paeng did not rush to call anyone. First, a local electrician checked the wiring before the breaker went back on. Then the family shovelled out mud, discarded soaked mattresses, hosed down floors and walls, and ran a borrowed dehumidifier for several days.

After about a week, floors and walls looked dry but the mustiness remained, especially in her mother's room and the wooden food cabinet. Paeng sent photos and the flood-line height to WHD on LINE. The team suggested three zones: the downstairs bedroom, the kitchen, and the upstairs hall where everyone had slept during the flood, and set a date when cars could reach the village.

On the day, her parents waited at a relative's house, the chickens went to a cage outside, and potted plants were moved out. The team sealed and treated one zone at a time, about 30 minutes each, then rested and ventilated before the family came back. The smell dropped clearly and her mother moved back soon after, though Paeng still airs the house every morning.

Recovery Checklist for Ban Pom Homes After the Water Recedes

Step 1: Safety before entry

• Switch off the main breaker before going in; never touch switches or plugs while standing in water, and have an electrician check before reconnecting.
• Check posts, stairs and floorboards for rot, sinking or wobble after days underwater.
• Never run a fuel generator or pump indoors or in an enclosed space; exhaust contains carbon monoxide.

Step 2: Protect yourself

• Wear rubber boots, rubber gloves and a mask whenever handling mud or soaked items.
• Cover cuts with waterproof plasters; wash hands with soap before eating.

Step 3: Remove mud and sort belongings

• Shovel mud out while it is wet; dried mud sticks hard and turns to dust.
• Discard soaked mattresses, cushions, carpets, food and medicines; photograph them first for assistance claims.

Step 4: Wash and disinfect surfaces

• Wash floors, walls, posts and stairs with clean water and detergent; scrub board gaps with a brush.
• Wipe hard surfaces with a disinfectant used as labelled, with windows open; never mix products.
• Wash dishes and scald them in boiling water; replace soaked wooden chopping boards.

Step 5: Dry properly

• Open doors and windows for cross-ventilation, point fans outward and use a dehumidifier if you can.
• Pull furniture away from walls so the backs dry.
• Wait until timber and walls are truly dry before painting or repairs; a strong smell or a cool, damp feel means not yet.

Step 6: Ozone treatment

• Contact WHD by phone or LINE and send photos and the flood-line height to plan zones.
• On the day, move all people, pets and plants out and put away open food.
• Return only after the rest and ventilation period the team specifies.

Step 7: After treatment

• Air the house daily rather than keeping it sealed for days.
• Check corners, behind cabinets and under stairs; new mold means moisture is still building up.
• Watch everyone's health; fever, calf pain, diarrhoea or breathing trouble means see a doctor straight away.
• Follow rain warnings and treat only when water will not return.

FAQ: Ozone After the Flood in Ban Pom, Ayutthaya

1. The water has not gone yet. Should I book now?

Not the treatment itself. Ozone works best after mud removal, washing and drying. You can contact the team in advance, ask questions and send photos for assessment, so that a date can be set quickly once the house is ready.

2. Can a wooden house be treated?

Yes. Ozone reaches board gaps and corners well, but the timber should be reasonably dry first. If it is still soaked, wait, or mold may return.

3. Do the chickens and pets have to leave?

Yes, all of them, along with people and plants. Treatment happens only in an empty, sealed space, and you return after the rest and ventilation period.

4. If I use ozone, can I skip cleaning?

No. Ozone does not replace mud removal, washing and drying. It is the step after, dealing with germs and odour left in the air and places you cannot reach.

5. Does WHD have a branch in Ayutthaya?

No. WHD is in Bang Khae, Bangkok. Service in Ayutthaya is arranged by phone on 065-556-6294 or LINE @whd268 to confirm date, time and travel. Same-day arrival cannot be guaranteed.

6. Someone has a fever after wading. What now?

See a doctor immediately and mention flood exposure, especially with fever and calf pain, which can signal leptospirosis. Ozone improves the home environment; it is not medical treatment.

Ozone Promotion

Ozone jobs of 15,000 baht or more receive a free medical-grade disinfectant spray, useful for high-touch surfaces after you move back in. Ask the team for full conditions.

Plan Ozone Treatment for Your Home in Moo 8-9, Ban Pom, Ayutthaya

Send WHD photos of your home, the flood-line height and the number of flooded rooms, and the team will plan zones and a suitable date once the house is washed and dry.

See WHD Ozone Disinfection

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

Related Links and References

• WHD residential and building ozone disinfection
• WHD surface disinfection service
• WHD certification documents
• Contact WHD
• MGR Online (5 Oct 2026): flooding in the Chao Phraya riverside community, Moo 8-9 Ban Pom, Ayutthaya
• Thai PBS: DDPM flood summary, 4 Oct 2026
• CDC: Floods and cleanup safety
• WHO: Fact sheets
• Department of Disease Control, Thailand

Note: figures and water levels here follow the dates given in news and DDPM reports and change daily.