The Phan Thong Flood, According to News Reports

According to reporting by Thansettakij on 5 and 6 October 2026, the area around the Hua Phai Catholic Church, Moo 1, Khok Khi Non subdistrict, and Silakorn Village, Moo 9, Phan Thong subdistrict, Phan Thong district, Chonburi, had water at shin height or higher. Some residents had been living with the standing water since 24 September. The Phan Thong district chief explained that Phan Thong is a downstream area. It receives water flowing from Ban Bueng and Phanat Nikhom districts as well as water released from reservoirs, before that water drains into the Bang Pakong River. High sea tides were adding to the problem, so the water drained away slowly.

Nationally, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation reported, as of 06.00 on 7 October 2026 (published by the Government Public Relations Department), that floods were affecting 27 provinces plus Bangkok, covering 123 districts and 984 subdistricts, with 1,154,875 households and more than 3.1 million people affected. Figures change daily; follow local announcements.

What makes the Phan Thong situation different from many flooded places is the combination of time and water type. Water from several districts has passed through villages, farms and drains, and at the downstream end the tide holds it in place. During high tides some of that water may become brackish, which suits certain germs such as Vibrio. The longer the water stands, the less oxygen it holds, the more it stinks, and the deeper household materials soak up the dirty water.

Example Case: A Downstream Townhouse That Lived With Water for Almost Two Weeks

Note: this is a typical scenario compiled from situations commonly seen in communities with long-standing floods. It is not a testimonial from any specific customer and does not describe any house in Silakorn Village or the Hua Phai church community.

Malee works at a factory and lives in a two-storey townhouse with her husband, their kindergarten-age daughter and her mother, who is in her sixties. At the end of September water began creeping into the village lane. Everyone assumed it would be gone in a few days. Days passed and the level barely moved. Whenever it dropped a little, the tide pushed it back up. The family carried what they could upstairs, and the ground floor sat in water from shin height upward.

Malee still had to go to work. Every morning she waded out to the main road and every evening she waded back. The lane water turned dark green and smelled rotten. Her feet became soft and itchy between the toes. One day she tripped over a drain cover and scraped her shin. When it turned red and swollen the next day, she saw a doctor.

When the water finally dropped enough to show the floor, the sight was discouraging. A thin grey-black film of silt covered the tiles. A clear tide line ran across the lower walls. The plywood cupboard had swollen, the sofa was heavy with water, and the bathroom smelled like a drain.

Her husband dragged the ruined items out to the front and hosed the floor several times. Three days later, black spots began to appear in the corners of the walls and along the skirting. Their daughter developed a runny nose and cough, and Malee's mother said she found it hard to breathe whenever she came downstairs. How should a house that sat in water for two weeks be cleaned before a small child and an older parent use the ground floor again? It starts with knowing which germs the flood left behind.

Flood Germs in Phan Thong: Long-Standing Water, Brackish Water and Upstream Sewage

Three features make germs a serious concern in Phan Thong: the water stood for many days, it flowed through many kinds of places upstream, and it was influenced by tides. Below are eleven germs or germ groups worth knowing. This is general public-health information, not treatment advice. Anyone with unusual symptoms should see a doctor promptly.

1. Vibrio (Vibrio vulnificus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus) in brackish water

How the flood spreads it: these Vibrio species live in brackish and sea water. In a downstream area near a river mouth where tides push back, floodwater may contain brackish water. Where it hides afterwards: puddles around the house, wet mud and surfaces that stay damp. Symptoms and who is at risk: Vibrio vulnificus can enter through a wound exposed to the water, causing swelling, redness and severe pain that spread quickly. People with liver disease, diabetes or weak immunity face the highest risk. Vibrio parahaemolyticus usually causes diarrhoea after eating raw or contaminated seafood. Prevention: keep wounds out of floodwater, cover them with waterproof dressings, see a doctor at once if a wound that touched the water becomes red, swollen or very painful, and eat only well-cooked seafood.

2. Leptospira, the cause of leptospirosis

How the flood spreads it: long-standing water drives rats closer to people, and their urine mixes into the water residents wade through every day. Where it hides afterwards: puddles, drains, storerooms, ceiling spaces and rubbish piles in front of houses. Symptoms and who is at risk: sudden high fever, headache, calf pain and red eyes. People who wade to work daily and anyone with cuts on their feet are at the greatest risk. Prevention: wear boots, wash immediately after wading, clear rubbish piles quickly, and see a doctor if fever follows flood exposure.

3. E. coli (Escherichia coli) from sewage and septic tanks

How the flood spreads it: many housing estates rely on underground septic or treatment tanks. When water stands for a long time these systems stop working and waste is pushed out into the lane. Where it hides afterwards: bathroom floors, waste pipes, tile joints and skirting. Symptoms and who is at risk: diarrhoea, stomach cramps and nausea; young children and older adults can become dehydrated. Prevention: throw away food that touched floodwater, wash dishes in clean water, drink bottled water and start cleaning in the bathroom.

4. Shigella, the cause of bacillary dysentery

How the flood spreads it: only a very small number of Shigella bacteria are needed to cause illness, and it spreads easily when handwashing is difficult during a long flood. Where it hides afterwards: door handles, taps, stair rails and children's toys. Symptoms and who is at risk: frequent stools that may contain mucus or blood, cramping and fever. Kindergarten-age children are especially vulnerable. Prevention: wash hands with soap, clean frequently touched points daily, and see a doctor if stools contain blood.

5. Norovirus, the stomach virus that spreads through communities

How the flood spreads it: during floods people gather at food distribution points and shared community buildings. Norovirus spreads quickly through food, hands and surfaces. Where it hides afterwards: tables, dishes and shared toilets. Symptoms and who is at risk: sudden vomiting, watery diarrhoea and stomach pain; young children and older adults risk dehydration. Prevention: wash hands before eating and after using the toilet, keep sick people away from preparing food for others, and clean shared toilets more often.

6. Aeromonas hydrophila, a freshwater bacterium that targets wounds

How the flood spreads it: Aeromonas is common in fresh and brackish water, especially warm, still water. A cut on the foot or leg that sits in water for hours can let it in. Where it hides afterwards: still puddles, water buckets and wet mud. Symptoms and who is at risk: inflamed, red, painful wounds and sometimes diarrhoea; people with chronic illness are at higher risk. Prevention: rinse wounds with clean water, use waterproof dressings and see a doctor if a wound spreads.

7. Pseudomonas aeruginosa in pipes and wet materials

How the flood spreads it: this bacterium loves moisture and grows in pipes, sponges and materials that stay wet, which describes most homes after a long flood. Where it hides afterwards: drains, kitchen sinks, mops, rugs and waterlogged sofas. Symptoms and who is at risk: wound infections, ear infections and skin rashes; people with chronic wounds or weak immunity are most at risk. Prevention: throw away flooded sponges, mops and rugs, clean pipes and sinks, and let the house dry completely.

8. Klebsiella pneumoniae from sewage and soil

How the flood spreads it: Klebsiella lives in the gut, in sewage and in soil, so sewage-tainted floodwater spreads it across household surfaces. Where it hides afterwards: bathrooms, basins and surfaces that touched dirty water. Symptoms and who is at risk: it rarely troubles healthy people, but older adults, bedridden patients, people with diabetes and anyone with weak immunity can develop urinary, wound or lung infections. Prevention: clean bathrooms and areas used by patients with extra care, wash hands before caring for a sick relative, and see a doctor for any fever.

9. Hepatitis A virus

How the flood spreads it: the virus spreads through food and water contaminated with faeces, and the chance rises when sewage mixes with household water for a long period. Where it hides afterwards: water containers, fruit and vegetables rinsed in unsafe water, and kitchen surfaces. Symptoms and who is at risk: tiredness, loss of appetite, yellow skin and eyes, and dark urine, usually appearing several weeks after exposure. Prevention: eat freshly cooked food, wash food in clean water, wash hands before preparing meals and ask a doctor about vaccination.

10. Dermatophytes and immersion foot

How the flood spreads it: residents who waded in and out of the village every day for almost two weeks have softened skin on their feet, which fungi invade easily. Where it hides afterwards: shoes, socks, door mats and bathroom floors. Symptoms and who is at risk: itching, peeling, redness and stinging between the toes, with possible bacterial infection on top if scratched. Prevention: wash and dry feet thoroughly every time, change socks often and see a doctor if the rash spreads.

11. Indoor mould: Stachybotrys, Aspergillus and Penicillium

How the flood spreads it: a house that sat in water for nearly two weeks holds a great deal of moisture in its plaster, plywood and gypsum, and mould can start growing within days. WHO and CDC advise cleaning and drying as soon as possible, generally within 24 to 48 hours, which is impossible while water is still standing. Where it hides afterwards: lower walls, skirting, plywood cupboards, wooden doors, sofas, mattresses and curtains. Symptoms and who is at risk: blocked nose, coughing, sneezing, eye irritation and asthma flare-ups. Young children, older adults and people with allergies are most affected. Prevention: remove heavily mouldy porous materials, open the house to dry, wear a mask while cleaning and never paint over damp walls.

Do not forget tetanus: cuts from nails, broken tiles or scrap metal while clearing damaged items carry a risk of tetanus (Clostridium tetani), which lives in soil and mud. Clean the wound well and see a doctor to check whether you need a tetanus vaccination.

From Germs in Standing Water to Cleaning and Disinfection in the Right Order

After nearly two weeks of standing water, germs sit inside the thin silt layer coating tiles, walls and furniture. The correct order therefore starts with removing damaged and waterlogged items, then scrubbing away the silt with clean water and detergent, opening the house to dry, and only then disinfecting the clean surfaces. WHO and CDC follow the same principle: surfaces that touched floodwater should be cleaned first and disinfected afterwards.

According to the service information from World Health Disinfection (WHD), spraying uses CHEMGENE HLD4H, a medical-grade disinfectant from the United Kingdom containing Benzalkonium Chloride and Didecyldimethylammonium Chloride. The company's pages state that it covers viruses, bacteria and fungi, naming examples such as norovirus, RSV, influenza H1N1 and H5N1, hand-foot-mouth virus, Salmonella and fungi, with a claimed efficacy of 99.99% according to the service page.

For the germs in this article that the product page does not name, such as Vibrio, Leptospira, E. coli, Shigella, Aeromonas, Pseudomonas, Klebsiella, hepatitis A and dermatophytes, we do not claim an organism-specific test result. What we can say is that they belong to the bacteria, virus and fungi groups the product states it covers in general. Ask WHD for test documents on any specific organism. Disinfection spraying never replaces medical care, especially for a wound that touched floodwater and is becoming inflamed quickly.

What Phan Thong Families Face if They Move Back Without Disinfecting

• Health: wound infections from brackish and sewage-tainted water, diarrhoea in young children, and allergy and breathing problems from mould spreading on walls.
• Money: medical bills, plus the cost of replacing furniture, doors and plywood cupboards that grow mould again, and repairing walls that stay damp.
• Work: people who waded to work for nearly two weeks may lose more days and income if they fall ill after the water drops.
• Community: shared buildings such as churches, community halls, schools and local shops receive many visitors. If they are not cleaned thoroughly they can become places where germs pass from family to family.

Why Hosing Out a Long-Flooded Home in Phan Thong Is Not Enough

• Invisible silt film: long-standing water leaves fine sediment on every surface. After hosing it looks clean, but a thin film remains where germs cling. It has to be scrubbed with detergent first.
• Deep soaking: plaster walls, plywood, gypsum and sofas that sat in water for days absorb dirty water deep inside. Some materials must go; the rest must dry completely.
• Bleach used the wrong way: pouring bleach over floors still covered in mud does little, and mixing it with other bathroom cleaners can release dangerous fumes.
• The smell is a signal: a lingering sour, stagnant smell means bacteria and mould are still active. Air freshener only hides the problem.
• Forgotten touch points: door handles, light switches, stair rails, remote controls and dining tables pass stomach germs around a family more effectively than floors, yet they are usually cleaned least.

How WHD Post-Flood Disinfection Spraying Works for Homes and Buildings in Phan Thong

WHD is based in Bang Khae, Bangkok 10160, and has no branch in Chonburi. Customers in Phan Thong can contact us by phone or LINE for an assessment and an appointment in advance. The visit date depends on the work schedule and road conditions after the flood, and we do not promise same-day service.

1. Survey and assessment: send photos or video of the ground floor, bathroom, kitchen and stained walls through LINE @whd268, along with the floor area and how many days water stood inside. For a church, hall or school, add the number of rooms.
2. Clear and wash first: remove damaged and waterlogged materials, scrub away silt with clean water and detergent, and open the building to dry. Spraying comes after washing; it does not replace it.
3. Zoning and preparation: mark high-risk zones such as the ground floor, bathrooms, kitchen and rooms used by young children or older relatives. Store food, dishes and personal items out of the way.
4. Spraying: trained technicians spray and/or apply an Ultra Low Volume (ULV) fine mist of CHEMGENE HLD4H over floors, walls, frequently touched points and corners. People and pets stay outside the sprayed zone.
5. Waiting and re-entry: according to the service information, wait about 30 minutes before using the space normally, always following the time the technicians give on site, and ventilate before settling back in.

If a musty smell still hangs in the air after spraying, you can ask about the complementary residential ozone disinfection service, and read more about the disinfectant on the CHEMGENE HLD4H product page.

10 Reasons Homes and Buildings in Phan Thong Should Be Disinfected After the Water Drops

1. Water that stood for almost two weeks gives germs far more time to settle into household materials than a short flood.
2. A downstream area receives dirty water from several upstream districts, so germs arrive from many sources at once.
3. Disinfection spraying deals with germs left on surfaces after scrubbing.
4. ULV fine mist reaches skirting, the backs of cupboards, the space under stairs and corners that cloths miss.
5. CHEMGENE HLD4H is a medical-grade disinfectant that the service page states covers viruses, bacteria and fungi.
6. The service page lists approvals and endorsements from the Department of Medical Sciences, Mahidol University, NHS England and the EN 14476:2013+A2:2019 standard.
7. Trained technicians focus on high-risk points such as bathrooms, kitchens and frequently touched surfaces.
8. Wait about 30 minutes according to the service information, then return when the technicians say it is ready.
9. The service suits private homes, housing estates, churches, halls, schools and shops, and a tax invoice is available.
10. Under the promotion on the service page, customers receive a CHEMGENE spray bottle and WELLGIENIC wet tissues to keep touch points clean afterwards.

Before and After Disinfection: A Townhouse After Standing Water in Phan Thong

Home Recovery Checklist After the Phan Thong, Chonburi Flood

Before going back in

• Follow Phan Thong district announcements on water levels and high-tide periods.
• Switch off the main power and have an electrician check ground-floor sockets and wiring before use.
• Prepare boots, rubber gloves, masks and waterproof plasters.

While cleaning

• Take out sofas, mattresses, rugs and swollen plywood cupboards first.
• Throw away food, medicines and cosmetics that touched the water.
• Scrub silt away with clean water and detergent, and never mix different cleaning chemicals.
• Check the septic or treatment tank and call a specialist if waste is backing up.

On spraying day and afterwards

• Keep everyone, including pets, out of the zone while the technicians work.
• Wait for the time the technicians give, then ventilate.
• Wipe frequently touched points every day during the first week.
• Watch for wounds that swell quickly, fever, diarrhoea, coughing or breathing difficulty, and see a doctor if they appear.

Frequently Asked Questions About Post-Flood Disinfection in Chonburi

Q: Can WHD serve Phan Thong district?
A: Yes. Call 065-556-6294 or message LINE @whd268 for an assessment and an appointment in advance. The company is based in Bang Khae, Bangkok, and has no branch in Chonburi.

Q: The water has not fully gone. Can we spray now?
A: It is better to wait until the water drops enough to clear out items, wash and begin drying.

Q: Can a shared building such as a church or community hall use the service?
A: Yes. According to the service information, WHD works with many building types, including schools, offices and residential buildings.

Q: Do we have to leave the house while spraying?
A: Everyone must leave the zone being sprayed and return at the time the technicians give, generally about 30 minutes according to the service information.

Q: Does the disinfectant leave no residue at all?
A: We do not make that claim. Follow the ventilation advice and wipe food-contact surfaces before use.

Q: How much does it cost?
A: It depends on the floor area, number of zones and travel distance. Send details through LINE to receive a quotation.

After the Water Drops in Phan Thong, Make Home Safe for Your Family Again

Once the house is cleared and scrubbed, let the WHD team spray every high-risk zone. Send photos for an assessment.

See the Disinfection Spraying Service

Call 065-556-6294 · LINE @whd268

Related Links and References

• World Health Disinfection spraying service
• Residential ozone disinfection service
• Thansettakij, Phan Thong flood report (5 to 6 October 2026): https://www.thansettakij.com/social-biz/670801
• Government Public Relations Department, DDPM flood summary (7 October 2026): https://www.prd.go.th/th/content/category/detail/id/33/iid/548715
• CDC flood guidance: https://www.cdc.gov/floods/
• World Health Organization: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets
• Department of Disease Control, Thailand: https://ddc.moph.go.th/