The 2026 (B.E. 2569) Ko Phlap Phla Flood: What Was Reported

According to Amarin TV on 2 October 2026 (B.E. 2569), Moo 2, 3 and 4 of Ko Phlap Phla sub-district in Mueang Ratchaburi were flooded, with water nearly four metres deep at some points. More than 100 households were seriously affected, more than 900 rai of farmland was damaged, and residents were evacuated during the night of 1 October. The cause was discharge from the Mae Klong Dam combined with high sea tides (source: Amarin TV, 2 Oct 2026). Figures change daily, so follow local announcements too.

Nationally, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation reported, as of 06:00 on 7 October 2026 (B.E. 2569), flooding in 27 provinces plus Bangkok, 123 districts, 984 sub-districts, 1,154,875 households and more than 3.1 million people (source: Government Public Relations Department).

Ko Phlap Phla is low land beside the Mae Klong River, where most families farm rice, vegetables and fruit. Many homes are raised wooden houses or two-storey concrete houses. With water close to four metres, some were submerged almost to the upper floor. Everything downstairs, from carpets and mats to mattresses, shoes and clothes, sat in water for days.

A Typical Scenario: A Two-Storey House by the Mae Klong

Example case written to illustrate a common situation. It is not an interview with any resident.

Uncle Chai and his two sons live in a two-storey concrete house near the river. On the night of 1 October the village head called for evacuation. The family carried only some belongings upstairs and went to a temporary shelter, where everyone shared bathrooms, walked barefoot or in wet sandals all day, and slept on mats laid side by side.

Back home after the water fell, the ground floor was thick with mud. The big living-room carpet was heavy with water, the vinyl mats and doormats smelled musty, and several pairs of canvas shoes left in the downstairs shoe cabinet were spotted with white mold. Everyone cleaned all day in rubber boots that never saw the sun.

Two weeks later, the younger son had itchy, peeling skin between his toes. The older son had a red ring-shaped rash on his inner thigh. Uncle Chai had a ring on his arm after cuddling the cat, which had spent days padding through mud. At the local health centre, staff said these may be fungal skin infections, gave treatment, and warned that the home mattered too: skin fungi survive in shed skin flakes on floors and carpets, and without dealing with them, infections can return or pass between family members.

The family threw out the big carpet, washed mats and fabrics in hot water, scrubbed and sun-dried shoes, mopped the tiles, opened the house to dry, and then asked about ozone for the bedrooms and living room to deal with musty air, on a day when everyone was out at the farm.

What Are Dermatophytes?

Dermatophytes are a group of fungi that feed on keratin, the protein in the outer layer of skin, hair and nails. That is why they infect only these surface tissues and do not invade deeper in healthy people. The common genera are Trichophyton, Microsporum and Epidermophyton.

The infections are named by body site:

• Ringworm (tinea corporis): round or oval patches with a raised red edge and a paler centre, itchy, on the body, arms, legs or face.
• Athlete's foot (tinea pedis): white, soggy, peeling skin between the toes, itchy and smelly; sometimes dry, scaly soles.
• Jock itch (tinea cruris): an itchy red rash with a sharp edge in the groin and inner thighs.
• Fungal nail infection: thickened, yellow or cloudy, brittle, crumbly nails.
• Scalp ringworm: common in children, with scaling and patchy hair loss.

Where they come from and how they spread

Skin fungi come from three sources: other people, animals and soil. Some live on human skin and are shed with skin flakes onto floors, carpets, mats, foot towels and shoes; others pick them up by walking barefoot or sharing items. Some come from dogs and cats and spread through cuddling or sharing a bed. Others live in soil and can infect skin after long contact with mud.

Infected skin flakes can survive in the environment for months, especially in damp carpets, mats and shoes. That is why infections often return even after a rash clears with treatment, if the source is still in the house.

Why Skin Fungi Spread So Easily After the 2026 Ko Phlap Phla Flood

Feet wet all day. During and after the flood, people wade, work in mud and wear boots for hours. Soaked skin softens and loses its natural barrier, so fungi get in easily. The soggy "water-bitten feet" Thais call nam kat thao often begin as irritation, but left alone they can pick up fungal or bacterial infection.

Close living in shelters. Evacuation on the night of 1 October meant shared bathrooms, mats laid close together and swapped sandals, all of which make it easier to pass on infected skin flakes.

Flooded carpets, mats and shoes. The items that touch feet most absorb water and dry slowly. Reused while damp, they both store fungi and provide the moisture that helps them grow.

Wet, muddy pets. Dogs and cats stuck in water and mud for days may develop rashes and patchy hair loss. Cuddling an infected animal can pass fungi to people.

Mud left indoors. River and farm mud contains many microbes. Handling it barehanded or barefoot raises the risk of fungal infection and infected wounds.

Hot, humid weather. October still brings showers. Houses closed for days stay humid, clothes dry slowly and skin folds stay sweaty.

Where Skin Fungi Hide in a Flooded Home

• Wall-to-wall and large rugs that were submerged; fibres hold skin flakes and moisture deep inside.
• Doormats and bath mats that everyone steps on with wet feet.
• Woven mats, vinyl mats and sleeping pads used during the flood.
• Canvas shoes, boots and sandals, especially the dark, damp insides.
• Socks and foot towels that are shared or poorly washed.
• Bathroom floors and tile joints that hold mud and skin flakes.
• Pet beds, blankets and sofas where animals sleep.
• Towels, combs, hats and pillows shared in the family.

The same spots also hold bacteria, molds and flood odours, so the fix has to be a system: discard what cannot be saved, wash what can, dry everything, then look after the room's air and surfaces.

Symptoms and Who Is Most at Risk

This is general information, not a diagnosis. Many rashes look alike. See a doctor or pharmacist, and avoid using steroid creams on your own, which can make fungal rashes spread and harder to identify.

• Itchy, white, peeling or cracked skin between the toes, often between the fourth and fifth toes.
• A red ring with a raised edge and paler centre that slowly widens.
• An itchy groin rash with a sharp border, often after sweating or wearing wet trousers.
• Discoloured, thick, brittle nails.
• Scaly scalp and patchy hair loss in children.
• Cracked skin that turns red, hot, swollen or pus-filled, or fever, which may be a bacterial infection on top and needs prompt medical care.

Higher-risk groups

• People who wade, work in mud and wear boots all day: farmers, volunteers and officials.
• People in shelters or crowded homes.
• Young children who play on floors and carpets or cuddle pets.
• People with diabetes, whose foot wounds can worsen quickly; check feet daily.
• Older adults and people with poor circulation.
• People with weakened immunity or heavy sweating.

Anyone who waded through floodwater and develops a high fever, calf pain or red eyes must see a doctor promptly and mention the exposure, as this may be leptospirosis, a bacterial disease unrelated to skin fungi.

What about mud and damp on upper floors?

Where water reached close to the upper storey, mud lines and damp patches often run up stairwells and onto the upper landing. Wet-mop these areas too, and wash any rugs or mats that were carried upstairs in a hurry while still wet. Fabrics moved upstairs on the evacuation night may have stayed damp in bags or piles for days; open them, wash them and dry them fully before use. Upstairs bedrooms can also pick up the musty smell from below, so include them in your drying plan and, once clean, in the ozone plan if needed, so the whole house recovers together rather than one floor at a time.

Why Cream Alone, Sun-Drying Carpets or Deodoriser Spray Is Not Enough

1. Treating the skin but not the house

Medication prescribed by a doctor works on the skin, but infected flakes remain in carpets, shoes and floors. Without dealing with the source, reinfection stays likely.

2. Drying a flooded carpet that never dries inside

A big carpet soaked in muddy water for days stays wet underneath even when the top feels dry, and mud is trapped in the fibres. Health agencies advise discarding carpets and porous items that cannot be cleaned and dried quickly.

3. Washing shoes but not sun-drying them

Shoes washed and left in the shade stay damp inside for days, and boots worn daily never dry. Keep two pairs to alternate and dry them in strong sun.

4. Deodoriser only masks odour

Musty smells from carpets, mats and shoes signal moisture and microbes. A spray smells nice for a while but leaves the cause in place.

5. Dry sweeping

Sweeping dried mud dust stirs up dust and skin flakes. Mop wet with cleaner, then dry the floor.

6. Forgetting the air

Even after stripping and washing, rooms closed for a long time hold musty, earthy odours and humidity in the air, curtains and furniture. This is where ozone in an empty, cleaned room can help.

Ozone Disinfection After the 2026 Ratchaburi Flood with WHD

Ozone (O3) is a strongly oxidising gas. According to the company, it breaks down the cell structures of viruses, bacteria and fungi and the molecules that cause odours, then reverts to oxygen (O2) with no chemical residue. The company states its service has been tested and certified by Thailand's Department of Medical Sciences and Intertek (UK) for eliminating viruses, bacteria and fungi at 99.99%, according to the company's certification.

For dermatophytes, we do not claim ozone eliminates this group specifically. Skin fungi belong to the fungi, one of the groups WHD's service targets according to the company, and you can ask the team for test data. The foundations of prevention are discarding carpets and items that cannot be saved, washing what you keep, drying everything and following medical treatment. Ozone is a supporting step for air, musty odours and surfaces in rooms that are already clean.

Ozone does not penetrate deep into a thick, wet carpet, into every damp corner of a shoe, or dry a waterlogged wall, so cleaning and drying always come first.

WHD's ozone process

1. Survey and assessment. Send photos or video of bedrooms, living areas, bathrooms and musty spots by LINE. The team estimates the area, zones and preparation.
2. Clean and dry first. Remove mud, discard flooded carpets and mattresses that cannot be saved, hot-wash mats and fabrics, scrub and sun-dry shoes, wet-mop floors and dry rooms with airflow or dehumidifiers.
3. Empty and seal the room. People, pets and plants out; doors and windows closed.
4. Ozone cycle, zone by zone. About 30 minutes per zone, depending on size and conditions.
5. Rest and ventilate. Let ozone break down, then ventilate as the technician advises before re-entry.
6. Re-entry and ongoing care. Use new, easy-wash doormats, give each person their own foot towel and keep the house dry.

Is Ozone Dangerous? Safety Rules

Room-treatment ozone irritates the airways and can cause a stinging nose, coughing and chest tightness. Follow these rules every time:

• Empty room: no people, pets or plants during treatment.
• Closed room: never open it mid-cycle.
• Ventilate before re-entry, as the technician advises.
• Clean and dry first. Ozone does not replace removing carpets or scrubbing floors.
• Not medical treatment. Ringworm, athlete's foot, jock itch and nail fungus need a doctor's advice; pets with rashes need a vet.

10 Reasons Ko Phlap Phla Homes Should Consider Ozone After the 2026 Flood

1. It tackles musty odours from carpets, mats and shoes that linger after stripping and washing.
2. The gas spreads through the room, reaching corners, under beds, behind cabinets and open shoe cabinets, with ozone disinfection service.
3. It targets viruses, bacteria and fungi at 99.99% according to the company's certification.
4. No chemical residue, good for rooms where toddlers play on the floor.
5. It supports homes where someone has a skin fungus, alongside treatment and laundering.
6. It suits deeply flooded two-storey homes where damp and odour rise upstairs.
7. About 30 minutes per zone, then rest and ventilation.
8. Preparation advice on what to discard and what to wash. See post-flood ozone for homes.
9. Homes, rentals and community buildings such as halls used as temporary shelters.
10. Confidence to move back in once rooms are clean, dry and fresh.

Checklist: Preventing Skin Fungi After the 2026 Ratchaburi Flood

While cleaning

• Wear boots and gloves; take them off at breaks, wash and dry feet, especially between toes.
• Keep spare shoes and socks and alternate pairs.
• Cover any cuts on hands and feet.

Before ozone

• Discard large carpets, mattresses and porous items that cannot be cleaned and dried.
• Hot-wash mats, foot towels, socks and sheets; dry fully in sun.
• Wash usable shoes and sun-dry them; consider discarding heavily molded canvas shoes.
• Wet-mop floors; never dry-sweep mud dust.
• Ventilate and use fans and dehumidifiers until dry.
• Take pets with rashes or patchy fur to a vet and wash their bedding.

Treatment day

• People, pets and plants out; doors and windows closed.
• Wait for rest and ventilation as advised.

After ozone

• Separate towels, foot towels, combs and sandals for each person.
• Wash doormats weekly; choose thin, quick-drying ones.
• Finish any prescribed treatment even if the rash looks gone.
• People with diabetes should check feet daily.

FAQ: Skin Fungi and Ozone After the Ratchaburi Flood

What are skin fungi and how do they spread?

They are fungi that feed on keratin in skin, hair and nails. They spread by contact with infected people, pets, soil and items carrying skin flakes such as carpets, mats, shoes and foot towels.

Is flood foot the same as athlete's foot?

Soggy flood feet usually start as irritation from long soaking; athlete's foot is a fungal infection. Softened skin can pick up fungi or bacteria, so see a doctor if it itches badly, cracks or oozes.

What does ringworm look like?

Usually a round or oval patch with a raised red edge and paler centre that slowly spreads. Many rashes look similar, so get it checked.

Should I throw away a flooded carpet?

Large or thick carpets soaked in muddy water that cannot be cleaned and dried quickly should go. Small washable mats can be hot-washed and sun-dried.

My shoes went moldy after the flood. What now?

Wash inside and out and dry in strong sun. Heavily molded canvas or leather shoes that still smell should be discarded.

Does ozone get rid of skin fungi?

The company states its service targets viruses, bacteria and fungi at 99.99% according to its certification. We make no claim for dermatophytes specifically; ask the team for test data, and strip, wash and dry first.

Is ozone dangerous?

Yes, if you stay in the room. It must be empty and closed, then rested and ventilated before re-entry. Done correctly, ozone reverts to oxygen.

How much does ozone treatment cost?

It depends on area, zones and conditions. The team quotes after assessment. Call 065-556-6294 or LINE @whd268.

Is there ozone service near me in Ratchaburi?

WHD is based in Bang Khae, Bangkok 10160, with no Ratchaburi branch. Contact the team by phone or LINE to confirm travel and dates.

Can my cat or dog give me a fungal rash?

Some skin fungi pass from animals to people. Take the pet to a vet, wash hands after handling and wash pet bedding. See a doctor for any rash.

Talk to WHD About Ozone After the 2026 Ko Phlap Phla Flood

Musty carpets and shoes, or a community hall to reopen? Send photos and the team will help plan stripping, cleaning, drying and safe ozone treatment.

See the Ozone Disinfection Service

Call 065-556-6294 · LINE @whd268

World Health Disinfection, Bang Khae, Bangkok 10160. Provincial enquiries by phone and LINE. Pricing by quotation.

Related Links and References

• Residential and building ozone disinfection
• Disinfection spraying service
• Amarin TV, 2 Oct 2026: Ko Phlap Phla flood, Ratchaburi
• PRD: national flood summary, 7 Oct 2026
• CDC: Floods
• Thailand Department of Disease Control

Health information here is general and is not a medical diagnosis.