Market flooded amid heavy rain in northern Thailand

A market was severely flooded amid heavy rains in northern Thailand.

Footage shows vendors and shoppers wading through inches of muddy flood swamping the Sai Lom Joy Market in Chiang Rai province on August 3.

A weir in the neighbouring Myanmar town of Tachileik had overflowed following heavy downpours.

Border police, disaster prevention staff, volunteers, and the local government were in the area installing sandbags and helping residents move their belongings from flooded homes.

Sarawut Chantawong, deputy Chiang Rai governor, said: 'Residents and local shopkeepers know well that flash floods come and go quickly because they occur every year. There is not much we can do for now.'

'According to reports, the amount of rain upstream of the Sai River is decreasing, but it is still flooded this afternoon, possibly because the weir in Myanmar broke, causing the water to continuously flow in.

‘We believe that the situation will improve after the rain stops.'

The Thai Meteorological Department warned of heavy rains across 55 provinces in Thailand as a low-pressure cell covered northern Vietnam.

Thailand and neighbouring countries in Southeast Asia are in their annual monsoon rainy season which sees soaring temperatures followed by powerful rain storms in the afternoon leading to widespread flash floods.