The official place to check storm and weather warnings in Thailand is the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD), which publishes numbered advisories in English on its website and answers questions on hotline 1182. For floods and other disasters, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM, hotline 1784) can now also send alerts straight to phones by Cell Broadcast, with no app needed.
This page explains where the warnings appear, how to read them, what reaches your phone, and what they mean for boats, beaches and travel insurance. When the rains come, and how they differ between coasts, is covered in our guides to Thailand's weather month by month and traveling in the rainy season.
Warnings and help lines (October 2026)
- Weather warnings
- TMD warnings page (English), call center 1182
- Disasters and floods
- DDPM hotline 1784
- Phone alerts
- Cell Broadcast, in real use since 27 May 2025; 4G/5G phones on Android 11+ or iOS 18+
- Tourist Police
- 1155, 24 hours
- Ambulance
- 1669
TMD advisories: where to find them in English
TMD's English website has a "Warning" section where each weather event gets a numbered advisory. While an event lasts, TMD normally issues a new one twice a day, at 05:00 and 17:00, each stating when it takes effect and when the next will follow. For example, advisory No. 8 on heavy rain in the South (280/2026) took effect at 05:00 on 27 October 2026, with the next issue due at 17:00 the same day. That one is only an illustration of the format; always open the newest number.
The same site has a Shipping Forecast, an Ocean Wave Forecast and a Wave Risk page, a weather radar, the "Thai Weather Radio" service and a page of TMD apps. We did not open the app page, so we do not name the apps here. If you cannot find what you need, the 1182 call center is printed on every page.
Reading a warning: the phrases that matter to travelers
TMD advisories follow a pattern, and a few phrases translate directly into decisions. Using the wording of the 27 October 2026 advisory as an example:
- "Flash floods, overflows and landslides especially along the waterways near foothills and lowlands": skip waterfall swims, river trips and caves in that region. The UK Foreign Office says lakes, caves and waterfalls are particularly at risk of dangerous flash flooding.
- "Keep off outdoor places, big trees and unsecured billboards": thunderstorms with strong gusts; stay indoors while they pass.
- "Waves more than 2 meters high in thundershowers. All ships should proceed with caution": rough crossings, with boat trips and transfers likely to be changed.
The FCDO adds that heavy rain causes flash flooding, landslides and transport disruption, particularly in northern, north-eastern and mountainous areas, and advises travelers to follow local authority advice and monitor TMD. Our guide to waterfall and river safety explains how quickly water can rise.
Alerts on your phone: Cell Broadcast
Thailand's Cell Broadcast system sends warnings to every compatible phone in an area at once, as a loud alert that sounds even on silent or with the screen locked. DDPM tested it in May 2025 with messages in Thai and English, and the first real alert went out on 27 May 2025, a flash-flood warning for two subdistricts in Loei province. On 20 January 2026, the operator True, DDPM and the telecoms regulator NBTC announced the first nationwide test, covering all 76 provinces and Bangkok, and DDPM said the system had already been used for floods in the north and south, border security situations and PM2.5 air-pollution alerts, for "Thai citizens and tourists".
To receive an alert, your phone must be switched on and connected to a 4G or 5G network, and run Android 11 or later or iOS 18 or later. Phones in airplane mode, on Wi-Fi only, on 2G/3G or on unsupported models do not get it. Two things we could not confirm: whether foreign SIM cards on roaming receive Thai alerts, and whether real alerts are sent in the five languages the government planned in 2024 or in Thai and English only, as in the tests.
A Thai SIM is the surest way to get the alerts. Since roaming reception is unconfirmed, a local SIM or eSIM on 4G or 5G is the safe choice if you travel in the rainy months. Our guide to internet and mobile data in Thailand compares tourist SIMs.
Floods: DDPM, TAT updates and the Tourist Police
DDPM is the government body for floods and other disasters, and its hotline 1784 is the number to call about a flood situation. Its own website blocked our checks, so we cannot describe its online flood maps or app. During the Bangkok floods of late September 2026, the Tourism Authority of Thailand published visitor updates listing which sights, airports and train lines were open, alongside the 1784, 1182 and 1669 numbers; TAT's newsroom is worth checking whenever a flood affects where you are.
The Tourist Police also help visitors in floods. On 26 October 2026 the bureau reported assisting people during flooding and landslides in Patong, Phuket, and repeated that its 1155 hotline is open 24 hours. Our page on emergency numbers in Thailand lists the rest, and the guide to leptospirosis and melioidosis explains why it pays to avoid wading through floodwater.
At sea: ferries, speedboats and beach flags
There is no official wave height at which Thai ferries must stop. The Marine Department's website could not be reached for this page, and the only official marine wording we read is TMD's instruction that ships should proceed with caution and keep off thundershowers. In practice, operators decide on the day; our guide to ferries in Thailand explains how cancellations and rebooking usually work.
The FCDO notes that boats in Thailand have sunk or collided, usually because of overloading, poor maintenance and rough seas, particularly during the monsoon. If a warning is out, check with the operator before you leave for the pier, and if you are prone to seasickness, our page on motion sickness has advice for rough crossings. On the beach, red flags mean no swimming; our guide to rip currents and beach flags explains the system.
A calm morning does not cancel a warning. TMD advisories cover a whole day and a wide sea area, and thunderstorms build quickly. If the latest advisory warns of high waves where you are going, plan the boat trip for another day.
Monsoons in one paragraph
TMD dates the southwest monsoon from mid-May to mid-October and the northeast monsoon from about mid-October to mid-February. Official advice words the rainy season differently: the FCDO says it is generally May to October, but November to March on Koh Samui and in the south-east. For choosing islands by season, see the best time to visit the Thai islands.
Weather, cancellations and your travel insurance
Insurance is the part people check too late. GOV.UK says natural disasters may have limited cover under travel insurance, and the UK Financial Ombudsman says most policies do not pay for losses you can recover from another source. If a ferry or flight is cancelled, ask the operator for a refund or a new booking first, and ask for written confirmation of the cancellation and of any refusal. Our guides to travel insurance for Thailand and making a travel insurance claim cover the rest; your policy wording decides what is paid.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I find official weather warnings for Thailand in English?
On the Thai Meteorological Department's English website, under Warning. Each advisory is numbered and states when it takes effect and when the next update is due, usually 05:00 and 17:00 during an event. TMD's call center is 1182.
Will I get Thai emergency alerts on my phone as a tourist?
Thailand's Cell Broadcast alerts reach phones on 4G or 5G running Android 11+ or iOS 18+, without an app. Whether foreign SIMs on roaming receive them is not confirmed, so a Thai SIM or eSIM is the safer choice in the rainy months.
At what wave height do Thai ferries stop running?
No official threshold exists that we could find. TMD warns when waves are expected to be high and tells ships to proceed with caution, and operators decide whether to sail. Check with your operator on the day and keep your plans flexible.
Who do I call about flooding in Thailand?
The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation runs hotline 1784 for disasters, including floods. For help as a visitor, the Tourist Police answer 1155 around the clock, and for medical emergencies call 1669.
Sources
- Thai Meteorological Department – Warnings (checked October 2026)
- Thai Meteorological Department – Heavy to very heavy rains in the South, No. 8 (280/2026) (checked October 2026)
- FCDO – Thailand travel advice: safety and security (updated 12 October 2026) (checked October 2026)
- Government Public Relations Department – Cell Broadcast tests, May 2025 (checked October 2026)
- True – Nationwide Cell Broadcast test with DDPM and NBTC (20 January 2026) (checked October 2026)
- True – First real Cell Broadcast alert, Loei (May 2025) (checked October 2026)
- Tourist Police Bureau – Assistance during Patong flooding (26 October 2026) (checked October 2026)
- TAT Newsroom – Weather and travel conditions in Bangkok, visitor information (September 2026) (checked October 2026)
- GOV.UK – Foreign travel insurance (checked October 2026)
- Financial Ombudsman Service – Travel insurance (checked October 2026)