Thailand Ranks 17th in Global Climate Risk, Urges Action to Tackle Extreme Weather

On November 29, 2025, Dr Phirun Saiyasitpanich, Director-General of the Department of Climate Change and Environment (Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment), revealed that Thailand has moved up to 17th in the Climate Risk Index (CRI) 2026, compiled by Germanwatch. This is a significant rise from 72nd place in 2022 and signals the growing vulnerability of Thailand to extreme weather events. The CRI evaluates the impact of extreme weather events over the past 30 years, showing that Thailand is increasingly at risk from floods, heatwaves, and storms.

Recent Events and Rising Risks

The southern floods, particularly in Hat Yai, Songkhla, saw 350 millimeters of rainfall in a single day—an amount that hasn’t been seen in 300 years. This extreme event caused widespread damage, emphasizing the impact of climate change on rainfall patterns. The country’s ranking in the CRI is a clear warning that such events will become more frequent and severe. In addition to the immediate loss of life and property, the data highlights the economic losses, with 5.7 billion people affected by over 9,700 extreme weather events worldwide in the past 30 years.