Photographer captures crowd waist deep in Bangkok’s floodwaters

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) – As a throng of individuals waded through a flooded street after heavy rain in Bangkok, Thailand, the moment was captured by Sakchai Lalit, a staff photojournalist based in Thailand who has worked with The Associated Press for 33 years.

Key points

• Floodwaters in both urban and rural areas can carry bacteria that cause leptospirosis, a potentially deadly infection.
• The photo demonstrates how the flooding is so damaging to the street and appears severe on what would normally be a dry and busy street.
• I first checked social media and administration announcements to identify the hardest-hit areas.
• For this photo, I additionally needed an elevated viewpoint.

I wanted to capture the flood damage from a wide angle, showing the context of individuals having difficulty wading through the floodwaters to the main road, and how it even partially submerged cars. How I created this photo.

I first checked social media and administration announcements to identify the hardest-hit areas. Then I worked out the most direct route to a suitable location, allowing plenty of time to capture the image.

Appropriate clothing and waterproof gear are essential. Floodwaters in both urban and rural areas can carry bacteria that cause leptospirosis, a potentially deadly infection. While plastic bags support protect lenses and mobile phones, a backpack keeps equipment off the ground and your hands free.

For this photo, I additionally needed an elevated viewpoint. I applied a truck to photograph the scene from above.

Notably, the photo demonstrates how the flooding is so damaging to the street and appears severe on what would normally be a dry and busy street. This news picture is an easy-to-understand image but still accomplishes telling a story of severe weather and flooding. See more extraordinary AP photography.

In short, photographer captures crowd waist deep in Bangkoks floodwaters is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.