Heavy rainfall and severe flooding across multiple areas in late September 2026 altered daily life and communication patterns in Thailand. True Corporation’s True Data Insight, which analyzed usage across the TRUE 5G network and True Online during the final week of September 2026, revealed a sharp rise in voice calls for direct communication during emergencies. The data also showed increased data transmissions from flood-affected areas to the online world, along with higher usage of communication apps and home internet services. True is using these insights to guide network planning and management to better serve customer needs during emergencies.
Immediate Surge in Voice Calls During Crisis
Voice traffic data on September 26, 2026, compared to the previous week, showed notable increases in Bangkok and surrounding provinces: Pathum Thani (+60%), Bangkok (+58%), Samut Prakan (+58%), Nonthaburi (+51%), and Chonburi (+29%).
The surge was more pronounced in flood-affected communities:
- Rom Klao Housing Community: Voice traffic rose 222% overall, surging 632% during peak usage between 9:00 and 10:00 a.m.
- Khlong Chan Housing Community: Voice traffic increased 169% overall, growing 311% during the same peak morning hour.
This shift reflects the ongoing reliance on voice calls during urgent situations for direct, immediate contact with family and emergency services.
Upload Growth Outpaces Downloads
Mobile data usage on the TRUE 5G network showed a distinct shift, with upload growth outpacing downloads as residents sent more data from affected areas.
From September 25–26, 2026, average upload and download comparisons showed:
- Rom Klao Housing Community: Uploads rose 61% (vs. 4% download growth), peaking between 6:00 and 7:00 p.m. with a 178% surge in uploads (vs. 28% download growth).
- Khlong Chan Housing Community: Uploads grew 44% (vs. 6% download growth), peaking between 8:00 and 9:00 p.m. with a 94% rise in uploads (vs. 30% download growth).
This indicates mobile devices functioned actively as transmission tools to share images, videos, and live situation reports with others and online platforms.
LINE Leads App Usage Growth
Analysis of mobile app traffic during the flood week revealed LINE recorded the highest usage increase at 22%, followed by Messenger (13%), Facebook (10%), Netflix (9%), and FaceTime (8%).
Home Internet Usage Rises in Affected Areas
Data from True Online as of September 26, 2026 (Week-over-Week), showed higher fixed broadband growth in primary flood-affected regions:
- Eastern Region: Usage increased by an average of 8%, led by Trat (+21%).
- Bangkok and Surrounding Provinces: Usage grew by an average of 5%, with Bangkok recording 5% growth.
- Central-West Region: Usage rose by an average of 3%, led by Ratchaburi (+6%).
In non-primary flood areas, home internet growth was lower: the Northeast grew by an average of 1% (led by Ubon Ratchathani at +6%), the South grew by 0.6% (led by Narathiwat at +2%), and the North remained flat at 0% average growth (led by Phitsanulok at +1%).
Key Takeaways from True Data Insight
- Voice Calls: Remained the primary choice for immediate emergency communication.
- Data Transmission: Users actively sent out photos, videos, and situation updates over 4G/5G, driving upload growth higher than downloads.
- App Engagement: Traffic on communication apps like LINE and Messenger increased even as user numbers fluctuated in affected areas.
True Corporation is integrating these emergency communication insights into its ongoing network management and planning to respond effectively to customer needs during unexpected crises.
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