Soldiers helped to lay sandbags today as residents prepared for floods in Bangkok, Thailand.

The military personnel were drafted in to help with the preparations as heavy rain across the country lead to rising river levels.

Officials said that 16,000 sandbags were placed in the public park under Taksin Bridge in the Sathorn district to protect the southern parts of the capital. A further 8,000-10,000 sandbags were put in the Royal Thai Naval Dockyard in Bangkok Noi district to protect the Thonburi area.

Acting Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan reassured Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt that the government would assist flood prevention efforts amid heavy rain causing rising levels of the city's Chao Phraya river.

Thailand and other countries in Southeast Asia, such as Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines, are in the middle of their tropical monsoon rainy season, which lasts from May or June until November.

Soaring temperatures reaching 35 degrees Celsius are often followed by powerful tropical storms with thunder, lightning, rain and flash floods which cause rivers to flow faster and become dangerous.