"The morgue has exceeded its capacity, so we need more," Charn, a morgue official at Songkhla Hospital who only gave his first name, told AFP after the death toll rose to 55.

Footage filmed by an AFP journalist showed white refrigerated lorries parked outside the hospital's main building.

Devastating flooding has overwhelmed southern Thailand this week, particularly in Hat Yai, near the border with Malaysia, where large areas were submerged, pushing residents to seek shelter on rooftops.

The Thai government said in a statement late Thursday that the death toll from several days of flooding in Songkhla province had jumped to 55, up from six the previous day.

The government said Friday it had suspended the Hat Yai district chief over an alleged failure to respond to the flooding.