Why “Thamud” and “Aad” were punished
In the Koranic sure: al-Haqa” (Reality) the reason why the two folks Thamud and Aad were mentioned, is mentioned:
Thamud and Aad denied [they would face] disaster. As for Thamud, they were wiped out by the furiously howling gale. He loosed it on them for seven grueling nights and eight days. You would see folk collapsing in it as if they were hollow palm trunks. Do you see any survivors from them? Pharaoh came, as well as those before him, and the places overthrown through [their own] misdeeds, (69:4-9)
Sources :
"Acquaintance with the Koran" (Morteza Motahari)
The Quran English translation (T.B. Irving)
https://www.tahoor.com/en/Article/PrintView/400290