BANGKOK — Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra stated on Thursday after an emergency meeting on handling the flood situation in the Northern region that she and her team will travel to the flood-affected areas in Chiang Rai Province on Friday, September 13, 2024. She has instructed that government officials should not come to welcome her. They should concentrate on helping affected people
She has ordered all ministries to expedite assistance in evacuating stranded citizens from the affected areas as quickly as possible to save lives.
Regarding criticism about the untimely flood warning system for villagers, the Prime Minister said that after checking several areas, it was found that the warning system was functioning. She acknowledged comments from citizens who were reluctant to leave their homes due to concerns about their property, which she understood, but emphasized that warnings had been issued.
“I want to tell the public that I take responsibility here. We’re ready to look into compensation and care for the people. Please prioritize saving your lives first and evacuate from the affected areas as quickly as possible. We’ll see how the government can help in other ways. It’s the government’s duty to continue ensuring the safety of the people and address the loss of property during the flood,” the PM said.
This emergency meeting was held immediately after the Prime Minister finished presenting the government’s policies to parliament. This policy statement gives the Prime Minister executive authority to issue administrative orders, according to the constitution
Paetongtarn chaired the meeting inside the parliament building, with relevant ministers and officials in attendance, including General Songwit Noonpakdee, the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, who had just returned from personally visiting the affected areas in Chiang Rai.
There was also a video conference with Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai provinces to hear situation reports from Mr. Suthipong Juljarern, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, who had traveled to the area.
The Prime Minister stated that the situation in both Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai provinces is quite severe now, with water reaching the economic zones in the city districts and approaching the airport, although the runway is still usable. She stressed that this problem requires everyone’s cooperation to protect and help people overcome these obstacles as quickly as possible.
Mr. Suthipong reported via video conference from Chiang Rai that this year, especially in Mae Sai district, they are facing the most severe natural disaster in 80 years. Mae Sai has experienced flooding 7 times this year, with this being the 8th occurrence since August.
The severe flooding, the worst in 80 years, is due to two main factors: First, heavy rainfall occurring 7 times, saturating the Mae Sai River and the land on both the Thai and neighboring country sides. Second, the latest storm (Yangi) brought an enormous amount of water, resulting in widespread damage to the Mae Sai market area. The city of Chiang Rai is affected by another water system originating from a neighboring country.
In addition to this meeting, the Thailand Environment Institute Foundation provided further information that Chiang Rai faces recurring flood problems during the rainy season every year, both in urban and rural areas. In urban areas, the Kok River overflows its banks during the flood season. The topography of high plains between mountains is a contributing factor that makes flooding easier.
In rural areas, flash floods and landslides are problems due to the mostly mountainous terrain. Inadequate drainage systems mean that when heavy rain occurs, water flows down rapidly, causing extensive damage to people’s homes and property, as well as public and private infrastructure.
The Chiang Rai Provincial Development Plan 2023-2027 also indicates that the current expansion of Chiang Rai city is leapfrogging, with rapid and continuous construction of buildings, houses, and transportation routes. Rivers and canals that once served as natural drainage have been encroached upon and filled, degrading their ability to efficiently handle rainwater, resulting in widespread flooding problems.
At the same time, urban expansion affects the ecosystem. Forests, which play a role in absorbing rainwater and preventing flash floods and landslides, are being destroyed. Data on Chiang Rai’s forest area in 2023 shows a decrease of over 8,200 rai from the previous year. Additionally, the construction of large dams on the Mekong River in China affects lower Mekong countries, including Thailand’s Chiang Rai province, which is located on the Mekong riverbank.
While there are as many as 38 water management agencies in 10 ministries in Thailand, each with different responsibilities such as issuing warning information, assisting flood victims, managing irrigation systems, and providing water situation information, many agencies have overlapping roles, which is one of the problems.
Therefore, the Paetongtarn government’s urgent mission is to assist, rehabilitate, and compensate those affected, and prepare to prevent flooding in the central river basin, which is the country’s economic area. The long-term goal is to implement a systematic water management plan that has been discussed for over a decade.
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