Ex-Agriculture Minister Urges Irrigation Dept to Keep Water Plan

Lt. Col. Thamanat Prompow, former agriculture minister and leader of the Klaitham Party, warned the Royal Irrigation Department not to let its earlier water management plan for the Bangkok area disappear or be forgotten. Speaking on September 29, 2026, he said large numbers of people are still affected by flooding in communities, agricultural lands and residential neighborhoods, and he has directed his foundation’s staff to monitor the situation and give full assistance. Asked about water management in his former role overseeing the Royal Irrigation Department, Thamanat said managing water is extremely important, especially the department’s control of water in tributaries, main streams and secondary channels. Effective planning and systematic orders are needed to handle water volumes efficiently and reduce impacts on at‑risk populations. “What I have always emphasized is that caring for and helping the public is vital; water management and orders must be systematic,” he said. Thamanat told the department that many of its personnel have worked with him before and should continue the approaches and plans already established, particularly for water management in Bangkok, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan and surrounding areas where clear plans had already been made. He added that even if administrators have changed or cooperation has paused for a time, the existing plans should not be abandoned or disrupted just because of personnel changes. The plans already drawn up should be implemented because they are proven ways to solve water problems. “Don’t forget the policies I set for water management in Bangkok, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan and related areas. We had a clear plan of what needed to be done. Those plans should be presented to the new management, not discarded and started over whenever there is a change. Good policies ought to be continued, because the ultimate goal is to solve problems for the people,” he said. Thamanat also noted that solving water issues does not require inventing new projects from scratch, as Thailand has long‑studied knowledge and approaches to water management, especially the royal initiatives of King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama  IX). Many of those royal‑directed water projects can be adapted to present conditions, particularly those that increase water storage capacity from small ponds to large reservoirs, which act as containers for rainwater and upstream runoff. “If we follow the plan continuously, it will boost our capacity to manage water during the rainy season and reduce the volume of water flowing into communities during heavy rain,” he concluded.