Deputy PM Confirms 2,200 Cubic Meters Chao Phraya Release
We need a short summary, 1-2 sentences, 120-220 characters, max 240. Must be English only. Lead with what happened then single most important detail. The article: Deputy PM confirmed release of 2,200 cubic meters per second from Chao Phraya
On September 30, 2026, Thongsak Thongsri, Deputy Prime Minister and chairman of the National Water Resources Committee, addressed confusion over reports that the Chao Phraya Dam would discharge 2,500 cubic meters per second at noon. He confirmed that while the Irrigation Department had indeed proposed that volume, the committee’s meeting approved only 2,200 cubic meters per second, noting that existing criteria require calculating inflows from the north and excess water destined for the central plains. Thongsak stressed that the release must be carried out gradually, stage by stage, because Bangkok is currently pumping water out to sea to create as much capacity as possible, with upstream releases compensating later to reduce overall impact. Ekapop Piaphes, spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office, added that increasing the discharge would not raise flood risk in Bangkok, as flood thresholds depend on the Bang Ban–Bang Sai drainage canals, which would need to reach 3,000 cubic meters per second to cause inundation; currently those canals carry only 2,100 cubic meters per second.
