Government Blames Heavy Rain for Bangkok Floods, Not Management

On September 28, 2025, at Government House, Government Spokesman Ekkapob Piarpitset addressed public concerns about why flooding occurred in Bangkok despite a lessons-learned committee being established following the Hat Yai flooding incidents. He explained that flooding and natural disasters must be accepted as acts of nature caused by rainfall rather than drainage system failures like the 2011 dam releases. He noted that current flooding resulted from rainfall exceeding the system's capacity, with over 300 millimeters falling in Bangkok while the drainage system can discharge only 50 million cubic meters per day. Although the irrigation system and National Water Resources Office had prepared by lowering water levels when rain was forecast, the actual rainfall volume exceeded drainage capacity.

The spokesman emphasized that this situation calls for expanded drainage infrastructure, as Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt has noted the need for additional water pipe networks. The Prime Minister has prioritized a long-term water diversion system from Chainat and Phaya Sak provinces down to the Gulf of Thailand to prevent water accumulation in adjacent provinces including Ayutthaya, Pathum Thani, and Nonthaburi. This long-term plan will be presented to the Cabinet meeting soon.

Speaking to the issue of assigning blame, the spokesman stated that in every incident people tend to seek someone to hold responsible, but flooding is everyone's responsibility across all agencies. When rain falls, citizens do not ask which agency is responsible but expect all parties to work together. He concluded that once such events occur, there is no point in assigning fault; instead, the focus should be on learning lessons, evaluating preparedness, identifying any shortcomings, and managing the situation to return to normalcy as quickly as possible.