PM Convenes Special Meeting On Water Management For Southern Thailand
Thailand's government launched a water management initiative focused on Hat Yai, the economic hub of the south, to prevent monsoon flooding through nine urgent infrastructure projects set for completion before year-end rains.
Prime Minister Anuthín Charnveerakul, serving as Interior Minister, chaired the second meeting of 2025 for the Public-Private Collaboration Committee for Economic Problem Solving (PPCC). Spokesperson Ratchada Thanadirek announced this was a special session with one agenda item: preparing for and preventing floods in Hat Yai District, Songkhla Province, before the 2025 monsoon season.
The focus on Hat Yai reflects its status as southern Thailand's economic center, aimed at reassuring residents and businesses. The initiative will serve as a sandbox model for implementing water management solutions across southern provinces before year-end monsoon rains.
The Prime Minister stressed that integrated water management requires forward-looking planning to prevent the damage witnessed in 2024. He noted that budget allocation is not the main concern, as long-term flood prevention offers greater value than emergency response. However, every baht of public funds must be spent efficiently and effectively. Initial funding will come from agency budgets, with central reserves available only for urgent cases.
The PM emphasized the importance of timely information dissemination before and during flooding events, including evacuation plans and disaster relief operations, which must be clearly communicated and continuously reinforced. Such communication costs nothing but significantly reduces damage to affected populations.
The National Water Resources Office (NWRO) presented a master plan based on lessons learned from previous disasters, featuring nine urgent projects from Songkhla's PPCC aligned with upstream-midstream-downstream water management principles. Projects include pipe dredging, flood prevention equipment procurement, automated spillway gate installation, drainage capacity enhancement, and aquatic weed removal—all designed to be completed before monsoon season and strengthen flood defense in southern Thailand's key economic areas.
The meeting tasked Minister Phradon Parisnannantkul with coordinating with NWRO and the Budget Bureau to review plans and budgets reflecting the committee's recommendations. The Interior Ministry was designated as the lead agency to coordinate with relevant departments in preparing comprehensive flooding solutions for Hat Yai, integrating transportation and water management systems before presentation to Deputy Prime Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn for inclusion in annual operational plans.
