PM Orders Study of Bangkok 'Monkey Cheek' Water Storage Projects
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has instructed the Department of Public Works and Town Planning to study the development of 'monkey cheek' water retention areas around Bangkok to capture floodwater for use during dry seasons. He said the budget is already secured and the idea, originally proposed by United Thai Nation Party MP Atthavit Suwanphakdee, will be evaluated for direct implementation if feasible. The initiative is part of the Royal Irrigation Department's broader water management policy.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul ordered the Department of Public Works and Town Planning to examine plans for building 'monkey cheek' water storage sites around Bangkok to capture floodwater for use during dry periods, asserting that the budget is already in place. Speaking at the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation on October 7, 2026, Anutin explained that monkey cheek projects are part of the Royal Irrigation Department's water management policy and will be assigned to the National Water Resources Office to study expanding the areas. He added that United Thai Nation Party list-MP Atthavit Suwanphakdee had proposed the concept, which he has directed the relevant agencies to evaluate for immediate implementation if feasible. Anutin stressed the importance of retaining floodwater to mitigate drought, confirming that funding is already allocated.
