Premier Orders 76 Provinces to Prepare for Floods

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul chaired a central disaster prevention and mitigation command meeting on September 27 to monitor the flood situation and coordinate relief efforts, with 76 provincial governors and relevant agencies joining via videoconference at the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation.

Anutin ordered provincial governors to instruct their officials and district chiefs to closely monitor affected areas, assess living conditions at village level, and immediately deploy personnel, machinery, and vehicles when disasters strike—measures designed to prevent another Hat Yai-style flooding crisis in Songkhla Province.

The prime minister instructed that any province affected by disaster must declare the affected area according to law, and that provinces facing severe situations requiring emergency budget extensions must promptly notify the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation for swift action. He appointed the Permanent Secretary of the Interior Ministry as the central coordination hub and reiterated that provincial governors have full authority to make decisions in affected areas.

Provinces without current emergencies must assess risks and prepare contingency plans in advance rather than waiting for disasters to occur. All provinces must report situations to the central office promptly, especially severe events that might cause public concern, and submit daily situation reports covering relief efforts, problems, obstacles, and requests for central support.

For relief operations, Anutin ordered the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation and the Department of Local Administration Promotion to urgently conduct damage surveys so compensation payments can be processed quickly without delays. From October 1, 2025, the National Disaster Insurance system will be activated as the payment mechanism. Anutin instructed the disaster department to coordinate with the Office of Insurance Commission to prepare systems and prevent duplicate payments between agencies.

The prime minister assigned three deputy interior ministers to oversee designated areas with authority to command and coordinate relevant agencies, ensuring central assistance reaches residents through provincial governors quickly. He emphasized that boxed meal distribution must maintain quality, adequate quantity, and nutritional value, while Cell Broadcast alerts must use concise, easy-to-understand messages clearly specifying affected areas and public preparedness instructions.

Anutin also instructed local government organizations on proper emergency budget use, noting that sincere, good-faith assistance efforts will not affect official performance. The State Audit Office will consider intent when reviewing such operations.