Thai PM Anutin orders urgent nationwide water drainage ahead of new downpours

BANGKOK – Thai Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul has ordered the authorities across all 76 provinces to accelerate water drainage from reservoirs and waterways as Thailand prepares for a fresh wave of heavy rainfall forecast between Oct 4 and Oct 7.Chairing a meeting of the National Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Command on Oct 3, Anutin convened deputy prime ministers, Cabinet ministers, Ministry of Interior executives and provincial governors to establish emergency protocols and review active flood operations.Meteorological predictions indicate heavy downpours will hit the Upper North, North-east, Central Region, South, and Greater Bangkok. Low-lying areas face severe risks of flash flooding and sudden forest run-off.At the same time, coastal high tides expected between Oct 5 and Oct 10 threaten to slow river discharges flowing into the Gulf of Thailand, exacerbating existing inundations in the Chao Phraya river basin, where discharge rates at the Chao Phraya Dam remain at 2,500 cubic metres per second.Mobilisation of equipment and Southern readinessIn response to the dual threat of heavy rain and coastal tides, the Prime Minister directed state agencies to deploy heavy machinery, water pumps, and hydro-propulsion engines to high-risk zones to clear standing water rapidly.As weather fronts shift southwards, Anutin coordinated directly with the 4th Army Region Commander, security forces, and southern provincial governors to activate pre-disaster plans. Operations will focus on early warnings, emergency evacuations, disaster victim relief, and financial compensation schemes.To ensure efficient operations, Anutin instructed each agency to assign clear individual roles to prevent confusion and maintain around-the-clock monitoring.Public insurance awareness and ground inspectionsIn addition to physical flood defences, Anutin instructed provincial governors to brief local communities on the government’s Public Disaster Insurance Scheme.The initiative provides direct financial guarantees, including payouts of up to 100,000 baht (S$3,800), for households suffering damage from floods, storms or earthquakes, ensuring affected citizens can access state relief promptly.For provinces currently flooded or facing imminent risk, the local authorities have been instructed to establish Incident Command Centres at all administrative levels.These command hubs will coordinate joint operations across the military, police, local government, and charitable foundations. To prevent operational fatigue among first responders in critical zones, mandatory staff shift rotations will be enforced.Following the command meeting, Anutin and an official delegation travelled to Nakhon Sawan and Chainat provinces to inspect river levels firsthand and review mitigation strategies along the Chao Phraya River.Meanwhile, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation continues to maintain 24-hour monitoring across the country, deploying mobile water purification trucks, emergency kitchens, and rescue boats.In areas where floodwaters have begun to recede, teams are transitioning to post-disaster recovery, assisting residents with clean-up operations so they can return safely to their homes. THE NATION/ASIA NEWS NETWORK