Phumtham’ wades through floodwaters to visit and encourage flood victims in Tha Wang Pha District, Nan Province. He urges all agencies to survey flooded areas and quickly provide assistance to the people. Don’t wait until the water recedes.
Mr. Phumtham Vejjayachai, Deputy Prime Minister acting as Prime Minister and his team, consisting of Mr. Wutthikrai Leewiraphan, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce, Mr. Chaiyatham Promsorn, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transport, and Mr. Surasee Kittimondol, Secretary-General of the Office of National Water Resources, visited the area to monitor the flood situation in the North and the overall water situation in Nan Province via the Mobile War Room, the Water Situation Analysis and Monitoring Unit from the Hydro-Informatics Institute (Public Organization).
Mr. Phumtham listened to a summary report of the flood situation from Mr. Chainarong Wongyai, the Governor of Nan Province, who summarized the important points as follows: The flood situation in
Tha Wang Pha District, Nan Province on August 20-21, 2024, there were flash floods, forest runoffs, and overflowing rivers in Tha Wang Pha District, affecting a total of 11 districts and 65 sub-districts. Water flowed into agricultural areas, village parks, and houses of the people. From the initial survey, it was found that a total of 43 households were damaged. At present, the water situation has decreased and is starting to improve. The Sub-district Administrative Organization, municipalities, the military, and the private sector will help clean, repair, and restore people’s houses. They will also monitor community areas, especially important economic areas and important places. The military, police, and the administration have organized a task force to urgently provide assistance for the livelihoods of the affected people continuously.
The Deputy Prime Minister then met and gave encouragement to the people and gave relief bags to the victims of the disaster in Tambon Sriphum, totaling 728 households. He
also said that the government is concerned about the people in the area and has ordered all sectors to urgently restore and help them return to normal as soon as possible. He also ordered the transport agencies to arrange officers to facilitate traffic and suggest safe alternative routes, as well as to set up warning signs for the public. He also urgently repaired damaged/cut off routes and quickly cleared damaged areas and roads so that the public can travel as soon as possible. He also predicted the locations/coordinates of points where flooding might occur, including the water barriers that should be drilled to allow water to flow through and drain. He also urged all sectors to proceed according to the agencies’ emergency response plans and asked the public to follow the announcements and monitor the water situation. At the same time, he urged the Ministry of Commerce to monitor the quantity and prices of goods to prevent shortages. He also asked that the public not be taken advantage of by raising prices.
The Deputy Prime Minister also thanked everyone for their cooperation in building confidence. Yesterday, he visited all three provinces: Nan, Chiang Rai, and Phrae. During his visit, he learned about the problems and coordinated with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior and Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives. Today, the Prime Minister’s Office and the Minister of Transport visited Chiang Rai again. This time, he learned that the situation is improving. The government is not idle. Today, we are predicting ahead, especially in areas where disasters are being monitored in order to prevent and minimize damage.
The Deputy Prime Minister also said that the climate is changing, the world is getting warmer, everyone must help take care of it from the beginning, which Mr. Settha Thavisin, the former Prime Minister, has emphasized the issue of flooding and drought as a national agenda since Ms. Yingluck Shinawatra, the former Prime Minister. In this regard, there has been a budget plan of about 5-6
trillion baht from the beginning to the end to take care of the people so that they will not suffer too much damage.
The Deputy Prime Minister said that all parties working together, including the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, the Ministry of Public Health, and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, had already held a meeting to prepare and budget for disaster victims, including assistance, compensation, and the restoration and repair of people’s homes. Therefore, he asked the provincial governors to urgently survey and go down to take care of it.
Mr. Phumtham also gave encouragement to the people affected by the flood, confirming that the government is accelerating the solution of the problem. The main principle is the power of cooperation from all Thai people to work together to overcome this obstacle.
“Prime Minister Paethongtarn Shinawatra, who is still unable to perform her duties, conveys her concern to the people in the area.
It is expected that a new government will be formed no later than September 15,” the deputy prime minister said. –
Source: Thai News Agency