Chao Phraya Basin Group plans flood and drought response

Prachachat•Politics•3d ago

Reader Briefing

Surasak Pancharoenworakul chaired the first meeting of the Chao Phraya River Basin Subcommittee for Flood and Drought Prevention and Resolution in 2026.

•The meeting took place at the Irrigation Office 12 in Sapphaya District, Chai Nat Province, and via Zoom Meeting.
•The subcommittee was appointed on August 14, 2026, by Deputy Prime Minister Ekniti Nitithanpraphas.
•Surasak Pancharoenworakul issued 6 urgent directives to handle flood and drought risks for the central region and Bangkok.
•The response plan integrates 8 central provinces and Bangkok.

Overview

•Deputy Prime Minister Ekniti Nitithanpraphas signed the appointment of the subcommittee on August 14, 2026, to integrate water management.
•Surasak Pancharoenworakul directed GISTDA, ONWR, the Meteorological Department, the Royal Irrigation Department, and DDPM to create real-time Risk Maps.
•Provincial governors are tasked with establishing incident command centers involving military, police, civilians, and local administrative organizations.
•Surasak Pancharoenworakul emphasized prioritizing assistance for vulnerable groups and the provision of temporary shelters by the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security.
•Hospitals and Health Promoting Hospitals are required to prepare medicine, medical supplies, and personnel to serve citizens 24 hours a day.
•The Royal Irrigation Department and the Department of Agricultural Extension must plan off-season rice farming for 2026 to avoid affecting water use in 2027.
•Provinces are ordered to expedite damage surveys and relief payments using GISTDA satellite imagery to reduce paperwork.
•The meeting considered water situation data from ONWR and resource support from DDPM for 8 provinces and Bangkok.

Full article content is available on the original source.

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Source: Prachachat (Original)

Key Entities

Person

Surasak Pancharoenworakul(สุรศักดิ์ พันธ์เจริญวรกุล)

Minister of Tourism and Sports and Chairman of the Subcommittee for Flood and Drought Prevention and Resolution for the Chao Phraya River Basin Group.

Pharadon Prisnananthakul(ภราดร ปริศนานันทกุล)

Minister attached to the Prime Minister's Office and advisor to the subcommittee.

Ekniti Nitithanpraphas(เอกนิติ นิติทัณฑ์ประภาศ)

Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Committee for Flood and Drought Prevention and Resolution in the Central Region.

Organization

Subcommittee for Flood and Drought Prevention and Resolution for the Chao Phraya River Basin Group(คณะอนุกรรมการป้องกันและแก้ไขปัญหาอุทกภัยและภัยแล้งกลุ่มลุ่มน้ำเจ้าพระยา)

A body appointed to integrate water management, prevention, response, remedy, and recovery in the Chao Phraya basin.

Irrigation Office 12(สำนักงานชลประทานที่ 12)

The venue located in Sapphaya District, Chai Nat Province, where the meeting was held.

GISTDAℹ️

An agency tasked with creating Risk Maps and providing satellite imagery for damage verification.

ONWR(สทนช.)

An agency involved in creating Risk Maps and providing water situation data.

Meteorological Department(กรมอุตุนิยมวิทยา)

An agency tasked with collaborating on the creation of Risk Maps.

Royal Irrigation Department(กรมชลประทาน)

An agency tasked with creating Risk Maps and planning off-season rice farming.

DDPM(ปภ.)

An agency tasked with creating Risk Maps and supporting resources.

Ministry of Social Development and Human Security(กระทรวงการพัฒนาสังคมและความมั่นคงของมนุษย์ (พม.))ℹ️

The ministry responsible for preparing sufficient temporary shelters.

Department of Agricultural Extension(กรมส่งเสริมการเกษตร)ℹ️

An agency tasked with planning off-season rice farming consistent with water capital.

Policy

National Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Plan 2021-2027(แผนการป้องกันและบรรเทาสาธารณภัยแห่งชาติ พ.ศ. 2564–2570)

The national plan guiding the integration of water management and disaster response.

Place

Bangkok(กรุงเทพมหานคร)ℹ️

One of the areas represented in the meeting to drive concrete joint operations.

Chai Nat(ชัยนาท)ℹ️

The province where Irrigation Office 12 and the meeting venue are located.

Sing Buri(สิงห์บุรี)ℹ️