Cheewaphap urges Single DSS app to combat flooding and forest loss

Matichon•Politics•3d ago

Reader Briefing

Senate committee chairman Cheewaphap Cheewatham and Professor Dr. Pen-nueng Vanichchai advocate for the Single DSS system to improve water management and disaster warning in Thailand.

•Thailand is losing an average of 400 rai of forest per day, leaving only 31% forest cover.
•Cheewaphap Cheewatham identifies the loss of headwater forests in 9-10 northern provinces as a cause of severe flooding in Bang Ban, Wiset Chai Chan, and Phak Hai districts.
•The Single DSS system is proposed as a tool to provide accurate flood maps and early warnings for the public and government agencies.
•The Office of National Water Resources (ONWR) is the lead agency driving the development of the Single DSS project.

Overview

•On July 17, Cheewaphap Cheewatham delivered a special lecture on Thailand's water resource management at the Parliament Building.
•Cheewaphap Cheewatham stated Thailand loses over 400 rai of forest daily, totaling over 100,000 rai per year.
•Cheewaphap Cheewatham explained that replacing headwater forests with monocrops like corn or rubber causes rainwater to hit the soil directly and flow downstream rapidly.
•Bueng Boraphet has decreased from 250,000 rai in the past to approximately 130,000 rai currently.
•Cheewaphap Cheewatham suggested the Single DSS application should integrate flood, drought, and water quality forecasting into one platform.
•Professor Dr. Pen-nueng Vanichchai stated the Single DSS will provide flood maps detailing when water arrives, where it will flood, and the severity level.
•The Office of National Water Resources (ONWR) is acting as the main host to drive the Single DSS project with experts from academic institutions.
•Professor Dr. Pen-nueng Vanichchai asserted that the Single DSS would have reduced the severity of past losses in Hat Yai by enabling timely evacuations.

Full article content is available on the original source.

Read on Matichon (Thai Version)View in Google Translate

Source: Matichon (Original)

Key Quotes

Professor Dr. Pen-nueng Vanichchai

"This system will allow us to truly integrate, not just integrate in words, but be able to do so at an actual operational (Action) level."

ระบบตัวนี้จะทำให้เราบูรณาการได้อย่างแท้จริง ไม่ใช่บูรณาการแค่ตามคำพูด แต่สามารถทำได้ในระดับปฏิบัติการ (Action) อย่างแท้จริง

Key Entities

Person

Cheewaphap Cheewatham(ชีวะภาพ ชีวะธรรม)

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Environment.

Ratchaneekorn Thongthip(รัชนีกร ทองทิพย์)

Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Integrated Water Management, Pollution, and Environment.

Pen-nueng Vanichchai(เป็นหนึ่ง วานิชชัย)

Professor at the Department of Structural Engineering, Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) and Director of the National Earthquake Research Center.

Organization

Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Environment(คณะกรรมาธิการทรัพยากรธรรมชาติและสิ่งแวดล้อม วุฒิสภา)

The body that organized the forum on the Single DSS water management system.

Office of National Water Resources (ONWR)(สำนักงานทรัพยากรน้ำแห่งชาติ (สทนช.))

The lead agency driving the implementation of the Single DSS system.

Royal Thai Survey Department(กรมแผนที่ทหาร)ℹ️

An organization that sent representatives to the Single DSS forum.

Asian Institute of Technology (AIT)(สถาบันเทคโนโลยีแห่งเอเชีย (AIT))

The institution where Professor Dr. Pen-nueng Vanichchai teaches in the Department of Structural Engineering.

DDPM(ปภ.)

A central agency that will coordinate data through the Single DSS system.

Place

Parliament Building(อาคารรัฐสภา)ℹ️

The venue where the Single DSS forum was held.

Bang Ban District(อ.บางบาล)ℹ️

An area that experienced severe flooding.

Wiset Chai Chan District(อ.วิเศษชัยชาญ)ℹ️

An area that experienced severe flooding.

Phak Hai District(อ.ผักไห่)ℹ️

An area that experienced severe flooding.

Bueng Boraphet(บึงบอระเพ็ด)ℹ️

The largest freshwater lake in Thailand, which has seen its area reduced by over half.

Songkhla Lake(ทะเลสาบสงขลา)ℹ️

A lake heavily affected by the destruction of headwater forests.

Hat Yai District(อ.หาดใหญ่)ℹ️

A location that suffered significant loss from major flooding.

Chiang Rai Province(จ.เชียงราย)ℹ️

A location that recently experienced flooding.

Aral Lake(ทะเลสาบอารัล (Aral))ℹ️

A lake that was once the 4th largest in the world but has lost over 90% of its water area.

Costa Rica(คอสตาริกา)ℹ️

A country cited as a success story for restoring 50% of its forests within 40-50 years.

Belgium(เบลเยียม)ℹ️

A country cited for its smart application that provides comprehensive water and quality data to citizens.

Policy

Single DSS

A proposed smart warning system and tool for predicting and managing floods, droughts, and water quality.