Bangkok:Mr. Ekniti Nitithanprapas has responded to the Prime Minister's directive to integrate "the same set of data" to address fragmented efforts in water management. He has called for updates to the "Risk Map" to correct inaccuracies, enabling each province to effectively use it for public care.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Ekniti, who serves as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, chaired the 5th meeting of the Committee on Flood and Drought Prevention and Mitigation in the Central Region in 2026. He acknowledged the continuous and numerous meetings held in the central region to prepare for upcoming water situations.
Mr. Ekniti expressed gratitude to the vice-chairman, sub-committee chairs, the secretariat, and team members for their dedication, including working on weekends to monitor and manage water resources across various river basins. This effort has led to a systematic approach to current water management tasks.
He highlighted that the central region now serves as a model for water management system design, particularly in planning and integration. Past field visits revealed that the fragmented approach of individual agencies posed challenges in data integration, despite each performing its duties well.
Mr. Ekniti emphasized the strict implementation of the Prime Minister's instructions, focusing on the integration and consistent use of data across agencies to ensure accuracy and uniformity in water management efforts. He also noted the need for urgent revisions to the Risk Map to provide accurate and complete information for provincial use, aiming to maximize effectiveness in public assistance.