Flooding Crisis in Southern Thailand: NDRC Director Orders Full Assistance.

Bangkok: Director of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has expressed significant concern over the escalating flooding situation in Southern Thailand. All units have been ordered to provide full assistance as the region braces for continuous heavy rain until the end of the month, leading to overflowing riverbanks in numerous areas. According to Thai News Agency, Ms. Sasikarn Wattanachan, Deputy Government Spokesperson, conveyed that Mr. Phumtham Wechayachai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, who also serves as the Director of the Operations Center for Flood, Storm, and Landslide Relief Operations (CCC), has mandated all units in the affected regions to closely monitor the severe flooding. There is an urgent call to mobilize personnel, machinery, and tools to support and assist the victims comprehensively. The South is currently grappling with heavy rain, causing flooding in seven provinces: Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Songkhla, Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat, and Satun. Autho rities are also on alert for flash floods, overflows, and landslides, as well as the danger of waves impacting the eastern coast of the South. Ms. Sasikarn emphasized the urgency of the situation, highlighting the rapid intensification of flooding. The Director of the CCC has stressed the necessity of immediate readiness for evacuation if needed. All units, including the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, the Ministry of Defense, and the Royal Irrigation Department, have been asked to swiftly provide support to the affected communities. Community kitchens have been set up, with the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Center (SBPAC) supplying essential raw materials like rice and eggs to prepare and distribute meals to the victims quickly. Deputy Minister of Interior, Ms. Thirat Samretwanich, participated in a CPOC working group meeting and instructed all units to mobilize resources, with a focus on deploying motorboats and flat-bottomed boats. The Ministry of Defense plans to send 25 fla t-bottomed boats to the region tonight to aid in evacuating stranded residents. Currently, the Ministry of Public Health has opened 20 shelters across Yala and Narathiwat Provinces, with 224 people receiving services. Although eight sub-district health promotion hospitals in Yala and Songkhla Provinces have been closed due to flooding, mobile medical units continue to provide services, particularly to vulnerable groups, including bedridden patients, the elderly, and those with chronic illnesses. The Sky Doctor team is also prepared to assist emergency patients. The ONWR reported a total rainfall of 1,138 mm over the past week in the South. Due to ongoing rainfall, warnings have been issued for potential river overflows and flooding in the lower South between today and December 10. Rising water levels in rivers and tributaries are expected to lead to flooding in low-lying areas along the rivers in Pattani, Narathiwat, and Yala provinces. Residents are advised to remain vigilant, prepare to relocate belongings and pets to safe locations, and monitor the situation continuously. The Meteorological Department has forecasted heavy to very heavy rain in the lower South until November 30, with cold weather expected in the North and Northeast, where temperatures may drop by 2-5 degrees Celsius. Residents, particularly the elderly and children, are advised to take precautions to maintain their health in these conditions.