Bangkok: Mayor Paen affirmed that Hat Yai is ready to cope with the 2026 floods, accelerating canal dredging, preparing water pumps and retention ponds. He revealed that government agencies and universities are prepared with warning systems and hope the government will provide additional funding. He admitted that close monitoring is necessary due to uncertainty surrounding natural disasters.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Narongporn Na Phatthalung, Mayor of Hat Yai Municipality, spoke about the preparations for this year's floods, stating that the Governor of Songkhla Province is in charge of the matter. A preparedness and warning center has been established, with participation from various government agencies, local authorities, municipalities, and university professors.
In the 21 square kilometer area of Hat Yai, preparations are underway along the canals by dredging, removing logs, and preparing several water pumps. Initially, there are 18 pumps, but more than 20 are desired to cope with the problem if water enters Hat Yai city.
Regarding whether Hat Yai will request additional budget, Mr. Narongporn stated that it depends on the Governor of Songkhla Province, as Hat Yai has already submitted all its projects totaling over a billion baht, but it is unknown how much will be considered. However, initially, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, Mr. Pipat Ratchakitprakarn, has allocated over 20 million baht for canal dredging, and the project is currently being expedited.
When asked if he was concerned about potential budget cuts, Mr. Narongporn said it depended on the higher-ups' discretion, as they needed to prepare contingency plans for the water volume, given the uncertainty of the scale. They also needed to find canals and retention ponds to increase drainage capacity, as well as prepare water pumps.
When asked if he was concerned that this year would be a repeat of the 2025 floods, Mr. Narongporn said that the 2025 floods were a once-in-300-years event. This year, we expect the outcome to depend on the water situation, but it's impossible to predict the natural conditions.
Regarding the joint assessment with the Meteorological Department, the Mayor of Hat Yai stated that it is a matter for the province and university professors who have numerous scientific instruments, which the municipality lacks to monitor humidity and water movement. However, he affirmed that Hat Yai is ready to receive instructions from the province.
Regarding the past controversy surrounding water management, and whether it would be discouraging, Mr. Narongporn said that at the time, they were new employees, having only been working for six months, and didn't anticipate the water volume to be so high. They were confident in the water pumps they had, but due to the increased water volume, they had to add more pumps in the canals this year. He added that residents in the area are now regaining confidence in their work.