Romtham Urges House Speaker to Coordinate Urgent Flood Assistance for Southern Region.

Bangkok: Romtham Khamnuarak, Democrat Party MP for Pattalung, has called on the Speaker of the House to swiftly collaborate with government bodies and relevant ministries to provide immediate aid to flood victims in the southern region. The assistance includes the evacuation of affected residents and the approval of subsidies for local administrative organizations to distribute relief bags and essential supplies, addressing both immediate and long-term needs. According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Khamnuarak has written to the President of the House of Representatives, urging coordination with the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, and other related agencies. The focus is on assisting residents in affected areas by evacuating and relocating personal belongings, approving financial aid for local bodies to offer relief materials, and addressing immediate concerns. This includes inspecting and repairing river embankments, removing obstacles to improve water flow, and adjusting water management strategies to handle expected heavy rainfall. In the urgent phase, Mr. Khamnuarak emphasizes the need for officers to monitor flash floods and landslides around the clock, establish mobile units for immediate assistance, prepare necessary machinery and tools, and provide emergency medical help in areas isolated by road damage. Provinces severely impacted should promptly declare a state of disaster. For the medium term, Mr. Khamnuarak requests all relevant ministries to assess damages and report to the Cabinet for potential compensation and assistance aligned with the extent of damages. This includes evaluating the impact on infrastructure such as roads, public utilities, buildings, hospitals, school facilities, and government properties. In the long term, Mr. Khamnuarak advocates for a comprehensive plan by the government and related agencies to address and manage water issues in the South. This involves allocating budgets to local administrative organi zations and relevant bodies to develop an effective local warning system, manage water drainage systematically from upstream to downstream, and create additional water storage areas to mitigate the recurring flooding and drought challenges faced annually in the southern region.