Bangkok: The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources has instructed its affiliated agencies to brace for the impact of Tropical Storm Kalmaegi. The Director-General of the Department of Rural Roads has similarly directed subordinate agencies to ready themselves for the storm, ensuring immediate support for residents. This preparation includes deploying sandbags to mitigate floodwaters along key rural roads in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Pichit Hunsiri, Director-General of the Department of Rural Roads, cited the Meteorological Department's forecasts, which predict that Typhoon Kalmaegi will first make landfall in Vietnam, subsequently weakening into a tropical storm and then a depression. The storm is expected to pass through Laos and reach Ubon Ratchathani Province, leading to increased rainfall in various parts of Thailand. The Department of Rural Roads (DRR) has instructed the Rural Roads Office (RDO) and the Rural Roads District Office (RDO) in flood-affected and at-risk provinces to provide comprehensive assistance and relief to the public. This directive aligns with the policy of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, Mr. Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, who has urged relevant agencies to monitor Typhoon Kalmaegi closely and ensure prompt water drainage in the event of flooding, especially in economic hubs and densely populated regions.
The DRR has mobilized personnel and machinery to guarantee safety and facilitate operations. It has also coordinated with provincial authorities to supply manpower, water trucks, and manage routes for the continuous delivery of consumer goods to disaster victims. Currently, the DRR is responsible for a network that includes flood-affected roads across 10 provinces: Kanchanaburi, Kamphaeng Phet, Tak, Nakhon Pathom, Nakhon Sawan, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Phichit, Phitsanulok, Sukhothai, and Uthai Thani. Of the 27 affected roads, 20 remain passable while seven are not. Patrol units have been deployed to provide urgent assistance. For instance, the Rural Roads Office No. 1 (Pathum Thani) has mobilized personnel to place sandbags along key routes to prevent flooding on Rural Road No. 4044, among others. The DRR will continue to provide updates to the public on the situation.