Disasters and emergency response

The latest estimate from the University of Thai Chambers of Commerce (UTCC) shows the drought disaster this year has affected some 1,330 square kilometers of farmland, most of which is rice farms, with initial damage estimated at about 10 billion baht.The University of the Thai ...

The Meteorological Department (MD) says Thailand is going to experience the worst drought in a decade, as average precipitation across large swaths of the country has fallen far short of the monthly average.Kornrawee Sitthichiwapak, the MD’s deputy director-general, said downpours this rainy season were far ...

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) will complete building the underground “water bank” at flood-prone Asok-Din Daeng Road next month, to better protect the area against severe inundation, according to Deputy Bangkok governor Jakkraphan Phewngam.The new flood prevention measure, which is modelled on underground water banks ...

The Office of National Water Resources (ONWR) has warned of water shortages in 160 districts in the North and Northeast due to the low level of water in dams and reservoirs and an anticipated lack of rain in July and August.Somkiart Prajamwong, ONWR secretary general, ...

Levees were being raised higher at a sluice gate under construction in Bang Bo district on Friday after a high tide overflowed, flash flooding about 40 homes, on Thursday night.Moo 5 village of tambon Khlong Dan was flooded without warning about 7.30pm. Within 10 minutes ...

The Prime Minister has urged related agencies to find ways to mitigate flooding in Bangkok, and help alleviate public inconvenience.Keep watching ...

Academic urges BMA to make it mandatory for big condo, office building projects to build underground water banks. Even with 20 giant drainage tunnels, Bangkok will never be safe from floods, predicts a respected university lecturer.Thanawat Jarupongsakul, who teaches at Chulalongkorn University’s Department of Geology, ...

Laos has agreed in principle to provide data and information about water resources and management plans involving the Mekong River directly to Thai authorities to assess the water situation and take action to prevent floods in eight northeastern provinces. Keep reading ...

Authorities have vowed to step up efforts to prevent flooding in Bangkok now that the rainy season has now taken hold. Interior Minister Gen Anupong Paojinda on Tuesday revealed the outcome of a meeting he called on Sunday with relevent agencies to find ways to ...

The giant drainage tunnel in Bang Sue failed to help as Bangkokians found themselves stranded in traffic for hours or wading through flooded roads last Friday.This failure has raised questions about the tunnel’s efficiency as well as the city administration’s much-touted claim that such tunnels ...