Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has assured residents of the flood-hit Mae Sai district in Chiang Rai that the situation will be restored to normal by November 1. During her visit on Saturday (Sep 28), she assessed the damage and ongoing reconstruction efforts, including repairs to 24 major roads and the severely affected Sailom Joy Market. The government is accelerating compensation for 64 families whose homes were destroyed. She also tasked Deputy Interior Minister Theerarat Samrejvanich with leading a forward command center to coordinate recovery efforts within the next 30 days.

While Mae Sai remains in a critical state, neighboring Chiang Mai is seeing improvements. Officials have divided the affected areas into seven drainage zones and are using pumps to clear water from low-lying areas, particularly in the province's southern parts. The Prime Minister also visited Wat Sat Luang in the capital district to distribute relief packages before returning to Bangkok.

In the Central Plains, the Chao Phraya Dam in Ang Thong province has increased water discharge to 1,899 cubic meters per second, causing sudden flooding in three villages along the Phong Pheng Canal. Further downstream, areas of Ayutthaya, including Wat Chaiwatthanaram, are at risk as water levels near the flood wall’s limit, prompting authorities to strengthen barriers. Sukhothai province is also grappling with breaches in the flood wall along the Yom River, which have impacted communities and damaged fruit plantations.

Since mid-August, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation reports that 32,973 households in 18 provinces have been affected by flooding. The Meteorological Department has warned of more severe weather in the coming days, with heavy rain and strong winds expected in the North, Central Plains, Bangkok, and surrounding regions until Thursday.

Source and Photo Cr.: National News Bureau of Thailand