Bowornsak Uwanno criticized the Hatyai flooding as a failure of local governance and emphasized that local administrative bodies must change their operations to prevent repeated incidents occurring.
On 26 November 2025 GMT+7 at the Centara Life Hotel, Chaeng Watthana Government Complex, Mr. Bowornsak Uwanno, Deputy Prime Minister, spoke on the flood management issues in Hatyai District, Songkhla Province, during a special lecture titled “The Future of Local Thailand and the Subdistrict Administrative Organization Elections” at a seminar hosted by the King Prajadhipok's Institute. “Marking the 69th SAO Elections and the Expectations of Thai Society” He said, "What does today's flooding in Hatyai mean? It means there has been a failure at the local level. The Hatyai Municipality and the surrounding SAOs and municipalities have failed in some way. They allowed the R.1 canal to become silted, allowed people to build houses blocking the waterways, and failed to invest in new drainage systems. Today, the R.1 canal is located next to the U-Taphao canal on one side, but there is no drainage on the east side. Therefore, water flowing down from Khor Hong Hill floods fully into Hatyai city. This means local authorities cannot deny responsibility."
"Hatyai Municipality collects substantial tax revenue on its own, yet today Hatyai is flooded and it is unclear when it will recede. They have to rely on central government forces to help. This indicates problems in local planning and problem-solving. The lesson from Hatyai must warn us that such recurring events cannot happen again. Therefore, I hope the future of local governance in Thailand is in your hands. On 11 January 2026, there will be SAO elections. However, SAOs cannot act alone; they must cooperate with municipalities, provincial administrative organizations, and work with regional governors. This will be both an opportunity and a challenge."
Mr. Bowornsak also said that urban expansion is creating flooding problems, as seen in Hatyai District, Songkhla Province. Decisions to allow or prohibit construction projects must depend on urban planning and local authorities. Therefore, lessons from Hatyai should be considered carefully to prevent similar problems in other areas.