Abhisit leads the Democrat Party delegation to visit and encourage the people of Hat Yai for the third time, pushing two urgent issues: requesting the Election Commission to approve government recovery funds and urging the government to continue 'Half-Half Phase 2' specifically for flood-affected areas in the South.
On 15 Dec 2025 GMT+7, Mr. Abhisit Vejjajiva, leader of the Democrat Party, along with party executives, visited Songkhla Province to encourage residents, students, government officials, and private sector members affected by the major flood disaster in Hat Yai District. He praised volunteers who assisted flood victims by cleaning homes, repairing electrical appliances, motorcycles and cars, and helping clear debris and damaged goods caused by the flood, urging all sectors to collaborate urgently on city recovery.
Mr. Abhisit said that the current political vacuum has caused small aid efforts and initiatives to halt, especially support for schools and the work of local administrative organizations awaiting approval. This is a critical time to restore all functions. Today, he visited a school but could not bring supplies because the parliament has been dissolved and local elections are underway. Everyone said progress is very limited. Currently, most attention is focused on border issues, so he stressed the need to loudly remind people not to forget this area. He also spoke of the kindness of people in Surin, whom he recently visited at a temporary shelter for those affected by the Thai-Cambodian border situation. Despite their own hardships, they expressed concern for the people of Hat Yai who lost property and homes and sent their encouragement.
Mr. Abhisit added that he proposed two urgent measures that can be implemented immediately to foster cooperation and restore Hat Yai and many southern provinces affected by flooding:
1. He urged the Election Commission not to be an obstacle. Political party leaders are calling on the Election Commission to promptly approve government funds for recovery and compensation, without worrying about political advantages or disadvantages. Whatever the government wants to do to restore the area should be approved by the Election Commission without concerns about affecting election fairness.
2. The government must implement the 'Half-Half Phase 2' program. This should be limited geographically. Now is the most reasonable time for the government to consider implementing this program exclusively in the affected areas of Hat Yai and the southern border provinces to quickly stimulate purchasing power and boost the local economy.
He warned against misinterpreting terms like '300-year rain' or '1,000-year rain' leading to negligence. Instead, it should be understood that this is not just about rainfall volume but also about urban development problems that obstruct water drainage. All sectors should jointly learn lessons from this event with a focus on the future because recovery does not just mean returning Hat Yai to its pre-flood condition but using this opportunity to learn and develop a more resilient urban system.
Even if everything is fully restored, if similar conditions occur next year, it will be difficult to ensure people are willing to live and invest here. Therefore, an independent academic committee should be established to learn lessons—not to assign blame but to determine how to improve future systems, including early warning infrastructure, communication, and operational integration. This will maximize disaster prevention and mitigation efficiency. Hat Yai's recovery must align with goals to enhance the city's drainage capacity and minimize impact on residents to guarantee their security and advance the southern economy.
