The government spokesperson clarified there has been no budget cut for flood prevention in Hat Yai as social media misinformation suggested. The National Water Resources Office (NWRO) is preparing 128 projects with a total budget of 45.7 billion baht to address the issue long-term. The Prime Minister will inspect repairs at Khlong R.1 after completing his Malaysia visit tomorrow.
On 9 July 2026, Ms. Ratchada Thanadirek, spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office, stated that recent social media reports regarding flood mitigation efforts in Hat Yai, Songkhla Province, have caused public misunderstanding that the government is neglecting or cutting flood prevention budgets. She emphasized that these claims are not true.
Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul places great importance on Hat Yai's flooding issue, having raised it as a special agenda item at the Joint Public-Private Committee on Economic Problem Solving (JPPCEPS) meeting on 8 July 2026. This allowed government agencies, private sector, provincial authorities, and operational units to jointly review accurate data.
Ms. Ratchada explained that the JPPCEPS meeting did not cut budgets but focused on establishing a comprehensive flood prevention system for Hat Yai city. The reported 99.5 million baht proposal is an urgent plan of nine items suggested by the Songkhla Private Sector Joint Committee, some of which may overlap with plans by key agencies like the Royal Irrigation Department or the NWRO, who have already proposed projects and budgets. These will be reviewed and resubmitted accordingly. Additionally, there is a long-term investment plan involving 128 projects worth about 45.7 billion baht from the Royal Irrigation Department and NWRO.
Ms. Ratchada said the Prime Minister confirmed at the JPPCEPS meeting that the government has no budget constraints for necessary projects that effectively solve problems. However, the projects must undergo transparent review to avoid duplication with other agencies' plans and prevent opportunities for corrupt procurement or misuse of funds.
"Budget review is not neglecting public aid but ensuring every baht is used effectively to truly prevent flooding in Hat Yai and minimize damages," Ms. Ratchada stated.
Ms. Ratchada added that tomorrow (10 July 2026), after completing the Malaysia visit, the Prime Minister and his team plan to inspect Khlong R.1, a strategic point in Hat Yai’s drainage system requiring investment for improvement. The government has already allocated a budget for this.
Ms. Ratchada said the government aims to shift flood management from reactive compensation to proactive prevention, noting past lessons show the damage to citizens’ lives, the city’s economy, tourism, and businesses far outweighs the cost of preventive investment.
She urged all parties to handle information carefully and avoid using citizens’ hardships to stir political agendas or communicate partial facts that mislead society, emphasizing that people’s lives, safety, and property are too important to be exploited politically.
"Hat Yai will serve as a model for using the JPPCEPS to address local issues seriously affecting people. The government is ready to prioritize these as special agendas to resolve them effectively. Please do not use citizens’ hardships to create political misunderstandings, as this concerns people’s lives," Ms. Ratchada concluded.