Yotschanan chaired a meeting and made a direct call to the Defense Minister at the Nan flood command center, requesting military engineers and heavy machinery be urgently deployed to Pua District, aiming to restore the city out of crisis within 7 days.
On 21 August 2026 at the Nan Provincial Command Center, Yotschanan Wongsawad, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, chaired a meeting to summarize the situation and monitor flood relief efforts. Present were Chainarong Wongyai, Governor of Nan Province; Theerapat Kachamat, Director-General of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM); and related agencies. Je-sat Thaisat, Deputy Minister of Interior, joined via video conference.
The key issue discussed was the urgent restoration of Pua District, which suffered severe damage. Yotschanan proposed applying the approach used in Mae Sai District, Chiang Rai Province, by mobilizing military forces to assist, as many elderly residents in Pua cannot clean their homes on their own.
During the meeting, Yotschanan made a direct phone call to Lieutenant General Adul Boonthamcharoen, Minister of Defense, requesting personnel and heavy machinery from the Military Engineer Department to urgently support the mission.
Je-sat added that Pua Municipality faces severe shortages of machinery and manpower, especially in Sila Laeng and Woranakhon subdistricts, where help is needed to remove soil and lift belongings from elderly residents’ homes. Although the DDPM has sent machinery, additional personnel are needed to meet the goal of completing restoration within 7 days; otherwise, the work could extend to 20-30 days with current resources.
Regarding assistance for affected residents, Nan Governor Chainarong reported that the Comptroller General’s Department has approved an additional budget of 100 million baht for Nan Province.
The province has instructed subdistrict administrative organizations and municipalities to quickly distribute surveys through village heads to reach citizens, collecting data to be returned to the province by 22 August. This will enable district chiefs to plan and disburse funds to residents within 3-5 days.
On infrastructure, Yotschanan noted that Deputy Transport Minister Pattharaphong Pattharaprasit has ordered the urgent installation of two Bailey bridges to be completed by 23 August, along with restoration of routes 137 and 1256, cleaning of road surfaces, and installation of safety equipment. The Department of Highways and Department of Rural Roads have been instructed to prepare machinery accordingly.
Additionally, a critical water problem was found at the Khwang River, which connects to the Pua River. The water flow has shifted, flooding residential areas. To prevent ongoing flooding, coordination has been expedited with the Royal Irrigation Department and private contractors to seal breaches along the dikes, and additional water pumps have been requested to speed drainage.
Meanwhile, the Nan Governor reported that in the past 24 hours Nan had the third-highest accumulated rainfall in the country (136 millimeters). Flooding remains in three districts—Mueang Nan, Wiang Sa, and Phu Phiang—affecting six subdistricts and 35 villages. A new fatality was reported: an unidentified man found floating in Tha Wang Pha District.
At the end, the governor emphasized vigilance regarding rainfall in mountainous areas that could trigger flash floods. He urged close monitoring of rainfall and timely public warnings, balancing alertness without causing panic. He also ordered all local administrative organizations to zone their areas, prepare restoration plans, and summarize machinery and manpower needs to request budget allocations.