The government is coordinating with the Ministry of Defense to mobilize engineering troops and heavy machinery to support the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) in quickly clearing mud, restoring homes, and reopening routes, aiming to restore Pua District within seven days, alongside allocating 100 million baht to Nan Province.
On 22 Aug 2026 GMT+7, Second Lieutenant Phatdarasmit Thongsaluaykorn, Deputy Spokesperson of the Office of the Prime Minister, stated that the government is accelerating recovery efforts in Nan Province following the flood disaster. It is mobilizing personnel, machinery, and budget from all agencies, especially focusing on heavily damaged Pua District, to expedite mud removal, house cleaning, infrastructure restoration, and assistance to help residents return to normal life quickly, targeting to complete recovery tasks in Pua within seven days.
On the evening of 21 Aug 2026 GMT+7 at the Nan Provincial Command Center, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, Mr. Yotsanan Wongsawat, chaired a briefing and monitoring meeting on flood relief efforts. Participants included Nan Governor Mr. Chainarong Wongyai, Director-General of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) Mr. Theeraphat Kachamat, and related agencies. Deputy Minister of Interior Mr. Jeset Thaises joined via video conference. The meeting set an accelerated framework for recovery efforts across several areas.
1. Mobilize engineering troops and heavy machinery to complete Pua’s restoration within seven days.
The government plans to deploy military engineers to assist the DDPM and local agencies. Mr. Yotsanan proposed applying the strategy used in Mae Sai District, Chiang Rai Province, to Pua District, as it suffered severe damage and has many elderly residents. Many households cannot remove mud, clean, or move heavy belongings by themselves.
During the meeting, Mr. Yotsanan directly contacted Lieutenant General Adul Boonthamcharoen, Minister of Defense, to urgently request personnel and heavy machinery support from the Military Engineer Department, especially for mud removal, moving belongings, and cleaning residents’ homes.
Meanwhile, Mr. Jeset reported that Pua Municipality, particularly Silalang and Woranakhon subdistricts, still lack sufficient machinery and manpower. Although DDPM has sent equipment, current resources are insufficient, and restoration might take 20–30 days. Therefore, increasing manpower is necessary to reduce the restoration period to seven days.
2. Allocate 100 million baht budget to expedite financial aid reaching residents within 3–5 days.
The government is advancing compensation efforts alongside recovery. Nan Province has been approved an additional 100 million baht budget from the Comptroller General’s Department to assist disaster victims. The province has instructed subdistrict administrative organizations and municipalities to rapidly distribute damage survey forms through village heads to residents and collect data by 22 Aug 2026 GMT+7. Then, district chiefs will prepare plans and expedite aid payments, targeting to get funds to affected households within 3–5 days, enabling them to manage damages and begin recovery promptly.
3. Restore transportation routes by completing installation of two Bailey bridges by 23 Aug.
Regarding transportation, the government is fast-tracking reopening routes and repairing damaged infrastructure. Deputy Minister of Transport Mr. Phattharaphong Phatraprasit has ordered the urgent installation of two Bailey bridges to be finished by 23 Aug 2026 GMT+7 to restore public transit quickly.
Simultaneously, restoration of Routes 137 and 1256 is underway, including road surface cleaning and installation of safety equipment. The Department of Highways and Department of Rural Roads have been instructed to prepare machinery and manpower to ensure affected routes can be safely used again.
4. Reinforce embankments and accelerate water pumping to prevent repeated flooding.
An urgent task is addressing the Khwang River area connecting to the Pua River, where water flow has changed direction and is flooding residential areas. Without promptly sealing breaches, water may continue entering the area, hindering full recovery. The government is coordinating with the Royal Irrigation Department and enlisting private sector machinery to patch embankments and is requesting additional water pumps to speed drainage and prevent re-flooding of homes.
5. Maintain flood vigilance alongside recovery efforts to prepare for potential flash floods.
Although many areas have begun recovery, Nan Province continues close monitoring. In the past 24 hours, accumulated rainfall reached 136 millimeters, with flooding persisting in three districts—Mueang Nan, Wiang Sa, and Phu Phiang—across six subdistricts and 35 villages.
The government has urged vigilance over mountain rainfall that could cause repeated flash floods, monitoring rainfall levels and issuing timely public warnings. Communication aims to keep residents "alert but not alarmed." Local administrative organizations are tasked with zoning areas, preparing recovery plans, and summarizing required machinery and manpower to enable targeted resource allocation.