"Jethseth" visits Phitsanulok, praises Cell Broadcast for effectiveness, stresses that warnings must give people time to prepare, and orders Public Works to be ready for immediate recovery after floodwaters recede.
On 24 Aug 2026 at 14:00 GMT+7. Mr. Jethseth Thaiseth, Deputy Minister of Interior (Interior Ministry No. 3). He visited Noen Maprang District, Phitsanulok Province, to personally monitor the water situation and preparedness for flood disaster response after the area received early warnings via the Cell Broadcast system before the floodwaters arrived. This allowed residents to receive information and time to prepare effectively. Local administrative organizations closely coordinated to publicize and warn the population.
Mr. Jethseth said that preparedness is the key to disaster response. The Cell Broadcast system's ability to alert people before the situation arrives is a crucial mechanism that gives residents time to pack, move belongings to higher ground, and get ready promptly. Today, he personally visited to monitor the situation and check the readiness of the system and local agencies, finding that all sectors coordinated well and took good care of the people.
“We must emphasize both pre-incident and post-incident actions. Warnings must give people time to prepare. At the same time, once the situation eases, we must be ready to restore immediately and not keep people waiting.”
Noen Maprang area has only started experiencing flooding issues in the past three years; previously, such flooding had never occurred. Therefore, long-term solutions must be urgently developed by coordinating with the Royal Irrigation Department and local MPs to push for water management strategies and reduce impacts on residents.
Regarding post-flood recovery, Mr. Jethseth emphasized that agencies should prepare in advance by assigning the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning to deploy engineers and staff to survey structural damage to houses, roads, bridges, and public utilities to assess safety and expedite restoration. This will enable residents to safely return to their homes. He expressed gratitude to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, local administrative organizations, officials, and all sectors for their strong cooperation in warnings, preparedness, and assistance to the local people.