Suriya emphasized completing the restoration of the R.1 drainage canal damaged by the Hat Yai floods in time for the southern flood season. Efforts include dredging canals and increasing system capacity. He responded to the Prime Minister's joke about "jumping into the water" if problems can't be solved, saying since he cannot swim, the problems must be solved.
On 31 August 2026, at the water gate at Kuan Nam Front (Phuminat Damri Canal), Kuan Lang Subdistrict, Hat Yai District, Songkhla Province. Suriya Jungrungkit, Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, gave an interview afterward. Anutin Charnvirakul, the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, visited Hat Yai District, Songkhla Province, to monitor the restoration of flood prevention and mitigation systems.
Suriya revealed that the Prime Minister is concerned about the water situation and its impact on people following the major floods at the end of 2025, which damaged irrigation systems and Hat Yai's economic areas. This visit was to follow up and expedite restoration work to meet targets, emphasizing that affected citizens will receive full care and recovery support if new incidents occur.
He then said with a smile while following the work, the Prime Minister joked at one point that if the problem couldn't be fixed, "just jump into the water." Since he cannot swim, he said the problem must be resolved to avoid having to jump in. After the major floods, the government approved over 800 million baht in emergency funds to restore and repair damaged irrigation systems and structures, ordering the Royal Irrigation Department to expedite work to prepare for the southern flood season.
Regarding the R.1 drainage canal, a key water drainage structure in Hat Yai, the Royal Irrigation Department is urgently repairing about 600 meters of leaks, aiming for completion by 23 September to support water flow capacity of 1,200 cubic meters per second. Simultaneously, dredging of over 650,000 cubic meters of sediment in seven canals is underway to finish by October, reopening waterways and restoring system capacity before the November flood season in the U-Taphao watershed.
Suriya added that this work addresses urgent problems to restore the existing system to full capacity. Next steps will enhance water management to handle risks from prolonged heavy rain and potentially higher water volumes beyond previous capacity. Plans include improving drainage canals R.3 to R.6 to support events recurring every 25 years instead of every 5, as well as increasing reservoirs and waterways in the U-Taphao watershed.
Additionally, the Royal Irrigation Department plans to propose building eight more reservoirs to increase water storage capacity by over 200 million cubic meters, more than 16%. The Khlong Kaeo and Khlong Hwa reservoirs are included in the draft 2027 budget plan. Development of forecasting and warning systems using monitoring stations in Sadao District will assess upstream water conditions to provide up to 15 hours' advance warning for Hat Yai. This year, due to El Niño, rainfall is expected to be less extreme than in 2025, but the department has been instructed not to be complacent and to accelerate flood mitigation plans in the U-Taphao watershed to maximize effectiveness and readiness.
At the end, Suriya said Hat Yai is a key commercial and economic hub in the south. Flooding impacts tourism, trade, and the wider economy. The Prime Minister's visit aims to monitor and expedite both urgent restoration and plans to enhance system capacity, to reduce risks and impacts if future floods occur.
