Pradorn affirmed that the government did not delay warning the public about heavy rain after the Meteorological Department issued an alert for 23-26 September, describing it as the last major rain cluster before a dry period in October, with plans to increase discharge from the Chao Phraya Dam and use a fishbone water diversion method.
At 15:50 on 22 September 2026 at the Bhumjaithai Party headquarters, Mr. Pradorn Prissanantakul, Minister attached to the Prime Minister's Office, spoke regarding the Meteorological Department’s heavy rain warning. He said the Central Flood and Drought Prevention and Mitigation Committee, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Akniti Nitithanprapas, had held an urgent meeting. The weather forecast for the coming week was presented during the meeting, revealing that from 23 to 26 September, there would be heavy rainfall, especially in the eastern, central, and parts of the lower northern regions, which are expected to be affected by the upcoming rain.
Additionally, the Office of National Water Resources, the Royal Irrigation Department, and the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation provided information. Deputy Prime Minister Akniti issued several directives. In the central region, it was assessed that significant residual water from last week’s rain remains in Kamphaeng Phet, Phitsanulok, Nakhon Sawan, Sukhothai, and Uthai Thani provinces, causing increased water volume in the Chao Phraya River. Consequently, the Royal Irrigation Department is progressively increasing dam discharge, announcing an increase at the Chao Phraya Dam to 1,500 cubic meters per second. This will affect low-lying areas from Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya province, parts of Ang Thong, the Tha Chin River basin including Bang Pla Ma and Song Phi Nong districts in Suphan Buri province, which may experience some impact.
However, related agencies will control water discharge to not exceed this level based on rainfall forecasts for the next 3-4 days. Deputy Prime Minister Akniti has instructed that water management be optimized and that water be managed using the fishbone method, storing water in harvested fields primarily in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Ang Thong, and parts of Lopburi to reduce the impact on residents in low-lying areas, especially in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Suphan Buri, and parts of Ang Thong. He urged residents in these areas to closely follow news updates over the coming week.
Pradorn added that he asked during the meeting whether the Meteorological Department and Royal Irrigation Department agreed that this rainfall would be the last significant event, and found that the latest forecasts confirm this rainfall will be the last major cluster, with a notable dry period expected through October, allowing this water to be discharged effectively. Although some impact is expected in low-lying areas, efforts will be made to minimize harm to residents.
When asked about communicating with residents in water storage fields, Pradorn said some areas, such as Thung Phak Hai and Thung Bang Ban, have 100% harvested crops and can store water as flood retention areas. Other areas will use the fishbone water management method, possibly increasing water in irrigation systems under strict conditions that the Royal Irrigation Department carefully regulates discharge to prevent additional impacts elsewhere. The department can assess how much water each area can absorb, which is expected to allow balanced management and minimize hardship.
Regarding some social media pages causing alarm and accusing the government of failing to warn the public, Pradorn stated that this meeting was an urgent response after receiving signals from the Meteorological Department, which only detected the rain volume in recent days. The government strives to inform the public as promptly as possible.