The Prime Minister has ordered the governors of Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi, and Samut Songkhram to prepare for the water release from the Vajiralongkorn Dam and will personally chair a meeting tomorrow to monitor and manage the flood situation.
On 29 Sep 2026 GMT+7, Ms. Ploytale Laksameesangchan, Deputy Spokesperson of the Prime Minister's Office, revealed that Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul has instructed the Ministry of Interior to monitor water levels and provide aid to flood victims in the three provinces of Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi, and Samut Songkhram. This follows heavy rains that caused the Vajiralongkorn Dam to exceed 90% capacity, necessitating water discharge that is raising levels in the Khwae Noi River. Meanwhile, the Khwae Yai River also holds significant water volume trending upward. Together, these flow into the Mae Klong River in large amounts, forcing the Mae Klong Dam to release water at 2,000 cubic meters per second. This will increase downstream water levels by 1 to 1.5 meters, likely causing flooding in the downstream areas of the three provinces.
The Prime Minister has also instructed the governors of the three provinces, as directors of provincial disaster prevention and mitigation, to prepare and implement emergency plans. He emphasized the need to alert all residents along the flood path in advance to ensure safe and smooth evacuations. The provinces must calculate the timing of floodwater arrival at each community and coordinate this information consistently. Two key success indicators were set: first, relocating vulnerable groups including the elderly, bedridden patients, and children to safe areas before flooding, ensuring no bedridden patients remain in flood zones; second, removing all vehicles from low-lying areas to prevent stranded cars. They must also review the readiness of provincial command centers, and if located in flood-prone areas, establish backup sites to maintain uninterrupted command operations. Additionally, they must prepare three meals of ready-to-eat food for evacuees, as people initially cannot cook, meaning distribution of survival kits should come later.
Tomorrow (30 Sep 2026 GMT+7) at 08:00, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul, as Commander of the National Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Command, will chair a meeting to monitor the flood situation and aid efforts in the provinces and Bangkok. The meeting will be held in Meeting Room 1 at the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation on U Thong Nok Road, Dusit District, Bangkok.