Suriyas has ordered preparations to handle heavy rainfall and flash floods in southern Thailand from 26-28 October, focusing on protecting economic and agricultural areas. The Royal Irrigation Department is closely monitoring foothill and lowland zones at high risk of sudden flooding.
26 October 2026 GMT+7 Suriyas Juangroongruangkit, Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, said he has instructed Wittaya Kaewmee, Director-General of the Royal Irrigation Department, to visit the southern region to monitor water conditions and plan water management in response to heavy rainfall, as the Meteorological Department forecasts continuous rain and heavy to very heavy rainfall in some areas from 26-28 October 2026 in the south. Meanwhile, the Office of the National Water Resources (ONWR) has issued warnings for risks of flooding, flash floods, mountain runoff floods, and riverbank overflows across 14 southern provinces. He emphasized that all agencies must prepare drainage systems, machinery, equipment, and personnel ready to operate, closely monitor and manage water in risk areas aligned with the situation, especially in key economic zones and agricultural areas, to minimize impacts on residents and farmers.
Recently, the Director-General of the Royal Irrigation Department reported from Songkhla Province where he inspected the readiness of Phuminat Damri Canal (R.1 Canal) in Hat Yai district, the main water drainage route from Hat Yai and nearby areas into Songkhla Lake. The canal is operational and can handle water flow up to 1,200 cubic meters per second. Repairs and structural reinforcements still ongoing have been ordered to be expedited to maintain drainage efficiency for the heavy rain situation.
Suriyas added that for areas at risk of sudden flooding and flash floods from mountain runoff that cannot be fully prevented by irrigation systems, he stressed that local agencies coordinate with provincial and local governments to closely monitor rain and water levels, provide advance warnings to residents, and deploy machinery and equipment immediately in emergencies to reduce harm to life and property.
The Director-General of the Royal Irrigation Department revealed that the department has planned water management and prepared drainage systems in the south in advance, especially in Hat Yai district, Songkhla Province, a key economic area prone to recurrent flooding. Besides repairing the R.1 canal, dredging of U-Taphao Canal, Tha Chang-Bang Klam Canal, and other drainage canals is accelerated to remove water flow obstructions and improve drainage efficiency from communities. Water management integrates the entire system from upstream areas through Hat Yai city to downstream discharge points into Songkhla Lake.
At the same time, machinery and equipment in Songkhla Province are prepared to support water drainage and assist residents in risk areas. Although drainage systems in key economic zones are ready, continuous heavy rain requires close monitoring, especially in foothill and lowland areas vulnerable to flash floods and mountain runoff. The Royal Irrigation Department will integrate various agencies for close surveillance, warnings, and readiness to deploy machinery to assist residents and farmers to minimize damage to lives, property, and agricultural land.