Hat yai: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives Thammanat has established a command center to address the flooding in Hat Yai District. He has ordered a royal rainmaking helicopter to transport two kidney failure patients to urgent dialysis facilities and has urged the Royal Irrigation Department to drain water out to sea.
According to Thai News Agency, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives Lt. Col. Thammanat Prompao, in his role as Director of the Center for Water Management in Natural Disasters (CMDM), announced the government’s mobilization of all agencies to provide comprehensive assistance to flood-affected areas in the South. A central command center has been set up in Hat Yai District to closely manage the situation, with Thammanat stationed there until conditions improve.
While overseeing the situation and offering aid to affected residents, Thammanat responded to a request for help from Village No. 3, Khlung Subdistrict, involving two elderly patients who had been unable to receive dialysis for over five days. Isolated from road access, Thammanat ordered the use of a Ministry of Agriculture helicopter to transport the patients safely to the hospital.
Thammanat reported that power outages have affected several hospitals, putting emergency patients and those requiring oxygen at risk. Consequently, all branches of the armed forces, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, and the Ministry of Agriculture are collaborating to repair electrical systems and transport patients. Additional evacuation and command centers have been set up at the Signature Hotel to assist the public.
In terms of food and drinking water distribution, the Fourth Army Region Commander has been charged with this responsibility. Supplies are reported to be sufficient, but residents in areas at risk of strong currents must be evacuated. Strong currents since Sunday night have hindered access to many areas by flat-bottomed boats and jet skis. As a result, high-horsepower boats, long-tailed fishing boats, and Navy SEAL boats have been deployed to aid rescue efforts in isolated locations.
Regarding the clip of citizens seeking help from rooftops, Thammanat confirmed plans to implement a new command system to effectively reach the area.
Concerning the rain situation, the Meteorological Department forecasts today to be the most severe day of rainfall, with a decrease expected from tomorrow. This provides an opportunity for the Royal Irrigation Department to expedite water drainage, with all floodgates opened and the situation anticipated to improve within three days.
For public assistance, the area has been divided into east-west zones using the railway line as a boundary. Military vehicles, irrigation vehicles, and Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation vehicles have been deployed at strategic points.
Thammanat also urged the rapid resolution of telephone signal failures caused by sandbags damaging transmission towers and power outages. Officials are working swiftly to restore service.