Bangkok: The government has ordered all units to prepare for heavy rain and rising seawater. Prasert has ordered all units to prepare for flood-prone areas from August 24-28 due to heavy rainfall caused by storms in the South China Sea, coupled with high tides. He emphasized the expedited repair of the Mekong, Yom, and Nan river embankments and the adjustment of dam discharges to reflect the current situation. He also monitored the Chao Phraya River basin and the western coast for potential flooding from high tides.
According to Thai News Agency, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Economy and Society, and Chairman of the National Water Resources Committee (NWRC), Prasert Chantarawongthong, revealed that the government is concerned about the public after receiving reports of a tropical depression forming near the head of Luzon Island in the Philippines. It is expected to move into the upper South China Sea tonight and is likely to intensify into a tropical storm before making landfall in Vietnam and upper Laos. He has ordered the Meteorological Department to closely monitor the storm's movement. However, due to its influence, Thailand will experience increased rainfall between August 24-28, 2025, with heavy to very heavy rainfall in some areas of the upper Northeastern and Northern regions, risking flash floods, forest runoff, mudslides, and inundation.
The Office of National Water Resources (ONWR) issued an advance warning on August 21st to urge relevant agencies to prepare, particularly in areas at risk of repeated flooding. In the Upper Mekong Basin, there is an urgent need to accelerate repairs to the water barriers along the Sai River in Chiang Rai Province, with an expected completion by August 24. Repairs to the water barriers in the Yom River Basin in Sukhothai Province have been completed at all points. In the Nan River Basin, efforts are being made to accelerate the release of water from areas with high water levels, particularly the Sirikit Dam, which currently has a water volume exceeding 80% of its capacity. Water is being released at 45 million cubic meters per day, with the release rate adjusted according to the situation.
In the Chao Phraya River Basin, the Chao Phraya Dam is currently releasing 1,200 cubic meters of water per second, resulting in flooding in some low-lying areas outside the embankment in Ang Thong and Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya provinces. The Royal Irrigation Department has continuously issued warnings to the public. Special vigilance is required in low-lying areas along the Chao Phraya, Tha Chin, and Mae Klong rivers, as well as communities outside the dikes, temporary dams, and gaps in Samut Prakan, Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Samut Sakhon, Nakhon Pathom, and Samut Songkhram provinces, which are at risk of flooding due to the high tide phenomenon from August 20-26, 2025.
All relevant agencies are urged to expedite the removal of waterway obstructions, inspect and repair damaged embankments to ensure their rapid return to service, and integrate water management from upstream to downstream, taking into account the rise and fall of sea levels. The importance of providing advance warning to the public is emphasized to allow time for preparation, moving belongings to higher ground, or evacuating.