Bangkok: Yotsanan and Bunthida, drawing lessons from the Nan floods, have joined forces with four agencies to launch "One Map Water," addressing inconsistent data and showcasing a centralized warning dashboard to enhance the accuracy and timeliness of disaster response. Mr. Yotsanun Wongsawat, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI), together with Ms. Boonthida Somchai, Deputy Minister of Digital Economy and Society (DE), co-presided over the signing ceremony of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between four key agencies to accelerate the development of "One Map for Water."
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Yotsanan revealed that this collaboration stemmed from his fieldwork in directing flood response efforts in Nan province. He noted a significant gap in Thailand's early warning system, where data was scattered and inconsistent between agencies, leading to delays in decision-making. "The most difficult thing isn't giving orders, but answering simple questions like, 'Where will the floodwaters reach,' 'How high will the water rise,' and 'How many hours will it take?' because the information from each agency is conflicting. That's why today we need to create a 'One Map' for the flood situation, so that all agencies see the same picture, use the same map, and communicate the same message to the public. We can't have different warnings and then leave the public to guess who to believe," said Mr. Yotsanan.
Ms. Boonthida Somchai, Deputy Minister of Digital Economy and Society, added regarding the importance of this collaboration: 'This MOU is the first step in bringing together crucial data from across the country. Once the data is readily available, preparation and manpower deployment can be done promptly. This will enable the government to collaboratively manage the situation, provide timely assistance to affected citizens, and minimize damage.'
This signing marks a cross-ministerial collaboration to integrate meteorological data, geospatial information, water situation data, and Big Data/AI into the National Water Data Repository. The public can now monitor the situation via a centralized warning dashboard at www.thaiwater.net/new4all. The four main agencies have clearly defined roles and responsibilities as follows:
The Thai Meteorological Department provides data from weather measurements, forecasts, and radar, and is the primary agency for issuing official warnings for storms and heavy rainfall. The Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) provides satellite imagery, geospatial data, hotspot monitoring, and PM2.5 data to assess high-risk areas. The Water Resources Information Institute (WRII) provides data on water levels and volume from automatic telemetry stations, assesses areas for rainfall monitoring 24-48 hours in advance, and compiles the data into the National Water Data Bank. The Big Data Institute (GDTI) is responsible for developing analytics systems and dashboards, managing data according to good governance principles, and applying artificial intelligence (AI) to support disaster management.
In closing, the Deputy Prime Minister reiterated that the ultimate goal is not to have the most data or the most advanced technology, but to be able to identify risks more quickly and analyze them comprehensively. This will help people evacuate and prepare in time before the floods arrive, leading to sustainable security and safety for people's lives and property.