Officials Deploy 80 Push-Boats to Drain Floods in Chachoengsao-Prachin
Thailand’s Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department said the Khong Chan flats do not qualify for flood relief because flooding there lasted less than seven days, and announced the deployment of 80 push‑boats at the Bang Pakong River mouth to accelerate drainage in Chachoengsao and Prachinburi. Officials promised faster cash aid — registration today, payment tomorrow — and noted that over 100 million baht will be distributed to affected households in the coming days.
The Director‑General of the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department, Nirut Phongstitthaworn, spoke at 10:05 a.m. on October 7, 2069 (2026 in the Gregorian calendar) at the agency’s headquarters. He addressed concerns that the flood situation in Prachinburi and Chachoengsao could persist for months, noting that without proper management water would just be pushed back and forth, turning the issue into an ongoing problem. He stressed that the government is not idle; the prime minister has directed deputy premiers and relevant ministries to solve the problem. Yesterday, October 6, a meeting was held in the Bang Pakong River basin, attended by Deputy Premier Songsak Thongsi, Defense Minister Lt. Gen. Adul Bunthammacharoen and other ministers, together with relevant agencies, especially those specializing in water‑push techniques.
Nirut said they would gather all available push‑boats and station as many as possible at the Bang Pakong River mouth to create a strong forward flow that would significantly improve drainage. He explained that using push‑boats only from the Nakhon Nayok upstream source had limited effect because water continues to flow into Chachoengsao from Prachinburi and Sa Kaeo, so engineering practice dictates that water must be pushed out at the river mouth as quickly as possible. The meeting agreed that regardless of whether the water originates from Nakhon Nayok or Prachinburi, it must be pushed into the Bang Pakong River swiftly.
He added that the suitable site for deploying the push‑boats can accommodate 40‑50 units immediately, with plans to increase to 80 units, operating in sync with the tidal cycles to achieve rapid results, addressing villagers’ worries about prolonged flooding.
Regarding relief payments for 10,400 affected households, Nirut said that Sa Kaeo, Samut Prakan and Krabi provinces have already begun disbursements. On Thursday and Friday, additional beneficiaries will receive payments totaling over 100 million baht. He acknowledged complaints that registration to payment takes two to three days, attributing the delay to procedural steps. Following the prime minister’s concern for speed, the DDPM and the Government Savings Bank have coordinated to cut the wait from two days to one — information submitted today yields payment tomorrow.
Concerning the Khong Chan flats residents who fear they will not receive aid because their flooding did not last seven days, Nirut reiterated that the eligibility criterion for the specific 5,000‑ or 9,000‑baht relief grants is indeed the seven‑day inundation rule, and those who do not meet it cannot receive that particular assistance. He explained that other aid channels exist, governed by Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and DDPM regulations, and will be provided according to the applicable criteria. For those who are not the registered homeowners, he said there are also guidelines for assisting tenants, which will follow the relevant rules.
