As residents of Mae Sai, Chiang Rai, work to recover from the worst flooding in over 50 years, district authorities held a forum to discuss long-term flood solutions.
The forum reached a consensus on demolishing buildings along the Sai River, keeping the area at least 40 meters from the river bank, and building a permanent embankment high enough to prevent future flooding.
The Chiang Rai provincial administration chaired a forum at the Mae Sai District Office to discuss permanent solutions to the flooding problem in the Thai-Myanmar border area after the major flooding in early September 2024.
Relevant agencies, business owners, and public members agreed that flooding in the Mae Sai border community must be solved. The consensus was that buildings along the Sai River must be moved approximately 40 meters from the river bank, and permanent embankments must be erected.
Mr. Chaiyon Srisamut, Mayor of Mae Sai Subdistrict Municipality, said it is extremely important to solve the problem; otherwise, we will continue to face flooding year after year. A mutual understanding is necessary because the flood prevention systems suffered 100% damage from the massive floodwaters in September.
He said temporary embankments and large bags are currently being built to prevent flooding, but in the long term, permanent embankments will mainly need to be built on the Thai side first.
In some areas along the Sai River, temporary embankments almost 3 meters high have been built. In the long term, the Chiang Rai Provincial Authority has proposed the construction of permanent embankments strong and tall enough to withstand heavy floodwaters.
The budget is estimated to exceed 100 million baht, which will be discussed with the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning for land acquisition for the required 40 meters. However, further discussions must be held.
Meanwhile, various departments are still working to restore the Mae Sai border, especially by removing the mud that has blocked the drainage systems.
The Army Defense Volunteers (ADV) will start withdrawing today, October 23. On October 28, various military forces will return to their bases. After that, Mae Sai Subdistrict Municipality will take over the remaining restoration.
Geoff Thomas is an award winning journalist known for his sharp insights and no-nonsense reporting style. Over the years he has worked for Reuters and the Canadian Press covering everything from political scandals to human interest stories. He brings a clear and direct approach to his work.
