Yala tackles flood crisis with dam plans and relief efforts
Yala city municipality is taking a proactive approach to combat its persistent flooding woes. The city’s mayor, Pongsak Yingchoncharoen, has put forward guidelines aimed at tackling the long-term flood issues and is revisiting plans for the construction of the Krong Pinang and Kuemeng dams as part of these efforts.
Pongsak provided an update on the flood situation yesterday, December 7, detailing the municipality’s initiatives to manage waste and deliver relief to those affected. The measures include distributing survival kits and additional aid to support the community.
The disaster has impacted over 20,000 households, with many, particularly the elderly, struggling to cope. Some residents are experiencing flooding for the first time. The recurrent flooding not only disrupts daily life but also poses a threat to future investments in Yala. The region, which is recovering from past unrest in the deep south, has seen economic revitalisation efforts such as the opening of large department stores.
Yala’s severe flooding over the past two years has exceeded the capacity of local officials. Pongsak drew inspiration from flood prevention measures in the Hat Yai district in Songkhla province, which has been free from major floods for almost two decades. He hopes that implementing similar solutions will boost confidence among Yala’s residents and potential investors.
The mayor pointed out that Yala municipality is situated between the Sai Buri and Pattani rivers, necessitating a comprehensive water management plan. He announced plans to revisit the long-standing idea of constructing the Krong Pinang Dam, a proposal first introduced 50 years ago.
Officials are also reconsidering the proposal to build the Kuemeng Dam in the Ahsong subdistrict. This dam is anticipated to mitigate flooding not only in Yala’s Raman district but also in Sukhirin, Rueso, and Sri Sakhon districts in the neighbouring Narathiwat province.
Yala flood
For densely populated areas like Ban Budi in the Sateng Nok subdistrict, which is home to 200,000 residents, Pongsak proposed the development of a system to divert water from the Budi subdistrict directly to the Sai Buri River and from the old market area to the Pattani River.
In the meantime, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) has instructed officials to pump out floodwaters to alleviate the situation in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Songkhla, Pattani, and Narathiwat provinces, reported Bangkok Post.
“The systematic approach seen in Songkhla province offers a blueprint for Yala to follow, providing hope for a flood-free future,” Pongsak remarked optimistically.
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has forecast that a relatively strong cold air mass will extend its influence across Thailand, which may affect weather conditions in the coming days.
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