Recent deadly floods in Chiang Rai’s Mae Sai district may have subsided, but the urgent need for effective water management and disaster prevention has never been higher.
From September 9 to 12, floods and landslides caused five deaths while also disrupting the lives of some 3,000 families in the district. The flooding was the latest warning that Thailand must beef up its defences against natural disasters and their devastating consequences in this era of climate change.
What caused flood crisis?
The Chiang Rai Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office reported that tropical storm Yagi triggered heavy rain across northern Thailand, including Mai Sai, leading to the severe flooding.
“The rainfall level was undeniably massive (acculmulated rainfall between September 9 and 11 reaching about 330 millimeters in Mae Sai). But that wasn't the only factor,” said Assoc Prof Chuchoke Aryupong, who heads Chiang Mai University’s Centre of Excellence in Natural Disaster Management.
The centre was responsible for drawing up a water-management plan for Chiang Rai.
Chuchoke says Mae Sai residents' flooding problems are caused by three main problems: climate change, their exposure to disaster risks, and their vulnerability.
Nothing much can be done to rein in the first factor, he said, but Chiang Rai should be able to do more regarding the two other causes.
“Many locals live in flood-prone areas. They have encroached on waterways, so they are exposed to flood risks,” Chuchoke explained.
He added that locals were also vulnerable because they lacked practical knowledge and the preparations needed to prevent flooding or reduce its impacts.
He pointed out that there has been significant encroachment on both banks of the Mae Sai River running through Mae Sai district. Shops have also mushroomed on the banks, causing bottlenecks in the waterway.
When the river rises and breaches flood barriers, local communities are quickly submerged in the torrent.
“We need to inform locals that they are living in a vulnerable spot. They need to know when the river is about to overflow so they can respond fast and efficiently,” he continued.
Chuchoke said that evacuating residents ahead of flooding was far easier and cheaper than when their houses are already submerged.
Myanmar factor
In the eyes of experts, a lack of information from Myanmar hampers Mae Sai's flood prevention and mitigation efforts.
Most of the Mae Sai River flows through the neighbouring country, meaning people living on this side of the border cannot accurately predict its water level.
“We are unable to set up water-level monitoring devices on the upstream part of Mae Sai River,” Chuchoke said. “We can only use weather data to predict how much rain will go into the river”.
Dr Thanapon Piman, the head of water management at the Stockholm Environment Institute, has monitored flooding in Mae Sai and the adjacent Tachilek over the border since 2019.
He blamed the recent spate of more severe flooding on changes in land use in upstream areas of Myanmar.
“If you look at the upstream zones in Myanmar, you realise that much of the forest there has been cleared for farmland and mines,” he said.
Echoing Chuchoke's analysis, Thanapon said it was difficult to prevent flooding in Mae Sai given the surrounding landscape's lack of natural floodways or water-retention areas.
Decentralisation the answer?
Chuchoke said local authorities would be able to do more in combating threats if the central government agreed to empower them with more budget and necessary resources.
He cited Chiang Mai as an example where local authorities function with efficiency in preparing well for emergencies.
“We have drawn up clear plans and also conducted rehearsals [for disasters],” Chuchoke said of Chiang Mai. “If we use the same model in Mae Sai too we could handle its flood crisis better."
Local authorities and the military in Chiang Mai know exactly which subdistricts they need to focus on if floodwaters spread and strand people.
“Delivering rescue supplies is not a simple task. You need to plan well to ensure that even those living in remote households are provided for,” he said.
Additionally, village heads in Chiang Mai have volunteered to stay on guard in their flood-hit villages to encourage locals to evacuate to safer places when necessary.
If their community leaders stay in place, locals are less worried about leaving their homes.
Questionable warning system
Seree Supraatid, a climate expert and chief of Magnolia Quality Development Corporation’s FutureTales LAB, said early warnings should have been sounded to allow locals in Mae Sai to evacuate safely, instead of being marooned by floodwater for days.
“I was told this happened because officials underestimated the threat,” he lamented.
This water-management expert said that while it may be difficult to prevent flooding in Mae Sai, it was far easier to curb damage or flood impacts.
He was therefore dismayed at how unprepared Mae Sai authorities seemed to be.
Chuchoke noted that authorities often blamed locals for ignoring warnings and advice to evacuate.
Authorities should instead review why people were deciding not to heed the warnings, he said.
“You must prove that your forecasts are accurate and your warnings should be taken seriously. That’s how you convince people,” he said.
In Thailand, responsibilty for water management is divided between at least 38 different agencies, Those responsible for warning the public of imminent threats include the Meteorological Department, the National Disaster Warning Center, the Department of Mineral Resources, the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department, and the Royal Irrigation Department.
Seree complained that these agencies tend to issue separate warnings, diluting the message to the public.
“For example, the weather bureau will warn of heavy downpours, the Department of Mineral Resources will warn of possible landslides, and the Royal Irrigation Department will issue warnings about water volume,” he said.
Dr Sitang Pilailar, who teaches water-resource engineering at Kasetsart University and is a member of the government-appointed panel on solving persistent flood and drought problems, pointed out that water-management agencies cannot issue evacuation orders as this would go against the law.
“So, they can only issue recommendations. Only the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department has the authority to order evacuations. Simply put, the other agencies just pass on their information about the water situation and the rest is for the department to decide,” she said.
