The meeting was chaired by Phuket Vice Governor Adul Chuthong, joined by Pongpol Sripreprem, Energy and Transport Research Officer from the Australian Embassy, and his team.
Joining them were Rewat Areerob, President of the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation (PPAO), Sopon Thongsai, Head of the Phuket Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office (DDPM Phuket), and other key local government officials.
The meeting was part of a collaborative initiative between Thailand’s Ministry of Transport and the Australian Government under the ‘Expanding Transport Cooperation through Partnerships for Infrastructure’ (P4I-MOT) project.
The initiative emphasises developing disaster-resilient infrastructure and plans to safeguard communities from the growing impacts of extreme weather, said an official report of the meeting.
Key agenda items included assessing Phuket’s current disaster situation, formulating preventive measures and strengthening the island’s ability to handle future crises.
The collaboration includes on-ground surveys of flood-prone areas with Australian experts and crafting tailored recommendations for effective disaster management, said the report.
“This dialogue is a significant step in boosting Phuket’s disaster readiness. By building resilient infrastructure and robust management strategies, we aim to protect the lives and properties of our citizens,” said Vice Governor Adul.
The meeting follows extensive flooding across Phuket earlier this year, and a deadly landslide in Kata on Aug 23 that killed 13 people.