The assurance came at a teleconference meeting chaired by Dr Surasee in person at Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday (Oct 26).
Key Phuket officials at the meeting in person included Sopon Thongsai, Chief of the Phuket Provincial Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office (DDPM), Kritsak Leenanon, Director of the Phuket office of the Royal Irrigation Department, and Wira Sama-lee, Acting Director of the Thailand Meteorological Department (TMD) Southern Meteorological Center (West Coast), based near Phuket airport.
Also joining the meeting by teleconference were regional counterparts.
Mr Surasee arrived in Phuket late Friday (Oct 25) to assess the current water situation and review flood preparedness measures in the region.
He inspected the site of the deadly landslide in Kata that killed 13 people. Joining him for the inspection were DDPM Phuket Chief Mr Sopon and Karon Mayor Jadet Wichrasorn.
Afterwards, Mr Surasee and his entourage visited Bang Wad Reservoir in Kathu, where he was assured that Phuket had enough water in store to supply island residents and businesses throughout the coming dry seaon.
Mr Surasee highlighted the importance of monitoring flood-prone areas.
The ONWR chief stated that all relevant agencies are prepared to issue timely warnings to the public in high-risk areas and disseminate information to ensure public safety.
Tambon Karon, in particular, was identified as a high-risk zone due to its hilly terrain and dense population in lower areas, making it more vulnerable to landslides and flash floods.
Authorities are currently planning to allocate a budget for disaster prevention measures in this area, said an official report of Mr Surasee’s visit.
Agencies were “advised” to inform the public about safe routes and provide real-time updates to help residents avoid dangerous areas during the expected period of heavy rainfall, the report said.