The meeting, held at the Provincial Aquarium Conference Room at the Department of Marine and Conastal Resources (DMCR) offices at Cape Panwa, included discussions with Phuket Governor Sophon Suwannarat, who provided a detailed report on the region’s disaster situation, explained an official report of the meeting.
Governor Suwannarat briefed the Prime Minister on two major projects aimed at mitigating landslide risks. The first project involves constructing a water retention weir in Kamala with a budget allocation of B70 million. The design phase is complete, and the project details have been submitted to the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning, Governor Sophon said.
The second project focuses on expanding the Tha Ruea Canal in Srisoonthorn with a budget of B264mn. Land surveys have been conducted, and the project proposal is also with the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning.
According to the report, during the meeting PM Srettha outlined several key directives.
He emphasised the integration of efforts among all relevant agencies to ensure the safety of residents in Phuket and other risk-prone areas nationwide.
He also tasked the Department of Mineral Resources with creating a master plan for managing high-risk areas and disseminating community-level landslide risk maps to educate local populations. This included coordinating with local governments to prepare for pre-, during- and post-disaster scenarios.
PM Srettha instructed the Department of Mineral Resources and associated agencies to design comprehensive prevention, monitoring and warning systems and make use of modern technology, such as aerial and satellite imagery, to enhance land use planning, particularly for infrastructure and building construction.
The PM also directed the Department of Mineral Resources to establish soil movement monitoring stations equipped with warning devices to alert residents of landslides and flash floods. Ensure these warnings reach every household in at-risk areas and extend similar measures to other vulnerable provinces.
The prime minister emphasised the importance of swift action in “red zones” before more heavy rains arrive, said the official report.
PM Srettha also instructed Governor Sophon to coordinate with all relevant agencies and conduct public awareness campaigns to explain the causes of these issues to the residents, the report noted.
“Long-term solutions should continue to be pursued, but immediate actions in high-risk areas are critical before the onset of the rainy season,” the prime minister said.