BANGKOK: Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has established a special committee with over 30 members to study and learn lessons from the massive floods in 2011 and this year, in order to prevent or minimize such disasters in the future.
Anutin signed a Prime Minister’s order dated December 1 to set up the committee, which will be chaired by himself.
The order stated that central Thailand was severely damaged by flooding in both 2011 and this year, with massive flooding affecting Songkhla and floods in the South, North, North-East, and Central regions due to climate change.
It further noted that such flooding could occur again in the future, and that the government should learn from the past to prevent severe damage and to plan measures for aiding, remedying, and recovering affected people and areas quickly with cooperation from all sides.
The order established the following committee structure:
Prime Minister – Chairman of the Committee
All Deputy Prime Ministers – Vice-Chairs of the Committee
The committee members include:
Secretary-General of the Prime Minister's Office
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research, and Innovation
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Health
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces
Secretary-General of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission
Secretary-General of the Office of the National Water Resources
Director-General of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation
Director-General of the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning
Director-General of the Department of Irrigation
Director-General of the Department of Meteorology
Director-General of the Department of Highways
Director-General of the Marine Department
Director of the Space Technology and Geoinformatics Development Agency (Public Organization)
Governor of Songkhla Province
Rector of Prince of Songkla University
President of Songkhla Provincial Administrative Organization
Mayor of Hat Yai Municipality
Secretary-General of the Uthokapat Foundation under the Royal Patronage
Chairman of the Songkhla Chamber of Commerce
Mr. Seri Supharathit
Mr. Anon Snitwong Na Ayutthaya
Mr. Kaewsan Atibodhi
Mr. Dusit Kreungam
Mr. Anuchit Anuchitanukool
Mr. Phonchit Kittipanyakam
Deputy Secretary-General of the Prime Minister's Office (as assigned by the Secretary-General of the Prime Minister's Office) and Joint Secretary
Deputy Director-General of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (as assigned by the Director-General) and Joint Secretary
Staff from the Office of the Secretary-General of the Prime Minister's Office, Assistant Secretaries (up to 2 persons, as assigned by the Secretary-General of the Prime Minister's Office)
The Committee’s Duties and Powers
1) To study and learn from the great flood in Songkhla, particularly in Hat Yai District, as well as the 2011 flood, and propose ways to prevent major damages from future floods. This includes developing strategies for:
(1.1) A warning system, disaster prevention, evacuation centers, vehicles, disaster relief equipment, food storage, reserve medical supplies, and other essential items.
(1.2) Public utilities that are capable of handling floods, including electricity, water, and telecommunications.
(1.3) Public health systems and hospitals that are prepared to respond to flooding.
(1.4) A public manual for flood preparedness, and conducting real drills at least once a year.
(1.5) A manual for officials involved in flood relief, and establishing a unified command center for flood prevention and relief operations.
2) To study the practices of countries that are well-prepared for flood prevention and disaster mitigation, or other natural disasters, and assign relevant agencies to cooperate in building an effective disaster prevention and relief system.
3) To take the study results and recommendations to consult with relevant stakeholders for feedback.
4) To appoint subcommittees or individuals to carry out tasks as assigned by the committee and report back to the committee.
5) To perform any other duties assigned by the Prime Minister or the Cabinet. In the event that a committee member is removed from office due to death or resignation, the remaining members shall continue their duties.
Completion Deadline and Further Steps
The committee is to complete the tasks within three months from the date this order takes effect and submit a report for Cabinet approval to implement the recommendations.
Once the Cabinet approves the committee's report, the National Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Committee shall incorporate the study results and recommendations into the national disaster prevention and mitigation plan. The committee's secretariat shall promptly disseminate the study and lessons learned from the great flood to the public. - The Nation/ANN
