Forever flooded – how do we break the disastrous cycle?

Many people have drowned in the past two months, and yesterday a former Nakhon Sawan MP died after his car was blown off the road.

Hundreds of people were left homeless in many provinces. The government has allocated a large budget for relief efforts, but with delays affecting injured residents, many have to rely on their resourcefulness to survive.

Humanitarian aid can sometimes be at the expense of a water strategy. The National Water Resources Authority is nothing more than a lame duck that only exacerbates problems. While some areas should be prioritized, the authorities seem to be too interested in protecting industrial zones and commercial zones, with the economy taking precedence over humanity. There is no shortage of tenants unable to cope in uninhabitable dwellings.

Without a proper strategy, every time there is a flood, the authorities promise to act, but their plans are quickly forgotten as soon as the rains stop and the water subsides. The time has come to rethink the flood prevention system for entire river basins and develop effective water strategies that take into account climate change.

From a humanitarian point of view, each province should set up its own centers to help the homeless. Also, there should be no more low-quality work on the part of the state.

Action instead of inaction and giving without expectation are the lessons we can learn to soften this bad weather cycle.