Water Utilities & Infrastructure

Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has instructed all agencies to manage water situations and transport systems to support the 2026 Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group, to be held from October 12 to 18, 2026, in Bangkok, which will bring delegates from 191 countries and approximately 15,000 accompanying persons into Thailand. Government spokesman Ekapop Pienpiset said the Prime Minister chaired a meeting of the National Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Command to monitor flood situations and assistance to the public, issuing eight directives covering the drainage of reservoirs and waterways that are full or nearly full; the removal of waterway obstructions at bottlenecks, bridges, drainage pipes and underpasses; more precise targeting of risk areas; the mobilization of machinery from the public and private sectors; the immediate start of rehabilitation in zones where water has receded; preparation of rehabilitation plans and compensation for eligible households; discussions with the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives on assistance for farmers whose crops were damaged; and consideration of reducing or waiving water and electricity charges for flood-affected households by waterworks and electricity agencies at both central and regional levels. He also instructed Airports of Thailand and the Ministry of Transport to fully manage inbound and outbound passenger travel and transport, and to expedite the return of services to normal as quickly as possible, in order to build confidence in Thailand's ability to host participants and attract foreign investment.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has completed repairs to its online registration system for flood victims seeking assistance, and about 35,800 people have now registered. Lalida Periswiwatana, deputy spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office, said Bangkok is accelerating drainage in the eastern areas, particularly Min Buri, Nong Chok, Prawet, Saphan Sung, Sai Mai and Lat Krabang, and is mobilising water pumps and water-pushing boats to help. Wissanu Charoen, director of the drainage system engineering division at the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's Drainage Office, said the urgent operation is focused on reclaiming the Rom Klao community housing area in Lat Krabang district, where the water level has been reduced by about 30 to 60 centimetres, though roads in the area are still flooded by about 20 to 30 centimetres. Yesterday the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration added more flood barriers and installed additional water pumps, and expects to lower the water level by about 25 centimetres per day, with roughly two more days needed to return the area to normal. In the Sai Mai–Ao Ngoen area, the situation is expected to ease within about two days. People who have already registered and wish to correct their information can log in to the system to update it, or contact their district office during official working days and hours.

Jesada Chantraprapha, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, said at the joint flood situation press center at Government House that the BMA is accelerating drainage to minimize the impact on residents in outer areas as much as possible. The current situation of northern runoff and seawater intrusion has not yet had a significant impact, but rainfall that may increase further still needs to be monitored. For water management in each area, the BMA has coordinated with the Lak Hok community to consider opening additional sluice gates on Khlong Prem Prachakon to draw water from Khlong Rangsit Prayunsak and the northern areas. In the Khlong Song area of Pathum Thani Province, the BMA is rushing to open sluice gates on Khlong Lat Phrao, Khlong Mo Taek, and Khlong Phraya Suren to ease the hardship of residents in Lam Luk Ka District, in Lat Sawai Subdistrict and Khukhot Subdistrict. On Khlong Saen Saep, water is being drained rapidly outside the Min Buri sluice gate, while on Khlong Prawet Burirom, water is being drained rapidly at the Lat Krabang gate to reduce the impact in the area of King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang and surrounding areas. Additional pumps are also being installed to assist the Keha Thani, Keha Rom Klao, and Nawathani communities. Meanwhile, Bangkok residents affected by the floods can now register to claim relief payments through two main channels: the Tang Rat application and the Bangkok system website at claim.bangkok.go.th

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has confirmed the cancellation of the Bueng Khu Bon and Bueng Bang Chan monkey-cheek flood-retention projects, saying they are not worth the roughly 11 billion baht budget. Jesada Chantraprapha, deputy permanent secretary of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, said the two ponds can hold only 700,000 cubic metres of water, compared with about 5 million cubic metres managed by Bueng Nong Bon, or roughly ten times more, and that Bueng Nong Bon is also connected to the tunnel system and main canals. He also insisted that no private party received any undue benefit. Chawalit Chantararat, a water management expert and chief executive of TEAM GROUP, said Bueng Khu Bon has a design capacity of about 870,000 cubic metres but can actually manage only around 500,000 cubic metres, and that when the current land price and the cost of building all the associated systems are combined, the cost framework for the Khu Bon project comes to about 11 billion baht. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration is therefore laying out a plan to develop the eastern drainage system as an integrated whole, running through Khlong Phraya Suren, Khlong Sam Wa, Khlong Saen Saep and Khlong Prawet Burirom, linking to Bueng Nong Bon, the drainage tunnel and a large pumping station, while taking in more water from Min Buri, Bang Kapi, Lat Krabang and Rom Klao.

Captiva Verde Corp. announced an agreement to launch the first atmospheric water stations for The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, with an operational effective date scheduled for October 26 or earlier. The terms of the agreement are confidential. The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Marriott International, which has approximately 10,000 properties in 146 countries and territories. Captiva Verde said its largest water stations, capable of up to 10,000 gallons per day, will be constructed globally at a fraction of the cost of traditional infrastructure upgrades, producing pure, plastic-free water on location. The company added that it is also building water stations for governments and bottling companies, with more news to follow.

The National Water Policy Committee, or NWPC, has approved increasing the discharge from Chao Phraya Dam from 2,200 cubic metres per second yesterday to 2,300 cubic metres per second this morning, stepping it up gradually by about 100 cubic metres per second per day within a ceiling of no more than 2,500 cubic metres per second. Government spokesman Ekapop Pienpiset said the water mass from the Ping River is flowing at about 1,000 cubic metres per second and has reached Nakhon Sawan province, and is expected to reach Chao Phraya Dam in Chai Nat province within one day before flowing on to Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya province on 3 October 2026. Meanwhile, Pa Sak Jolasid Dam is holding more than 100 percent of its storage capacity and has increased its discharge by 200 cubic metres per second, with a plan to keep releases below 300 cubic metres per second, as is the case at Rama VI Dam. As for Vajiralongkorn Dam, whose water level is near full capacity, releases began today at 500 cubic metres per second, or about 40 million cubic metres. Mae Klong Dam is releasing water at 2,200 cubic metres per second. Based on the overall assessment, the combined volume expected to flow into the Chao Phraya River is not expected to exceed 3,000 cubic metres per second, which would keep the water level in Bangkok at about 2.00 to 2.25 metres, roughly 40 centimetres below the flood barriers. The prime minister has ordered preparations for a new round of rain from 4 to 8 October 2026, with 6 to 7 October expected to bring above-normal rainfall in Kanchanaburi province and the western areas, while Bangkok is expected to see the seasonal change in the weather around 7 to 8 October.

The National Water Resources Office has mobilized all agencies to use the period of reduced rainfall to speed the push of water into the Gulf of Thailand, managing the effort in an interconnected way basin by basin, with Bhumibol Dam and Sirikit Dam helping to hold back water in the upper reaches, while preparing a plan to handle an increase in releases below Chao Phraya Dam. Chayan Muangsong, secretary-general of the National Water Resources Office, disclosed that, based on weather monitoring together with the Meteorological Department and the Hydro-Informatics Institute, a high-pressure system, or cold air mass from China, will spread down to cover the North and the upper Northeast during October 5-7, 2026, causing rainfall to increase again, starting in the Northeast and then moving toward the western side of the country. For the Chao Phraya basin, the volume of water flowing past station C.2 in Mueang Nakhon Sawan district is expected to rise to a maximum of no more than 2,700 cubic meters per second, combined with roughly 500 to 600 cubic meters per second of runoff from the Sakae Krang River joining in. At present, Chao Phraya Dam is releasing water at a rate of 2,300 cubic meters per second and will gradually raise that to 2,400 cubic meters per second this afternoon. Meanwhile, Bhumibol Dam temporarily halted releases on September 30 and October 1, 2026, and Sirikit Dam cut its releases to 7 million cubic meters per day. In the Pa Sak basin, Pa Sak Jolasid Dam is at 109 percent of its storage capacity, so releases into the Pa Sak River must be gradually stepped up to 30 million cubic meters per day, which means Rama VI Dam must prepare to increase its releases accordingly. In the Mae Klong basin, Vajiralongkorn Dam is at 99 percent of its storage capacity, leaving only about 123 million cubic meters of room to hold water. The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand has revised its release plan to 42 million cubic meters per day, and it expects to keep releases below Mae Klong Dam at a rate of about 2,200 cubic meters per second. For the Bang Pakong basin, Khlong Si Yat Dam is at 94 percent of its storage capacity and Khun Dan Prakarn Chon Dam is at 97 percent of its storage capacity, while in the eastern coastal basin, Prasae Dam is at 105 percent of its storage capacity. The secretary-general of the National Water Resources Office added that he has stressed to the Royal Irrigation Department and relevant agencies that they must quickly increase the capacity to pump water out of all areas affected by flooding, and that they must also monitor the factor of high sea tides in early October, which could hinder drainage.

Tsukishima Holdings and Mitsubishi Kakoki, both engaged in water treatment and industrial machinery plants, announced on the 30th that they will integrate their management on April 1, 2027. They will establish a joint holding company, Mitsubishi Tsukishima Kakoki Holdings. Through a share exchange, Mitsubishi Kakoki will acquire all shares of Tsukishima HD, and Tsukishima Holdings is scheduled to be delisted on March 30, 2027. The share exchange ratio is 1 to 0.88, with 0.88 Mitsubishi Kakoki shares allotted for each Tsukishima Holdings share. Tsukishima HD also announced that it will carry out a buyback of up to 1 million shares, equivalent to 2.5% of its issued shares, for up to 3 billion yen. The acquisition period runs from October 5 to March 19, 2027, and the acquired shares will be cancelled immediately before Mitsubishi Kakoki acquires the Tsukishima HD shares.

Naphinthorn Srisanpang, Minister attached to the Prime Minister's Office and chairman of the subcommittee on flood and drought prevention and resolution for the Mae Klong and Phetchaburi-Prachuap Khiri Khan river basins, said the Vajiralongkorn Dam in Kanchanaburi province is at 90% water capacity and must therefore accelerate its water release. On 29 September it released 30 million cubic metres per day, and today that has risen to 42 million cubic metres per day. The water flows down to join the Mae Klong Dam, where it mixes with water downstream of that dam, raising the Mae Klong Dam's discharge from 2,000 cubic metres per second to 2,300 cubic metres per second, and by noon today it will release 2,500 cubic metres per second. Naphinthorn said that to avoid affecting residents along the riverbanks, only 1,500 cubic metres per second should be released, but the current water level will rise about 2 metres above the bank line, so impacts in the Mae Klong basin are expected to be limited to riverbank and low-lying areas. Overall, farmland has been largely unaffected by flooding, and every province has prepared shelters, three meals a day, and advance warnings telling residents to move their belongings to higher ground.

The Royal Irrigation Department has increased water discharge through Chao Phraya Dam to 2,500 cubic metres per second from 12:00 on 30 September 2026 to cope with northern water volumes that are trending sharply higher. It had earlier issued a sixth warning notice on the Chao Phraya basin situation to the governors of 11 provinces: Uthai Thani, Chai Nat, Sing Buri, Ang Thong, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Suphan Buri, Lop Buri, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan and Bangkok. The department forecasts that on 2 October 2026 at Station C.2 in Mueang Nakhon Sawan district, the peak flow may reach about 3,000 cubic metres per second, plus roughly 700 to 750 cubic metres per second from tributaries, putting the volume above Chao Phraya Dam at about 3,600 to 3,700 cubic metres per second. With about 550 to 580 cubic metres per second being taken into the irrigation system on both banks, water levels in low-lying areas outside the flood barriers must be watched with particular care in four provinces: Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Ang Thong, Sing Buri and Chai Nat. The increased discharge will not affect communities inside the flood barriers. Flying Officer Phatdarasmi Thongsaluaykorn, deputy spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office, said the warning is an advance preparation measure and urged the public to be alert but not alarmed, to move belongings to higher ground, to relocate cars, livestock and farm equipment to safe areas, and to keep following official announcements.

Liantai Environmental Protection disclosed a major asset sale plan on the evening of September 29, proposing to transfer 100% equity in Hunan Liantai and 100% equity in Shantou Liantai to Shangshi Zhejie, with the counterparty paying in cash. Under the equity transfer agreement signed by both parties that day, the transfer price for Shantou Liantai is 590 million yuan, and for Hunan Liantai is 1.021 billion yuan, totaling 1.611 billion yuan. The transaction constitutes a major asset restructuring but does not constitute a related-party transaction or a backdoor listing. Hunan Liantai and Shantou Liantai were established in April 2026 to consolidate three project companies in the Hunan region and eight project companies plus one wholly owned electromechanical equipment subsidiary in the Shantou region of Guangdong that the listed company plans to sell. After the transaction is completed, the listed company will no longer hold equity in these two companies, but will still hold 15% to 40% stakes in eight companies including Sunan Water and Subei Water, which are controlled subsidiaries of Shantou Liantai. The controlling shareholder of the counterparty Shangshi Zhejie is Shanghai Shangshi Group, and its actual controller is the Shanghai State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission. This acquisition aligns with the expansion strategy of Shanghai Shangshi's water utilities segment. Liantai Environmental Protection said the transaction will help resolve liquidity risks and debt repayment risks, significantly reduce the scale of accounts receivable, and lower the erosion of future earnings by credit impairment losses. As of the end of the second quarter of 2026, the company's book cash was only 31.93 million yuan, while short-term borrowings and non-current liabilities due within one year totaled about 712 million yuan, roughly 22.3 times book cash, with an additional 4.346 billion yuan in long-term borrowings. From the end of 2023 to the end of June 2026, the company's accounts receivable balances were 1.261 billion yuan, 1.654 billion yuan, 2.118 billion yuan, and 2.417 billion yuan respectively, while credit impairment losses rose from 77.2884 million yuan in 2023 to 161.2776 million yuan in 2025, an increase of 108.67%.

The government is preparing to bring a relief budget framework for flood victims in Bangkok and its vicinity to the Cabinet meeting on September 29, after Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul called a meeting with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to immediately begin the process of relief and rehabilitation for affected residents. Ekkaphop Pheanphithak, spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office, announced through the Joint Information Center for the Flood Situation, or JICC, that the relief funds are divided into two parts. The first falls under the criteria of the Bangkok governor, which is already being implemented. The second belongs to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, which the government will supplement where there are shortfalls, and clarity must be awaited from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration once again. As for Bangkok's relief payment, it is not yet confirmed whether it will be 9,000 baht per household, the same as in the Hat Yai flood case. Meanwhile, the rain situation in Bangkok today has begun to ease, and tomorrow very few areas are expected to see rainfall, but there are still communities with high floodwaters, such as the Keha Khlong Chan housing estate, the Keha Rom Klao housing estate, the Keha Ram Inthra housing estate, Soi Prasert Manukit 27, Soi Lat Phrao 101/1, and Soi Ramkhamhaeng 24, because water drains into the Bang Pakong River with difficulty. Areas that still need to be monitored for rain include Yan Nawa, Bang Kho Laem, Khlong Toei, Watthana, Suan Luang, Phra Khanong, Bang Na, Bang Kapi, and Saphan Sung. On the eastern side at Lat Krabang, if there is no additional rain within two to three days, the water should recede. The Thonburi side carries less risk because the water level in the Chao Phraya River can accommodate about 1.8 meters more below the bank level. Meanwhile, a rain mass will move into Kanchanaburi, which sees about 200 millimeters of rain per day, and water in the Srinakarin Dam and Vajiralongkorn Dam must still be monitored, even though both dams have reduced their water discharge. There are also areas in Nong Prue district and Bo Phloi district of Kanchanaburi province that may require evacuation. Phetchaburi province must step up monitoring in Kaeng Krachan district, Tha Yang district, Ban Lat district, and Mueang Phetchaburi district after rain fell above the Kaeng Krachan Dam, forcing increased water discharge. In Klaeng district of Rayong province, there is a problem where flood victims who returned home are unable to leave, especially in Thung Khwai Kin subdistrict and Nam Pen subdistrict of Khao Chamao district, and they must be kept in a safe area for the time being.

Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul convened an urgent meeting of relevant agencies on 28 September 2026 at 09:00 at the Green Room, Thai Khu Fah Building, Government House, to accelerate efforts to resolve the flood crisis in Bangkok, according to Ekapop Pienpisit, spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office. The meeting was attended by the Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, the Governor of Bangkok, the Deputy Interior Minister, Warasit Liangprasit, Secretary-General of the Prime Minister's Office, the Permanent Secretary of the Interior Ministry, the Permanent Secretary of the Finance Ministry, the Secretary-General of the National Water Resources Office, the Director-General of the Royal Irrigation Department, the Director-General of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, the Director-General of the Department of Provincial Administration, and the Director-General of the Department of Public Works and Town and Country Planning. The Prime Minister directed all agencies to integrate their work as a unified effort, with the Governor of Bangkok serving as the principal incident commander, or Single Command, in the affected area. He stressed that the most urgent mission is to drain water out of the area as quickly as possible, prioritising assistance to areas where residents are suffering most and to densely populated areas first. He also ordered the mobilisation of water-pushing vessels, water pumps, and necessary equipment to reinforce key drainage points, given that this situation involves a very large volume of water and is at a severe level. In addition, the meeting discussed criteria and guidelines for providing relief to people affected by the floods, and the Prime Minister ordered the preparation of an initial budget for assisting those affected. At the same time, he instructed Bangkok, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, and all relevant agencies to speed up reaching people in the affected areas, especially those lacking food, drinking water, and essential supplies, as well as vulnerable groups and areas where assistance has not yet arrived.

The flood situation in Bangkok and the surrounding provinces of Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, and Samut Prakan has become a costly lesson for the government, after Deputy Prime Minister Thongsak Thongsi once insisted the government could manage the water and "handle it," but has now had to admit it "can't handle it," echoing the words of former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra during the 2011 floods. Comparative data shows that in 2011 total annual rainfall was 1,826 millimeters, 25% above normal, and the country was hit by five storms, whereas this year rainfall is about 10% below the normal average and the country is in an El Niño phase. Water discharge from the Chao Phraya Dam in 2011 was 3,721 cubic meters per second, compared with 1,950 cubic meters per second this year. Meanwhile, the volume of water flowing into dams nationwide during the great flood year was 71.769 billion cubic meters, compared with 30.675 billion cubic meters this year. Thon Thamrongnawasawat, a marine and environmental scholar at Kasetsart University, said the chance of a great flood like 2011 is virtually impossible, and noted that this flooding stems from localized heavy rain intensified by global warming, with atmospheric water vapor increasing by about 7% for every 1 degree Celsius rise in temperature. Seree Supratid, director of the Climate Change and Disaster Center at Rangsit University, said cumulative rainfall in Bangkok has topped 300 millimeters, even though in many areas just 60 millimeters of continuous rain already caused flooding, and assessed that if water can be drained at full capacity, the flooding may last no more than one week at most. Meanwhile, Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt expects traffic to return to normal within two to three days, but community areas will need two weeks to dry out completely.

A special Cabinet meeting has established the Joint Information Center for Flood Situations, or JICC, to ensure unified communication and reduce confusion in information. It will hold official press briefings every day at 10:00 a.m. via NBT television station and the Thai Khu Fah page, with updates throughout the day. The meeting also issued 14 directives from the Prime Minister, covering integrated assistance to flood victims, water drainage, facilitation of free parking at government facilities, and consideration of Work From Home measures for government agencies and the private sector. Government spokesperson Ekkaphop Pienphisit stated that this situation differs from the great flood of 2011 because it stems from extreme weather. Cumulative rainfall since September 24 has measured as high as 340 millimeters, amounting to 248 million cubic meters of water, the highest in 43 years since 1983. Meanwhile, the water intake capacity of the four main dams can still accommodate up to 7.26 billion cubic meters. Bangkok has added more water pumps and is running drainage tunnels around the clock, with an average drainage capacity of 50 million cubic meters per day. It is expected that if there is no additional heavy rain, the flooding situation in Bangkok will ease within two to three days. Additional areas to monitor include the eastern region and Kanchanaburi province, especially around Chao Phraya Abhaibhubejhr Hospital in Prachinburi province. People in Bangkok can contact the hotline 1555, while those in other provinces can contact the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department hotline 1784.