Hat yai: The Army Chief of Staff announced the mobilization of military equipment and personnel to assist with the flooding crisis in Hat Yai. The effort focuses on the rapid evacuation of residents in critical areas, with expectations that the Prime Minister will address management concerns.
According to Thai News Agency, General Chaiyapruek Duangpraphat, Chief of Staff of the Royal Thai Army, spoke before a meeting aimed at monitoring the water situation in the southern provinces and extending support to flood victims in Hat Yai District, Songkhla Province. He detailed that the Royal Thai Army has gathered equipment and resources from all military regions to support the Fourth Army Region, including the upper southern region, the Second Army Region, and the Third Army Region. The deployment, which started on the night of November 24th, includes forklifts, flat-bottomed boats, rubber boats, helicopters from the central government, and trained disaster relief personnel.
Efforts are being made to rescue individuals in critical areas who are unable to evacuate. The military has already mobilized all available ground equipment, such as helicopters and trucks, and is awaiting further support from centralized agencies. General Chaiyapruek acknowledged that local resources are inadequate, but additional equipment is expected to arrive today.
When questioned about accelerating aid to those in crisis areas, General Chaiyaphruek explained that the Songkhla Governor will lead as the incident commander. Supporting him are Maj. Gen. 3 Phoomdetcha Phuangcharoen, Commander of the 42nd Military Circle, and Lt. Gen. Narathip Poynok, Commander of the 4th Army Area, who are already stationed in the affected area. A strategic plan has been formulated to allocate responsibilities among units to optimize assistance.
Addressing concerns about disorganized management causing public confusion in seeking help, General Chaiyaphruek assured that the Prime Minister would tackle the issue today. He emphasized the urgency of evacuating all individuals in the crisis zone as swiftly as possible.