PRESS RELEASE:
The Ministry of Defense has increased its deployment of troops and heavy equipment to support clean-up operations in flood-affected areas in Chiang Rai province. Defense Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, who heads the government’s response center for storm and flood relief, directed additional personnel and machinery to assist in clearing mud and debris left by severe flooding in Mae Sai district.
The operation is being coordinated by a forward command center established by Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra during her recent visit to the area. The command center is led by Deputy Interior Minister Theerarat Samrejvanich, with Deputy Defense Minister Nattapon Nakphanit serving as the deputy chair. Troops are working in tandem with local officials and volunteers to clear roads and residential areas overwhelmed by mudflows from the Sai River, which began inundating communities on September 11 following heavy rainfall.
The flooding and mudslides, triggered by storms in Chiang Rai and neighboring Myanmar, have deposited layers of mud up to two stories high in some areas. While troops from the Armed Forces Development Command were initially deployed, the scale of the clean-up effort required reinforcements. The ministry is now utilizing heavy equipment such as trucks, bulldozers, and high-pressure washers to speed up the removal of mud and restore normalcy.
Efforts are being intensified with a focus on clearing key roads, residential areas, and public spaces, as officials aim to complete the clean-up and assist affected communities as quickly as possible. The operation is supported by high-pressure washers donated by Their Majesties the King and Queen, which are being used to clean homes and buildings impacted by the mudslides.
The preceding is a press release from the Thai Government PR Department.
