Climate risk and vulnerabilities of Thailand
Thailand is highly vulnerable to climate change and multi-hazard risks due to its monsoon climate, extensive river basins, low-lying central plains, long coastlines along the Gulf of Thailand and Andaman Sea, rapidly urbanizing settlements, climate-sensitive agriculture, tourism dependence, and exposure of major economic assets to floods, droughts, coastal erosion, sea-level rise, heat stress, landslides, storms, wildfires, and water scarcity. Floods are widely identified as Thailand’s most significant natural hazard in terms of human and economic impacts. (ADB)
Thailand is highly exposed and vulnerable to climate change and multi-hazard risks due to its monsoon climate, flood-prone river basins, low-lying central plains, coastal exposure, rapid urbanization, climate-sensitive agriculture, tourism dependence, and concentration of people, industry, infrastructure, and services in hazard-prone areas. The country faces recurrent risks from riverine floods, flash floods, urban flooding, droughts, extreme heat, landslides, storms, coastal erosion, sea-level rise, saltwater intrusion, wildfires, water scarcity, and climate-sensitive health impacts. Climate change is expected to intensify these vulnerabilities through heavier rainfall extremes, more severe flood and drought events, rising temperatures, prolonged heat stress, coastal inundation, storm-surge impacts, salinity intrusion, and growing pressure on agriculture, fisheries, tourism, water resources, infrastructure, public health, and vulnerable communities. Strengthening multi-hazard early warning systems, impact-based forecasting, flood and drought risk management, coastal protection, climate-resilient agriculture, urban drainage, heat-health planning, tourism resilience, disaster risk financing, and locally led adaptation is essential to reduce losses and protect Thailand’s development gains.
1. Multi-hazard exposure
Thailand’s main hazards include floods, droughts, storms, landslides, coastal erosion, sea-level rise, heatwaves, wildfires, water scarcity, and localized seismic or tsunami exposure. UNDRR identifies Thailand’s prevalent hazards as flooding, cyclones, landslides, wildfires, extreme heat, and associated water scarcity. (UNDRR)
The country’s flood risk is especially concentrated in the Chao Phraya Basin, which contains major agricultural, urban, industrial, and transport assets. The World Bank’s Thailand CCDR notes that the country’s vulnerability to flooding is largely concentrated in this basin, and projected climate change could make severe historical flood events much more frequent. (World Bank)
2. Climate change as a development risk multiplier
Climate change poses a major macroeconomic and development risk for Thailand. The World Bank CCDR assesses physical risks from floods, droughts, heat stress, and other climate-related disasters, and estimates that climate change could reduce Thailand’s GDP by 7–14% by 2050 without decisive adaptation. It also finds that investments in flood mitigation, coastal protection, water security, and cooling could raise annual GDP by 4–5% by 2050 relative to business-as-usual. (World Bank)
Thailand also faces major tail risks from rare but severe disasters. The 2011 floods caused damage equivalent to 12.6% of GDP, or about US$46.5 billion, and disrupted production by around 5% of GDP; the World Bank notes that climate change could increase the intensity and recurrence of similar events. (World Bank)
3. Flood, urban flood, and landslide vulnerability
Flooding is Thailand’s dominant disaster risk. Riverine floods affect central plains and major basins; flash floods affect steep northern, western, and southern catchments; and urban flooding affects Bangkok, peri-urban areas, and secondary cities where intense rainfall overwhelms drainage systems.
Flood vulnerability is driven by:
| Driver | Risk implication |
|---|---|
| Monsoon rainfall variability | River flooding, flash floods, waterlogging, reservoir-management challenges |
| Low-lying central plains | Prolonged inundation, agricultural losses, transport disruption |
| Bangkok and surrounding provinces | Urban flooding, coastal flooding, land subsidence, infrastructure exposure |
| Industrial concentration | Supply-chain disruption, manufacturing losses, business interruption |
| Poor drainage and land-use change | Urban flood amplification, local waterlogging, health risks |
| Steep terrain | Flash floods, landslides, road blockages, isolated communities |
Landslides are particularly relevant in mountainous northern, western, and southern provinces, where heavy rainfall, deforestation, road cuts, slope modification, and settlement expansion can trigger slope failure.
4. Drought, water scarcity, and agriculture
Thailand is also highly exposed to drought and water-security stress, particularly in rainfed agricultural areas, the Northeast, parts of the North, and zones dependent on irrigation and reservoir storage. Thailand’s National Adaptation Plan emphasizes improved water forecasting, water-resource management plans, risk mapping, disaster-watch networks, and early warnings for floods, droughts, and landslides.
Agriculture is highly climate-sensitive. The World Bank reports that agriculture accounts for about 8% of GDP but around one-third of employment, making climate impacts on crops, labour productivity, and rural livelihoods highly significant. Rice production is especially exposed to drought, water shortages, heat stress, and changing rainfall patterns. (World Bank)
Key agricultural risks include drought, delayed rains, flood damage, irrigation stress, heat-related labour losses, livestock disease, fisheries stress, crop pests, and water competition between agriculture, cities, ecosystems, tourism, and industry.
5. Heat stress and public health vulnerability
Extreme heat is an increasing concern for Thailand’s health, labour productivity, agriculture, tourism, and urban systems. Bangkok and the Chao Phraya Basin are already exposed to severe heat stress, with vulnerable groups such as older persons, children, outdoor workers, informal workers, farmers, construction workers, and people with chronic illness at heightened risk. (World Bank)
Heat can also increase electricity demand, reduce outdoor labour productivity, worsen urban heat-island effects, affect tourism comfort, increase livestock stress, and worsen public-health risks where cooling access is limited.
6. Coastal erosion, sea-level rise, and Bangkok exposure
Thailand’s coast is highly exposed to coastal erosion, storm surge, sea-level rise, saltwater intrusion, and tidal flooding. The World Bank reports that up to 30% of Thailand’s coastline has suffered from coastal erosion over the past three decades, with around 12,000 hectares of land lost and land-value losses exceeding US$1.3 billion. (World Bank)
Bangkok and surrounding coastal provinces face particularly complex risk because land subsidence, sea-level rise, storm surge, river flooding, and urban drainage constraints can interact. The World Bank notes that under some scenarios, coastal provinces could become much more flood-prone, with potentially large economic implications because the capital region accounts for roughly half of national GDP. (World Bank)
7. Tourism, fisheries, and ecosystem vulnerability
Thailand’s tourism sector is climate-sensitive because many tourism destinations depend on beaches, coral reefs, marine ecosystems, protected areas, cultural sites, transport access, and reliable water supply. Thailand’s NAP recommends climate-risk management in tourism, including adjusted tourism calendars, water reserves for drought-risk destinations, disaster-response plans, flood protection for cultural tourism sites, heat-risk measures, business-continuity planning, and tourism early warning systems.
Marine and coastal ecosystems are vulnerable to ocean warming, coral bleaching, coastal erosion, mangrove degradation, salinity change, and storm impacts. These risks affect fisheries, aquaculture, tourism, coastal protection, and local livelihoods.
8. Sector-specific vulnerability summary
| Sector | Main climate and multi-hazard risks |
|---|---|
| Water resources | Drought, floods, saltwater intrusion, reservoir stress, water competition, Mekong and Chao Phraya variability |
| Agriculture and food security | Drought, floods, heat stress, pests, livestock disease, crop losses, rice-production risk |
| Urban settlements | Urban flooding, heat stress, drainage failure, land subsidence, informal settlement exposure |
| Coastal zones | Sea-level rise, coastal erosion, storm surge, tidal flooding, saltwater intrusion |
| Tourism | Heat stress, coastal erosion, coral bleaching, drought, flood disruption, disaster-related business interruption |
| Fisheries and aquaculture | Ocean warming, salinity shifts, floods, droughts, disease outbreaks, habitat degradation |
| Industry and supply chains | Flood disruption, water shortages, heat stress, transport interruptions |
| Health | Heat illness, waterborne disease after floods, vector-borne disease, smoke and wildfire impacts |
9. Social vulnerability
The most vulnerable groups include smallholder farmers, rainfed farming households, fishing communities, coastal communities, informal urban settlers, older persons, children, outdoor workers, migrant workers, low-income households, people with disabilities, and communities living in flood-prone, drought-prone, landslide-prone, or coastal-risk areas.
Vulnerability is highest where climate exposure overlaps with poverty, insecure housing, limited savings, weak drainage, poor insurance coverage, dependence on climate-sensitive livelihoods, and limited access to timely early warning and recovery support.
10. Priority resilience needs
Thailand’s resilience agenda should prioritize multi-hazard early warning systems, impact-based forecasting, flood forecasting, drought monitoring, heat-health action planning, coastal erosion management, salinity intrusion control, climate-resilient agriculture, resilient urban drainage, watershed management, tourism risk management, disaster risk financing, and locally led adaptation.
A practical resilience package should include:
| Priority area | Key actions |
|---|---|
| Early warning and anticipatory action | Impact-based warnings for floods, droughts, heat, landslides, storms, coastal flooding, and wildfire |
| Flood-risk management | Chao Phraya basin flood mitigation, floodplain zoning, retention areas, drainage upgrading, reservoir coordination |
| Drought and water security | Water forecasting, drought contingency planning, irrigation efficiency, wastewater reuse, demand management |
| Coastal resilience | Mangrove restoration, coastal setback planning, erosion monitoring, nature-based coastal protection |
| Climate-resilient agriculture | Drought- and flood-resilient crops, crop advisories, livestock disease monitoring, farmer early warning systems |
| Urban resilience | Stormwater drainage, heat-risk planning, land-subsidence monitoring, risk-informed zoning |
| Tourism resilience | Destination risk mapping, water reserves, disaster-response plans, business continuity planning |
| Risk financing | Contingency finance, insurance mechanisms, forecast-based financing, resilient recovery funding |
Flood 2024: Risks and Impacts
Introduction
As Thailand’s rainy season progresses through the second half of 2024, there is a growing risk that extensive flooding will affect parts of the country. Indicators pointing in this direction include: (i) the weakening ONI, which is expected to swing from currently neutral conditions to a La Niña, thereby likely pushing rainfall above normal; (ii) the impact of regular tropical storms; (iii) the fall in the PDO and IOD indices, which are in or moving to a negative phase (i.e., below -0.5), indicating that Thailand is likely to be more exposed to storm conditions; and (iv) the fact that the monsoon index, which reflects short-term weather conditions, is close to normal, thus adding to the likelihood that areas around Thailand will continue to receive their seasonal rains. Krungsri Research expects that the northern, central and northeastern regions together with parts of the South will be the most heavily impacted parts of the country, though flooding will be a particular danger in the lower parts of the North and across the central regions; in the former case, this area acts as a channel funneling rains towards the sea, while the latter is essentially a large flood plain that is routinely exposed to widespread inundation. This will then have the potential to generate significant economic impacts on households, factory, machinery, crops, infrastructure and utilities. Krungsri Research expects that in the baseline scenario, flooding will affect 8.6 million rai in 2024, leading to property and asset losses of THB 3.1 billion and agricultural output losses of THB 43.4 billion. Consequently, total losses could reach THB 46.5 billion, reducing annual GDP by 0.27%.
Flood risks through the last 4 months of 2024
Across the first half of 2024, the tail end of the earlier El Niño left Thailand with hotter, drier weather that then undercut agricultural outputs, especially for field crops such as off-season rice, cassava and sugarcane. The resulting supply shortages meant that in some industries, companies were unable to deliver orders, while rising prices also had knock-on effects on the overall economy.
The weakening El Niño then transitioned to neutral conditions, though with enough momentum to carry the climate rapidly towards a La Niña, which may then trigger flooding across large parts of the country. Several climate indicators support this analysis.
1) The Oceanic Niño Index (ONI) is based on sea surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific that are then used to indicate the likelihood of El Niño/La Niña conditions emerging. As of July 2024, the ONI stood at 0.1, in the center of the neutral zone1/ (Figure 1) but the index has been weakening since the start of the year, and there is a growing chance that La Niña conditions will emerge2/. This is now expected to happen in October (Figure 2), and as ocean temperatures dip below their normal range, the chance that rainfall will be heavier than normal will rise correspondingly3/.
2) Rainfall is expected to rise 15.0-16.0% above average through July to December 20245/, and so from the middle of the year onwards, there has been an increased risk of flash flooding, particularly in flood plains and other flood-prone areas. However, as a result of the weakening El Niño, rainfall was below normal in the first half of 2024 and so for the year as a whole, average rainfall is expected to come to 1,688 mm, only very slightly above the 30-year average6/. 2024 rainfall is also some way off the 2011 total of 1,948 mm, which was a full 20.0% above normal (Figure 3).
In light of this, although heavy rainfall through the latter half of 2024 is adding to the risk of flooding, the strong EL Niño in the first half of the year meant that rainfall was down by -17.1% and so the ground was dry and ready to absorb large quantities of water. The current situation therefore differs markedly from 2011, which had higher water levels and soil moisture accumulation since the beginning of the year.
3) Number of cyclones, data gathered over the past 73 years show that on average, Thailand is affected by 2-3 tropical cyclones (i.e., tropical depressions and typhoons) each year, though over the past decade, this has fallen to more like 1 or 2 storms annually. Krungsri Research expects that Thailand will face 1-2 tropical cyclones entering the country, which is fewer than the 5 storms that hit Thailand during the major floods of 2011. The north and northeast of Thailand are closest to the normal storm tracks and the peak time for storms is September and October, when the rains are usually at the most intense (Figure 5), and so during this period, these regions are likely to experience flash flooding and rivers breaching their banks (Figure 6).
4) The impact of storms and the monsoon, in addition to major storms directly entering the country, Thailand also faces risks from the influence of storms and monsoons. Even if these do not directly hit Thailand, they may move into neighboring countries and later dissipate or change direction, still affecting rainfall levels in Thailand. This will particularly affect the east and northeast of Thailand through the second half of the year, when these areas will see rainfall rise as a result of storms, warm water currents, and monsoon conditions blowing in from the Pacific. These risks are reflected in the Pacific Decadal Oscillation Index (PDO)7/ and the Western Pacific Monsoon Index, which are negative and falling, indicating that rainfall is likely to rise. At the same time, areas in the west of Thailand will be impacted by the storms, warmer currents, and monsoon rains connected with the Indian Ocean, and as with the Pacific, the Indian Ocean Dipole Index (IOD)8/ and Indian Monsoon Index are negative with a downward trend further.
5) Water levels in large and mid-sized reservoirs are currently above average. As of the end of August, the country’s large reservoirs held a total of 44.62 billion m3 of water, or 62.9% of capacity. This is above the average for the past 14 years9/ but below the 53.19 billion m3 (76.4% of capacity) stored in 2011 during the year of the Great Flood (Figure 8). Similarly, 2.82 billion m3 is currently held in mid-sized reservoirs. This represents 55.4% of capacity and is higher than the average over the past 6 years10/.
Given the influence of the factors described above, rainfall will likely trend above normal through the second half of the year, and coupled with the intensification in the rainy season, what was already slightly above normal levels of water in reservoirs can be expected to rise further and to approach historic highs11/. Through the middle of the rainy season in July and August, rainfall increased in all parts of the country, and so the risk of flooding is intensifying. It remains to be seen how the situation will develop as the rainy season intensifies in September and October, but with rainfall already set to strengthen, it will be important to track the situation closely.
Areas in the northern, northeastern, and central regions together with parts of the South are thus now at high risk of flooding. The lower north will be especially exposed to risk, since this region channels water from higher to lower parts of the country, as will the central region, which receives flood waters from the north and so has been subject to repeated flooding. Should widespread inundation occur, this will naturally generate losses for the agricultural sector, which is already suffering from the impacts on agriculture outputs of drought at the start of the year, though losses will extend beyond agricultural areas to include damage to buildings, homes, consumer goods, transportation routes and utilities.
2024 flooding to date
Over January to June, Thailand was affected by monsoon and low-pressure conditions in neighboring countries that then caused flooding, especially in central and northern regions12/. From the start of the year through to 8 September13/, 50 provinces experienced some degree of flooding, though as of 8 September 2024, the situation had returned to normal in 40 of these, and so flood conditions only persisted in 10 provinces14/ (Figure 9). Nevertheless, over the 30-day period from 9 August to 7 September15/ , 1.4 million rai experienced flooding and this impacted 0.18 million households. The most seriously hit provinces have been Chiang Rai (0.27 million rai), Sukhothai (0.20 million rai), Nakhon Phanom (0.15 million rai), Phayao (0.14 million rai) and Phichit (0.12 million rai). Likewise, the crops suffering the most widespread damage have been rice (0.31 million rai), corn (4,280 rai), sugarcane (935 rai) and cassava (654 rai).
Flood risks for the remainder of 2024
As previously mentioned, the risk of flooding in 2024 is expected to continue rising, particularly in September and October, affecting all regions except the South. For the Southern region, the risk is higher in November and December, due to the influence of monsoon troughs and tropical cyclones, which regularly pass through Thailand each year16/. Taking into account factors related to weather conditions and other environmental signals pointing to a high risk of flooding, Krungsri Research has produced a flood risk assessment based on the following assumptions.
Storms: The country will be hit by at least 1 or 2 tropical storms, and because La Niña conditions are expected to emerge in September, these will bring with them a greater than average volume of rain.
Rainfall: The onset of a La Niña will imply higher than average rainfall over the remaining 4 months of 2024, with forecast losses escalating in proportion to the volume of rainfall.
Areas affected: Although both large and mid-sized reservoirs had more than 40% spare capacity as of the end of August 2024, if rains fall outside the catchment areas for these, this will add to losses. This is a particular risk in the central region if rains fall south of the reservoirs or outside the 13 low-lying areas in the lower Chao Phraya river basin that are regularly flooded or that serve as flood abatement zones17/ (Figure 10).
Water levels in the main waterways: This will naturally be influenced by the volume of water flowing through watersheds, but if this exceeds the capacity of these rivers, there will clearly be a risk that riverbanks will be breached, and nearby areas flooded (Figure 10).
Additionally, there are several uncontrollable and unforeseen factors that may further increase the risk of flooding in 2024. For example, high tides in the Gulf of Thailand or high-water levels in aquifers and other natural sources of water, especially in the Mekong River basin, will slow the discharge of water to the sea, increasing the risk of flooding and adding to its extent if it does occur. However, the government can also help to alleviate overall levels of risk by anticipating problems, for example by preparing low-lying areas that can accommodate excess water, better managing reservoir levels, clearing waterways and increasing their throughput, moving machinery to areas likely to be flooded in advance of floodwaters, improving overall levels of water resource management, and checking and reinforcing dams, embankments, levies, public utilities and infrastructure generally.
Is flooding really better than drought? The current economic impacts of flooding and the outlook for the rest of 2024.
The consequences of flooding can be much more varied than for drought, since this can include damage to livestock, homes, factories and other structures, machinery, vehicles, and transportation routes. However, the impact on agricultural crops may vary, and if flood waters rise only slowly and recede rapidly, some crops may be entirely unharmed, but if flood waters are fast moving and standing bodies of water take an extended period of time to drain away, the extent of losses to crops such as rice, sugarcane, cassava and vegetables and other agricultural produce can be extremely significant. Moreover, this will then have downstream impacts and as supply chains tighten, industries that are reliant on agricultural inputs will face shortages, while limited supply will almost inevitably feed through into higher prices.
To provide insight into the likely scale of these problems, Krungsri Research has assessed the expected extent of 2024 flood impacts in terms of the area of agricultural land impacted by flooding and the economic consequences of this. Three scenarios have been modeled, each reflecting steadily worsening outcomes18/ (Table 2).
Best case: In the low-impact scenario, 6.2 million rai are affected by flooding, resulting in property and asset losses worth THB 2.2 billion, along with an additional THB 31.2 billion in crop losses. The total losses amount to THB 33.4 billion, or -0.19% of GDP.
Base case: In this scenario, 8.6 million rai are inundated, resulting in property losses of THB 3.1 billion and crop losses of THB 43.4 billion. The total losses amount to THB 46.5 billion, or -0.27% of GDP.
Worst case: In the high-impact scenario, 11.0 million rai of land are flooded, resulting in property losses of THB 4.0 billion and crop losses of THB 55.5 billion. With total losses amounting to THB 59.5 billion, the worst-case flooding would reduce annual GDP by -0.34%.
The level of flood damage to the economy depends on: 1) rainfall and water management, 2) the affected area, and 3) the location of economic units (households, factories, agricultural areas). Given this, if flooding occurs in economically significant areas, the resulting impacts will be correspondingly more severe, so for example, if locations that are home to industrial estates, major agricultural operations, or important transportation routes are damaged, this is much more likely to trigger impacts across the length of supply chains, from upstream production through to downstream distribution and on to the economy more broadly.
However, Krungsri Research expects that the floods in the second half of 2024 will not be as severe as the great floods of 2011, nor will they impact the economy to the same extent. The World Bank estimated the damage from the 2011 floods at as much as THB 1.44 trillion20/ as it is anticipated that in 2024, there will be less rainfall and more water storage capacity, both from large and medium-sized dams. Additionally, the improved water management capabilities of the government (e.g., warning systems, maintenance, budget support) and enhanced private sector flood protection measures, particularly in industrial estates, will contribute to more effectively mitigating the impact.
1/ The ONI is considered to be ‘neutral’ when sea surface temperatures in equatorial regions of the Pacific are in a range of -0.5 °C and +0.5 °C of their average.
2/ The La Niña is a phenomenon witnessed when sea surface temperatures in parts of the Pacific fall below the average, which usually leads to changes in the distribution of atmospheric moisture and higher than normal rainfall in Southeast Asia. The intensity of these events is measured by the ONI Index, with values of -0.5 °C to -0.9 °C considered a weak La Niña. Values of -1.0 °C to -1.4 °C are classified as a moderate La Niña, between -1.5 °C and -2.0 °C is a strong La Niña, and anything over -2.0 °C qualifies as a very strong La Niña. If the ONI is positive and above 0.5 °C, this points to El Niño conditions, which are graded similarly to those for La Niña, though with positive rather than negative deviations from average temperatures.
3/ Average refers to the 30-year mean for 1991-2020.
4/ In particular, the area of importance lies between 5 oN and 5 oS and between 170 oW and 120 oW. This is referred to as the Nino 3.4 Region.
5/ This refers to the 30-year average for 1991-2020.
6/ Over the past 30 years, annual rainfall has averaged 1,623 mm.
7/ The Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) is a phenomenon caused by differences in sea temperatures on either side of the Pacific in the region 20 oN. During a negative phase, water in the east is warmer, and this tends to raise rainfall in Thailand and nearby areas above normal levels, with positive and negative phases typically cycling over a period of around 30 years. As of July 2024, the PDO had a value of -3.0.
8/ The Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) (or the Dipole Mode Index (DMI)) measures the oscillation in local water temperatures between the east and west sides of the Indian Ocean in the areas 50 oE-70 oE, 10 oS-10 oN and 90 oE-110 oE, 10 oS-0 oN. When the index is in a negative phase, warm water collects in the east of the Indian Ocean, and this is linked to an increase in rainfall in Thailand and neighboring countries. In July 2024, the IOD stood at -0.3.
9/ Available data covers the 14 years from 2011 to 2024. Through this period, average water levels in large reservoirs at the end of August were at 59.3% of capacity.
10/ The data that is available covers the 6 years from 2019 to 2024. Through this period, average water levels in mid-sized reservoirs at the end of August stood at 53.6% of capacity.
11/ That is, the highest level reported in monthly data over the period 2011-2023 (the upper edges of the gray bands on the graphs showing regional reservoir levels in Figure 8).
12/ Information from the National Agricultural Big Data Center shows that losses valued at THB 100.5 million have occurred on 8,600 rai in the 7 provinces of Kamphaeng Phet, Uthai Thani, Phayao, Tak, Uttaradit, Suphanburi and Kanchanaburi.
13/ Source: Data on current rain water management published by the Bureau of Water Management and Hydrology, 8 September, 2024.
14/ Chiang Rai, Sukhothai, Chainat, Suphanburi, Ang Thong, Saraburi, Ayutthaya, Nong Khai, Udon Thani, and Nakhon Phanom are still affected by flooding.
15/ These losses are based on estimates and have not yet been verified through on-site assessments. Source: Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency.
16/ Source: Three-month weather forecast for Thailand for September to November, 2024, issued 26 August, 2024.
17/ Areas that have been repeatedly flooded over the 9 years between 2011 and 2020 or that serve as flood abatement areas include: Thung Chiang Rak, Thung Fang Sai Khlong Chai Nat-Pa Sak, Thung Tha Wung, and Thung Bang Kum, which receive water from Khlong Chai Nat-Pa Sak; Thung Pa Mok, Thung Phak Hai, and Thung Jao Jet, which receive water from Noi River; Thung Bang Kung, and Thung Bang Bal, which receive water drawn from Chao Phraya River; Thung Pho Phraya, which receives water from Tha Chin River; and Thung Phraya Banlue, Thung Phra Phimon, and Thung Rangsit Tai, which receive water drawn from canals in the local area.
18/ Forecasts are derived from the area of land currently affected by flooding and the likelihood of floods occurring in additional areas through the remainder of 2024. This is based on an assessment of historical data collected by the National Hydroinformatics Data Center, the Office of Agricultural Economics, the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council, the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, the Royal Irrigation Department, and the National Agricultural Big Data Center.
19/ Calculated by Krungsri Research based on data on affected land as of 30 August, 2024 and the assumption that losses occur on 60-70% of all agricultural land impacted by flooding. Loss value = ( production losses = Total area of completely damaged agricultural land x Yield per rai ) x Average agricultural product price in 2024.
20/ Source: 04 Thailand’s National Adaptation Plan, The Institute for Sustainable Development of Natural Resources and Environment (mnre.go.th).
Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) of the Ministry of Interior
Established under the Ministry of Interior as the prime agency for coordinating disaster risk management activities by all related organizations at all levels.
Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation(DDPM)
DDPM Background
DDPM was established on the 3rd of October 2002 as an agency under Ministry of Interior (MOI) to handle disaster management responsibilities. As disaster situations in Thailand got worse due to population increase, urbanization and impact of climate change, the establishment of DDPM is to have a better and more effective mechanism to prevent disaster damage and loss and to mitigate calamity due to man-made and natural disasters.
Director
Mr.Teerapat Kutchamath
(Director – General Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation)
Organizational structure
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 | |
 | Formulate policy, guideline and measures on disaster prevention and mitigation; |
| Study, analyse, research and develop systems on disaster prevention, disaster warning and disaster mitigation; |
| Develop information technology on disaster prevention and mitigation; |
| Promote people participation on disaster managment activites; |
| Build disaster risk awareness; |
| Provide training to build capacity and improve skills on disaster management and disaster relief; |
| Promote, support and implement programs for assisting disaster victims and disaster recovery; |
| Direct and coordinate operation to assist disaster victims in large-scale disasters; and |
| Coordinate with domestic and international agencies/organizations; |
Thailand’s population of nearly 70 million to be protected by new early warning and hazard monitoring technologies
Source(s): Pacific Disaster CenterUpload your content
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Thailand operates a Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (MHEWS) designed to detect, monitor, and disseminate alerts for a wide range of hazards—including floods, tropical cyclones, tsunamis, landslides, drought, and extreme weather. The system integrates data from meteorological, hydrological, geological, and ocean monitoring networks and is coordinated mainly by the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD), the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM), and partner agencies.
It provides real-time warnings through sirens, SMS, radio, television, mobile apps, and community-based channels, enabling rapid communication to at-risk populations. Thailand’s system emphasizes risk assessment, community preparedness, and multi-agency coordination, following international standards and lessons learned from major disasters such as the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.
The national government of Thailand and Pacific Disaster Center (PDC) have just operationalized a new early warning and hazard monitoring system called ThaiAWARE. The system will provide advanced decision support capabilities to the country’s disaster managers and help protect its 70 million residents and millions of visitors who make Thailand a vacation destination each year.
“Early warning is a really important function and one that has been proven to save lives and reduce loss from disasters,” said Regional Advisor Harlan Hale of USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance. “Unfortunately, from the impacts of climate change, especially in this region, we can expect more disaster events and perhaps more severe disaster events.” USAID provided critical funding support for the ThaiAWARE project throughout recent years. The ThaiAWARE supplies decision makers with real-time, dynamic information from both international and national sources and offers the world’s most advanced multi-hazard exposure modeling capabilities in a single platform. This comprehensive system for Thailand’s disaster managers enables them to jump into action which means a faster response. A faster response means a better response with fewer impacts and a speedier recovery.
“I believe the ThaiAWARE system will become an important tool in making Thailand resilient,” said Thailand’s Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) Director General Boontham Lertsukekasem, who expressed his appreciation for the USAID-funded project and highlighted its importance in enhancing early warning for Thailand. “We would like to express our sincere gratitude to USAID and PDC once again for your support.”
DDPM and PDC—a University of Hawaii Applied Science and Technology Center—celebrated the launch of the new ThaiAWARE system during a virtual ceremony on Dec. 15 marking the completion of the project. Various government and nongovernmental stakeholders attended, including representatives from DDPM, the National Disaster Warning Center (NDWC), the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance (AHA Centre), USAID and more.
It was during the aftermath of the devastating M9.0 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami of 2004 that the government of Thailand first partnered with PDC. “PDC was at ground zero during the formation of Thailand’s NDWC and we helped implement the nation’s first early warning system in partnership with the DDPM in 2006,” said PDC Deputy Executive Director Chris Chiesa. The initial system, now branded ThaiAWARE, was PDC’s first customized, remote deployment of DisasterAWARE in Asia, and only the second world-wide. “The system we just launched with the government of Thailand includes the new early warning and multi-hazard monitoring technologies offered in DisasterAWARE, as well as critical predictive hazard impact analysis tools and hundreds of new national data layers to support effective preparedness and response,” Chiesa added.
Chiesa explained that this is another important milestone in a longstanding partnership of more than 15 years, for which he anticipates exciting new developments in the coming year. He shared details of a pending U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA)-funded program that will leverage the ThaiAWARE system for public alerting.
“It will allow mass notification,” Chiesa said of the project planned for early 2022. “It will allow residents and visitors of Thailand to receive disaster notifications for tsunamis, floods, wildfires, COVID outbreaks. We’re extremely hopeful that we get this project started very soon.”
