Catastrophe in Hat Yai: Mayor faces massive criticism!

Catastrophe in Hat Yai: Mayor faces massive criticism!

In recent days, the fate of the city of Hat Yai, in Songkhla Province, has been marked by historic flooding. According to Bangkok Biz News, the affected areas have been suffering from flooding for five days and nights now. In several regions the water level is still considered to be threateningly high, while in other areas there is gradual improvement. Tragically, the estimated number of victims is over 100 people.

The mayor of Hat Yai, Narongporn Na Phatthalung, is facing harsh criticism. He is blamed for misjudging the situation and issuing warnings late. The governing mayor, who was only elected on May 12, 2025, has publicly apologized for his mistakes and asked for help. What is striking is that Narongporn, who has worked as a district manager in the past, failed to recognize the seriousness of the situation: on November 28, over 300 mm of rain fell in the region, triggering the floods.

Criticism of disaster management

The situation worsened dramatically when the red flags were raised as a warning signal after water levels were deemed safe as they were still three meters from the nearby river. This caused confusion among citizens who mistakenly saw a green flag. During the disaster, Narongporn coordinated the evacuation of 700 to 800 people as water levels commonly rose to the second floor of new buildings. At the same time, there were massive communication problems due to telephone and internet connection failures, which further complicated the situation.

The mayor has asked for support from other authorities and organizations to quickly rebuild the city and improve the quality of life of citizens. There are also initial considerations to make the city's infrastructure more resilient to natural disasters such as floods in the long term. Because, as the Climate Knowledge Portal states, the frequency and intensity of such extreme events are increasing due to climate change. These events, once rare, now pose a recurring threat to many communities.

A look into the future

Recent years have shown that the challenge of natural disasters in Thailand, including floods, is increasing. This not only causes material damage, but also has a serious impact on people's lives. Airports, roads and other critical infrastructure were frequently affected and the economic losses are enormous. Understanding the connections between climate change and natural disasters is becoming increasingly important to better serve affected communities.

How the situation in Hat Yai will develop remains to be seen. But one thing seems certain: the city is faced with the task of strengthening its resilience to increasingly extreme weather conditions in order to better deal with future disasters, according to Thairath.