"People's Party MPs" and representatives of Ayutthaya people petition Parliament to address flooding crisis

Photo: Thairath

(SAP News - Sukritta Tangteerawan)On 17th September 2025, at 10:58 AM at the Parliament House, Mr. Tawiwong Totawiwong, Member of Parliament for Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya from the People’s Party, along with representatives from the province, submitted a letter to the Spokesperson of the House of Representatives. They called on the government to resolve the ongoing flood crisis and provide aid to affected residents in Ayutthaya and nearby areas.

Mr. Tawiwong stated that currently, water is being discharged from the Chao Phraya Dam at a rate of 2,100 cubic meters per second, affecting over 20,000 households in Ayutthaya. Local residents are burdened with increased living costs, health problems, and numerous other issues due to the flooding. For these reasons, Mr. Taviwong and local representatives submitted the letter to urge immediate short-term solutions and long-term flood mitigation measures.

Mr. Tawiwong proposed four recommendations for the relevant parliamentary committees to take action.

1. Request the Governor of Ayutthaya Province to urgently declare all affected areas as disaster zones, enabling increased budget allocation for relief efforts.

2. Propose that the Office of National Water Resources and the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, through the Royal Irrigation Department, accelerate water drainage into designated floodplain areas.

3. Request the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, through the Royal Irrigation Department and local authorities in affected areas, to improve drainage efficiency in the Chao Chet floodplain, which currently faces bottlenecks due to multiple irrigation canals.

4. Call for the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives to urgently develop a water distribution plan for farmers for the planting season.

Voices from the People

Residents Living Along the River

A representative stated that residents have been suffering from the flood for over a month. One neighbor was bitten by a cobra while trying to retrieve belongings during the flood. She also mentioned that operations by the Royal Irrigation Department have caused conflict between people living inside and outside the flood barriers. She questioned, “Is this the quality of life for people living along the river? Who is going to take responsibility for our lives?”

Farmers Inside the Flood Barriers

A representative of local farmers voiced disagreement with the government's policy prohibiting crop burning. He urged the new government to cancel it, saying it had caused many farmers to lose their livelihoods because they couldn’t harvest in time.

He expressed that Ayutthaya has become a flood discharge zone to protect urban areas like Bangkok.

He added that the budget used to construct roads around the area should instead be redirected to compensate affected farmers, especially since many of them rent their land. The road construction has blocked natural water flow, forcing excess water into fields and worsening the situation. He argued that using this budget to support residents both inside and outside the flood barriers would help ease their suffering more effectively.

Residents Facing Annual Flooding

A resident who faces annual flooding said he has never seen any sustainable flood prevention measures. Children can’t go to school because many schools are underwater. Relatives are unable to live normally or go to work. Without work, people have to use their savings or borrow money, adding more financial pressure to their families.

He said no one cares about the impact on local lives, and even after deaths caused by the flooding, there has been no substantial support or long-term solutions. He concluded, “Those responsible for water management don’t need to do anything. Just come and live with us here until the floodwaters dry up. That’s all we ask.”

After submitting the letter to the Spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Mr. Tawiwong stated that since the government is still not fully formed, he hopes the House of Representatives can serve as a place to “alleviate suffering and promote the well-being of the people.”

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Source of material: official media /online news