The Thai government will hold talks with Myanmar to address illegally built dwellings along the Mae Sai River as part of efforts to resolve the flood situation in Chiang Rai's Mae Sai district, according to Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai.
The discussions were prompted by severe flooding in the district, which has left communities covered in a thick layer of mud after the waters receded.
Mr Phumtham, who is also the defence minister, said the relief operations centre will meet on Tuesday to discuss collaboration with Myanmar. He said the Department of Treaties and Legal Affairs under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, along with the Royal Thai Armed Forces, have already coordinated with Myanmar to initiate talks.
Mr Phumtham said settlement encroachments on both sides of the Mae Sai River would likely need to be dismantled to ensure proper water flow and reduce the risk of future flooding. He noted it might require relocating the communities that live in the encroachments.
When asked whether relocating the communities would require land expropriation to accommodate the residents, he said relocation would be considered only as a last resort when no other solutions are available.
According to Mr Phumtham, as a short-term measure, the Mai Sai River will be dredged to increase water retention capacity after satellite images revealed that the waterway has narrowed to just 20 metres.
In Chiang Mai, over 700 workers have been deployed to help with rehabilitation efforts following the second wave of flooding that left five people dead.
Certain low-lying areas in Saraphi district remained flooded, and irrigation authorities were accelerating the pumping out of water.
The Chao Phraya dam has lowered the amount of water released downstream, which could be a good sign for provinces along the river, including Greater Bangkok.
The Royal Irrigation Department (RID) said the dam discharged 2,000 cubic metres per second (m³/s) around noon, 47m³/s less than the morning report. The reduction will make the water level in Sing Buri, Ang Thong and Ayutthaya drop.
The dam will continue to hold back water to mitigate problems for people downstream, the RID added.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is closely monitoring the flow of the Chao Phraya. The capital and its vicinity are on flood alert until next week, as the river's rising water could meet high tides from the Gulf of Thailand and more rain behind the dam. The BMA said the water levels at the monitoring stations in Bang Khen, Phra Nakhon, and Bang Na districts remained below the flood barriers yesterday.
RID official Chavalit Chalorm said the monitoring station in Bang Sai district in Ayutthaya, which determines water situations in Greater Bangkok, registered the water at 1,850m³/s, which is only half of the Chao Phraya's full capacity.
"Residents in Bangkok and the vicinity can rest assured that there will be no flooding in your areas," he said.