Governor Rattaphon Naradisorn said the province has been tracking weather data with the Northern Meteorological Centre, which found that a monsoon trough crossing upper northern and upper northeastern Thailand, combined with a strong southwest monsoon, is likely to bring heavy to very heavy rain to parts of the north during 6th–8th August, with Chiang Mai among the provinces expected to be affected. Risks include flash floods, overflowing riverbanks, standing water and landslides, especially in areas near mountain slopes, waterways and low-lying land. The province has issued urgent orders to all district chiefs, local administrative organisations and related agencies to closely monitor rainfall and water levels, particularly where rain is accumulating continuously, and to report data in real time around the clock so authorities can assess the situation and warn residents promptly.
All units have also been told to prepare personnel, monitoring teams, disaster relief machinery, vehicles, tools and rescue equipment for round-the-clock operation so they can respond immediately when incidents occur. High-risk areas have been instructed to prepare evacuation plans, with particular attention to vulnerable groups such as elderly people, patients, children and people with disabilities, moving them to safe areas if the situation looks likely to worsen.
For natural tourist attractions such as waterfalls and caves, and areas near waterways or mountain slopes, officials have been told to issue warnings to tourists and residents if a risk assessment shows danger, and to consider temporary closures immediately, with staff maintaining strict watch until conditions improve.
Every district has also been told to prepare temporary shelters with sufficient capacity for disaster victims, working together with local administrative organisations, sub-district and village heads and related agencies to prepare food, drinking water, medicine and other necessities in case of emergency evacuation.
“Prevention and advance warning to the public is our top priority right now. Chiang Mai province has integrated the work of every sector so that we can help residents quickly and reduce the impact of disasters as much as possible,” the governor said.
The Chiang Mai Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office has assigned officers to monitor the situation around the clock, working with volunteer networks, civil defence volunteers, community leaders and local partners, as well as the Region 10 Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Centre in Lampang, to support monitoring, warnings and assistance to residents.
Residents, especially those in high-risk areas, are urged to follow official announcements closely and strictly follow officials’ instructions for their safety. Anyone affected by the situation can call the 1784 disaster hotline, available 24 hours a day.
