BANGKOK, Thailand – Deputy Permanent Secretary for Transport Punya Chupanit chaired a meeting with Muto Sachio, Senior Director of the International Projects Division, Policy Bureau, Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), to discuss Thai–Japanese cooperation on flood prevention and mitigation. Representatives from the Department of Highways, Department of Rural Roads, and the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning also attended. The meeting took place on January 27, 2026, at the Ministry of Transport.
The Deputy Permanent Secretary stated that the meeting focused on practical cooperation between the Ministry of Transport and MLIT on flood prevention and mitigation, including floodway development. This aligns with the existing Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) on planning, policy, and traffic technology previously discussed by both parties.
The Senior Director noted that Japan prioritizes flood management to reduce disaster risks, given its island geography and short, steep rivers, which can lead to rapid runoff and severe flooding. He explained that Japan has invested in water-management infrastructure, including large-scale river engineering projects to protect key economic areas. However, climate change has increased heavy rainfall and sea levels, requiring forward-looking flood-control planning that integrates both structural and non-structural measures. These include river dredging and expansion, water retention, diversion systems, and efficient dam management.
A key concept is the development of floodways to divert excess water from high-risk areas, often integrated with transport infrastructure such as roads and expressways to maximize land use. Japanese case studies show that roads serving as flood barriers or evacuation routes can significantly reduce flood damage, which aligns with Thailand’s floodway development approach, especially in flood-prone Bangkok.
The Ministry of Transport is renewing the MOC with MLIT, which will expire on May 24. Both parties agreed to expand cooperation to include Road Safety Management, and the proposal is under consideration. (NNT)
