BANGKOK, Thailand – Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation Professor Dr. Yoschanan Wongsawat, together with Deputy Minister of Digital Economy and Society Nan Boontida Somchai, presided over the signing of a four-agency memorandum of understanding at Government House to launch a unified water management platform.
The initiative aims to resolve the fragmented warning systems seen during flood relief in Nan province, which led to delayed decisions. The deputy prime minister stated that consolidating data into a single map lets all agencies work from a unified perspective, enabling the government to issue clear, consistent warnings instead of conflicting messages. The deputy digital economy minister added that centralizing national data will improve the government’s ability to mobilize personnel, respond quickly, and reduce disaster damage.
This joint initiative integrates meteorology, geo-informatics, and artificial intelligence into the National Water Data Center. The Thai Meteorological Department will provide official weather and storm warnings. The Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency will supply satellite imagery and spatial data for risk assessment. The Hydro Informatics Institute will monitor telemetry stations and forecast rainfall 24 to 48 hours in advance. The Big Data Institute will oversee data governance and use artificial intelligence to power a centralized public warning dashboard at www.thaiwater.net/new4all.
The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that the goal is not only to adopt advanced technology, but also to strengthen the country’s ability to identify risks quickly, enable timely evacuations, and protect lives and property. (NNT)
