Nan floods leave two dead as Deputy Prime Minister Yotsanan Wongsawat deploys above 700 soldiers to clear mud, reopen roads and inspect damaged homes. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul heads north, promising maximum compensation and emergency funds.

Deputy Prime Minister Yotsanan Wongsawat has launched a full-scale recovery drive in flood-hit Nan, mobilising over 700 soldiers, military engineers and heavy machinery. Two people are dead as crews clear mud, reopen Pua’s roads, wash flooded homes and survey severe structural damage. Medical and welfare teams are also reaching traumatised families, elderly residents and people with disabilities. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul arrives on Sunday to review the northern emergency, promising maximum compensation and central funds.

Deputy Prime Minister Yotsanan Wongsawat leads flood recovery efforts in Nan as PM flies to province
Deputy Prime Minister Yotsanan Wongsawat sends 700 soldiers after Nan floods kill two. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul heads north as crews clear mud and inspect homes. (Source: Matichon)

Deputy Prime Minister Yotsanan Wongsawat has mobilised more than 700 soldiers for flood recovery operations in Nan province. The deployment centres on Pua district, where receding water left homes and roads covered in mud. Military engineers have also arrived with heavy equipment from Phitsanulok. In parallel, police are keeping vital routes open for relief teams and machinery.

The Royal Irrigation Department has sent water trucks and cleaning crews into badly affected communities. Teams are washing mud from homes in Jedeechai and Ban Rong Ngaeng subdistricts. Separately, public works officials will inspect damaged buildings and prepare assessments for restoration. The combined operation marks a shift from emergency response towards organised recovery.

Two people have died during the flooding in Nan. Houses, roads and community areas have also suffered damage. However, the reports provide no total for damaged homes or displaced residents. The government is now concentrating personnel, equipment and funding on the affected district.

Anutin heads to Nan for recovery talks as government promises full compensation for flood victims

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul will travel to Nan on Sunday, August 23. He will meet provincial officials at Nan Provincial Hall. Notably, he will not tour the flooded communities during the visit. Operational units are already deployed across the affected areas.

Instead, Mr Anutin will examine the work already completed and identify further central government support. The meeting will also review flood conditions across northern Thailand. As part of this, officials will present outstanding damage, funding needs and operational requirements. The government’s stated objective is the fastest possible restoration of affected areas.

Mr Anutin promised compensation under existing government regulations. He also ordered financial assistance for the families of the two people killed. In response, officials must ensure those families receive the maximum available compensation. The Prime Minister did not disclose the payment amounts.

He spoke at 7.45 pm on Saturday, August 22. The remarks came at Military Airport 2, Wing 6, in Don Mueang. Mr Anutin is also Minister of Interior. Accordingly, he has direct responsibility for provincial preparations and emergency arrangements.

Provincial budgets will initially cover relief and compensation costs. If those resources prove insufficient, further money will come from central government. Crucially, reserve funding is available through the Prime Minister’s Office. Other government agencies can also release resources for the operation.

Provinces prepare emergency plans as Nan shifts from flood response towards extensive restoration

Mr Anutin said every province had prepared contingency plans for possible flooding. Governors in high-risk provinces were ready to declare emergency areas. Consequently, local officials could expand operations if conditions deteriorated. Central agencies could then reinforce provincial teams with additional resources.

Reports received by the Prime Minister indicated that conditions in Nan were improving. Even so, extensive cleaning, inspections and restoration remain unfinished. Floodwater has left heavy mud deposits inside homes and across local roads. As a result, many properties cannot be fully inspected until cleaning crews reach them.

Mr Anutin said he had coordinated with senior ministers working in Nan. They included Deputy Prime Minister Yotsanan Wongsawat and Agriculture Minister Suriya Jungrungruangkit. Deputy Interior Minister Jetset Thaiseth was also involved. By his account, those ministers had maintained a continuous presence in the area.

Their reports covered flood conditions, relief operations and compensation arrangements. They also detailed the work of provincial and district agencies. At this stage, improving conditions allow greater attention to cleaning and restoration. That work includes road clearance, house washing, structural inspections and welfare support.

Yotsanan directs Nan recovery after ministers report improving conditions and extensive damage

Earlier, Mr Yotsanan chaired a response meeting at the Nan Provincial Incident Command Centre. The Nan governor, district officers and relevant agencies participated. Some attended in person, while others joined by video conference. The meeting reviewed current conditions and monitored assistance for flood victims.

Mr Yotsanan chaired the talks as head of the northern flood and drought mitigation committee. He is also Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation. During the session, agencies reported on military deployments, machinery and community assistance. They also outlined progress involving damaged homes and vulnerable residents.

The military operation includes 40 engineers deployed from Phitsanulok province. They brought machinery and heavy equipment for mud and debris clearance. On the ground, their equipment will also reopen routes obstructed by flood deposits. Those routes are needed by water trucks, inspectors and other government teams.

Another 550 personnel have been deployed from the 38th Military Circle. An additional 80 personnel came from the 34th and 35th Military Circles. Taken together, those specified military contingents account for 670 personnel. Other soldiers supporting the response raise the overall mobilisation above 700.

More than 700 soldiers and heavy machinery mobilised as Nan begins clearing thick mud and debris

Mr Yotsanan ordered military commanders to coordinate closely with Pua district. Personnel will be distributed according to conditions in individual communities. In practice, troops and machinery will move as access improves. Resources will also shift when district officials identify new requirements.

The Deputy Prime Minister ordered continuous expansion into other affected locations. District officials must identify communities needing troops, equipment or cleaning crews. Going forward, deployments will change as floodwaters recede and damage becomes clearer. The operation will therefore follow local assessments rather than remain fixed.

Pua district remains the main focus of the mobilisation. Receding water has exposed deep mud inside homes and across surrounding areas. Roads also require clearance before normal movement can resume. Meanwhile, residents cannot begin full repairs until properties are cleaned and inspected.

Police have been instructed to manage traffic throughout Pua district. Officers must keep routes open for military vehicles, machinery and water trucks. For that purpose, traffic control will support the movement of every major recovery unit. It will also help officials reach affected residents without unnecessary delays.

Military engineers need sufficient road access for their heavy equipment. Irrigation crews also require clear routes into mud-covered communities. Beyond that, public works inspectors must enter buildings after cleaning finishes. Police coordination will help connect those separate stages of the operation.

Troops spread across Pua communities as police clear vital routes for machinery and relief teams

The Royal Irrigation Department has dispatched water trucks and personnel into Pua. Crews are cleaning flooded homes in Jedeechai subdistrict. Similar work is also under way in Ban Rong Ngaeng. In both areas, teams are washing mud from houses and surrounding spaces.

Water trucks provide the volumes required for large-scale cleaning. First, teams must remove heavy deposits from floors and other internal areas. Afterwards, inspectors can assess walls, foundations and damaged sections more reliably. The cleaning operation therefore forms the first stage of housing restoration.

Some properties suffered more than surface contamination. Mr Yotsanan has ordered additional surveys by provincial public works officials. Under that order, the Provincial Department of Public Works and Town and Country Planning will inspect buildings. Its officers will record damage and identify properties requiring restoration.

The inspections are intended to provide a comprehensive account of building conditions. Officials will enter homes after floodwater and mud have been removed. In addition, they will identify properties needing urgent intervention or extensive repairs. Their findings will shape the next phase of recovery work.

Mr Yotsanan inspected the affected area on Friday, August 21. That visit gave him a direct view of the damage before Saturday’s meeting. He expressed particular concern about families whose homes were severely damaged. Many cannot resume normal living conditions despite the receding water.

Water trucks clean flooded Pua homes as inspectors prepare detailed building damage surveys

Against this background, he ordered psychological assistance alongside home repairs. The Ministry of Social Development and Human Security must accelerate its response. Local agencies have received the same instruction. At the district level, officials will also coordinate health support for affected families.

The Pua district chief will work with Somdej Phra Yuparat Pua Hospital. Medical teams will travel into affected communities and assess residents. Where necessary, they will monitor people requiring continued mental health support. Families with severely damaged homes will receive particular attention.

Mr Yotsanan connected the restoration of communities with residents’ mental well-being. For this reason, he ordered every agency to accelerate practical recovery work. That programme includes mud removal, building inspections and home restoration. Medical and social support will proceed alongside those operations.

The Ministry of Social Development and Human Security also reported progress involving vulnerable groups. Its work covers elderly people and residents with disabilities. Officials have already entered Silalang and Woranakorn subdistricts. There, teams are providing care and assessing immediate needs.

Some vulnerable residents may require additional assistance during cleaning and displacement. To address this, welfare officers will examine individual needs within affected communities. They can also refer cases to medical or local government agencies. At the same time, recovery crews will continue restoring access to homes.

Medical and welfare teams move into Pua as Yotsanan orders support for vulnerable flood victims

The Nan response now involves military commands, police and irrigation officials. Public works inspectors, welfare officers and medical teams are also participating. Each organisation has been assigned a specific operational role. Nevertheless, the stages require close coordination because the work is interdependent.

Soldiers and engineers must initially clear roads, mud and debris. Police must then maintain access for trucks, machinery and official vehicles. Once access is secured, irrigation crews can wash houses and surrounding areas. Public works officers can subsequently complete detailed building assessments.

Alongside this work, welfare and medical teams are supporting affected families. Their responsibilities include elderly residents, people with disabilities and badly affected households. District officials are coordinating deployments and reporting local requirements. Above them, the Nan incident command structure is directing the provincial response.

The operation has moved beyond the height of the flooding. Yet the receding water has revealed the scale of the clean-up. Mud remains a major obstacle inside homes and across community spaces. Damaged buildings must also be checked before full restoration begins.

Military and civilian agencies combine as Nan shifts from emergency operations to full flood recovery

More than 700 soldiers are being used to accelerate that process. The force includes personnel from three military circles and engineers from Phitsanulok. Heavy machinery has strengthened their ability to clear difficult locations. In turn, district coordination will direct those assets towards areas with the greatest needs.

Mr Yotsanan ordered support to extend beyond the current cleaning sites. As access improves, teams will enter other affected communities. From there, officials will adjust personnel and equipment according to recorded damage. The mobilisation will continue changing throughout the recovery operation.

Housing restoration depends upon accurate surveys after the mud is removed. Provincial inspectors will therefore follow cleaning teams into affected areas. On another front, welfare officers will continue checking vulnerable residents. Hospital teams will also monitor people requiring further health support.

Funding will become increasingly important as the operation enters its restoration phase. Provincial money will cover assistance and compensation under existing rules. Should that funding fall short, Mr Anutin said central resources would remain available. The Prime Minister’s Office and other agencies can provide additional money.

The Prime Minister did not announce an overall recovery budget. Nor did he provide a total estimate for property or infrastructure damage. Sunday’s meeting will instead examine completed spending and outstanding requirements. Provincial officials can then request further central support.

Nan expands its clean-up as central government reserves stand ready to support damaged communities

Mr Anutin said his visit would focus on decisions and coordination. He will hear directly from officials managing the ground operation. In a wider review, the meeting will examine responses across northern Thailand. The discussions will not be confined to damage inside Nan.

The Prime Minister said all provinces had emergency plans ready. High-risk governors could declare emergency areas when conditions required action. This arrangement allows local responses to begin without waiting for broader national measures. It also permits central agencies to reinforce provinces when local resources become inadequate.

Mr Anutin also addressed the mobile Cabinet meeting planned for Songkhla later in August. He was asked whether ministers would examine flood relief funding there. The question followed the establishment of an investigative committee. Still, the Prime Minister said the agenda would extend well beyond disaster relief.

The Cabinet will monitor the flood situation and related government measures. It will also discuss economic stimulus and infrastructure development. Elsewhere on the agenda, ministers will examine agriculture and southern border security. The Songkhla meeting will therefore cover a broader regional programme.

For Nan, the immediate focus remains the recovery campaign in Pua district. Soldiers must clear mud, debris and obstructed routes. At the same time, irrigation crews must wash flooded houses and surrounding areas. Building inspectors must then establish which properties need repairs or restoration.

Anutin prepares wider northern flood review.  Songkhla Cabinet meeting takes on a broader focus

Police must keep recovery routes moving throughout the operation. Medical and welfare teams must also reach residents requiring direct help.

Within this framework, district officers will distribute more than 700 soldiers across affected locations. Deployments will change as cleaning and inspection work advances.

The two deaths have placed compensation among the immediate government priorities. Mr Anutin has ordered maximum available payments for both families. Other affected residents will receive help under existing regulations. So far, the exact value of those payments has not been announced.

The reports do not state the full number of flooded or damaged homes. They also provide no overall figure for displaced residents. Nonetheless, officials have confirmed severe housing damage in several Pua communities. They have also identified needs among elderly people and residents with disabilities.

Police, medical teams and soldiers press Pua recovery as compensation becomes an urgent priority

The military deployment supplies the main workforce for the current clean-up. Civilian departments, however, control several essential parts of the recovery. Irrigation crews provide water trucks, while police maintain access. Public works, welfare and hospital teams handle inspections, care and monitoring.

Mr Yotsanan has ordered the operation expanded as further needs emerge. He has also demanded faster surveys of damaged houses.

Ex PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra calls on Pheu Thai MPs and ministers to aid Northern flooding victims
One dead in severe flooding in Nan as government mobilises to help residents impacted by the deluge

For its part, the central government has promised additional funding if Nan’s budget proves insufficient. Mr Anutin will review those requirements at Nan Provincial Hall.

The Sunday meeting will determine what further support Nan requires. Officials will present completed measures, remaining damage and requests for additional resources. Until then, soldiers will continue clearing mud throughout Pua district. Irrigation, police, public works, medical and welfare teams will work alongside them.

Join the Thai News forum, follow Thai Examiner on Facebook here
Receive all our stories as they come out on Telegram here
Follow Thai Examiner here

Further reading:

Ex PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra calls on Pheu Thai MPs and ministers to aid Northern flooding victims

One dead in severe flooding in Nan as government mobilises to help residents impacted by the deluge

Big Joke repeats his startling claims about the true scale of deaths in the Hat Yai flooding disaster

Stinging attack on Prime Minister Anutin from former top cop Gen Surachate Hakparn over Hat Yai deaths

Prime Minister Anutin’s best laid political plans sunk by Hat Yai unfolding disaster as failures emerge

Man last seen starving in Hat Yai found dead on Sunday by rescuers, another fatality from the disaster

Ebbing waters in Hat Yai revealed dead bodies as the disaster in the southern city sparks public anger

33 deaths and still rising as southern floods threaten to overwhelm the government’s dithered response

Rising ‘Water of Death’ sees Songkhla and Hat Yai facing worst flooding in 300 years say some observers

Northern Mekong River provinces battling the most severe flooding in 40–50 years after massive rainfall

People’s Party on campaign but on guard against potential legal complaints to oversight agencies

Wealthy young People’s Party leader aims to create a technology-driven and efficient welfare state

Launch of the People’s Party with ‘Teng’ or Nattapong Ruangpanyawut as its new leader not Sirikanya Tansakul