SONGKHLA - Residents along a major canal draining storm water from Hat Yai city are again living on the edge, with last year's damaged floodwall still unrepaired ahead of the return of the annual wet season in the South.
People in tambon Tha Chang of Bang Klam district are worried about being flooded yet again, after the catastrophic flooding of 2025. The damaged concrete embankment along Khlong Ror 1 is supposed to protect their homes.
Tambon Tha Chang is near the end of the canal, where water flows out into Songkhla Lake. The tambon was severely inundated last year, when the canal could not absorb the huge volume of water that overwhelmed Hat Yai city.
The flood damaged sections of the concrete wall along the canal and roads running parallel to it. Parts of the wall collapsed, leaving still urepaired holes that floodwater will again pour through if the water level rises.
Jien Aromrit, 77, lives beside the canal and recalled what happened last year. The water at the front of her house was about a metre deep, and twice that depth at the back.
Ms Jien has recently joined with other Tha Chang residents in calling on city authorities to quickly repair the damage, before heavy rain again pounds the southern region.
Boonjong Aromnarit, 43, said if the flooding this year is of the same magnitude as last year, the people of Tha Chang will again be at risk and have to evacuate their homes, again. (continues below)
The Ror 1 canal - officially named Khlong Bhuminartdhami - was a royal initiative of the late King Bhumibol. It was designed to absorb water from U-tapao canal, quickly release it into the lake and save Hat Yai city from floods. U-tapao canal passes through the southern economic hub of Hat Yai.
Khlong Ror 1 extends about 20 kilometres from Hat Yai district to Songkhla Lake.
Sitthiporn Petchsri, who is in charge of all irrigation projects in Songkhla, said 14 kilometres of the embankment were damaged by the strong currents last year. The Royal Irrigation Department estimated the repair cost at 1 billion baht, he said.
Mr Sitthiporn said the department had requested budget funding for the work from the present and previous governments, but had still not received approval.
"I can confirm that the irrigation project office in Songkhla did not turn a blind eye to this problem. We will repair the wall immediately upon receiving the needed funds," he said.
Hat Yai city will host a mobile cabinet meeting on June 8-9. Mr Sitthiporn said he hoped the essential budget funding would emerge from the meeting.
