131 major fires in Bangkok between January and May

14 Sept 01:54 Key points summarised by AI

Bangkok recorded 131 fires between January and May, with January (39) and April (32) experiencing the highest monthly incidents.
Bang Khun Thian district reported the highest number of fires during this period with 9, followed by Bang Kapi and Prawet with 7 each.
Beyond the five-month count, June has already seen severe incidents, including a pub fire, a community blaze displacing over 100 residents, and a fatal fire at Sampeng Market resulting in two deaths.
Authorities are currently investigating the Sampeng Market fire to determine its cause and assess the structural safety of affected buildings.

Government to start building Chainat-Pasak-Gulf water diversion canal next year

Today 14:58 Key points summarised by AI

Thailand's government will launch the "Chainat-Pasak-Gulf" water diversion canal project in fiscal year 2027, a seven-year mega-infrastructure initiative.
This permanent structural solution aims to mitigate recurrent central plains flooding by diverting water from the Chao Phraya River directly into the Gulf of Thailand, significantly reducing flow to major cities like Ayutthaya and Bangkok.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul justifies the long-term investment as a means to reduce future damages and fiscal burdens, contrasting it with the 40-50 billion baht spent annually on short-term flood relief.
Concurrently, the Prime Minister instructed officials to expand drainage capacity into the Tha Chin River and swiftly remove water hyacinths to improve immediate flood management.