Death toll in SAO building collapse climbs to 32

13 Sept 22:02 Key points summarised by AI

The death toll from the SAO building collapse in Bangkok has risen to 32, with 62 individuals still unaccounted for as search operations persist.
Rescuers face formidable obstacles, including a 10-tonne cement block and tangled rebar, impeding access to potential survivors, and no new life signs have been detected since yesterday.

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.