Navy confirms readiness for November's Royal Barge Procession

13 Sept 16:30 Key points summarised by AI

The Thai Navy confirms its readiness for the historic Royal Barge Procession on November 6, with on-water rowing training actively underway.
His Majesty the King will travel by royal barge to present Kathin robes at Wat Arun, with the event also commemorating Her Majesty Queen Suthida's 48th birthday.
Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Pairote Fuangchan stressed the importance of continuous practice to ensure the procession is conducted with dignity and elegance.
The grand event will feature 52 royal barges and involve approximately 2,200 personnel, with training progressing from rowing techniques to full-scale formation drills on the Chao Phraya River.

Sinking Bangkok: How historic floods exposed cracks in city’s disaster defences

Yesterday 13:27 Key points summarised by AI

Historic floods declared all 50 districts disaster zones, exposing Bangkok's extreme vulnerability to seasonal weather and the urgent need for upgraded defenses against climate change.
Governor Chadchart Sittipunt blamed critical bottlenecks in the city's drainage and canal networks for the severe flooding, which overwhelmed the system with over 300mm of rainfall.
City officials faced widespread criticism for failing to issue timely public flood warnings, despite having the technology and capacity to predict severe impacts hours in advance, hindering damage prevention.
Bangkok lacks a cohesive, implemented long-term flood defense strategy, with previous plans and necessary infrastructure upgrades remaining unimplemented for decades, despite recurring disasters.