The Policy Design on Preparation and Coping with Flash Flood Mekong River Basin Entrance Inequality Deduction Form Disaster: A Case Study of Mueang Nong Khai District Nong Khai Province, Thailand
Authors: Ariyasirichot Wachirawat 
Published: April 2021

The objective of this research is (1) to raise awareness and prepare for flash flooding among people in the Mekong region which promotes inequality reduction from disasters by using Muang Nong Khai District, Nong Khai Province as a model area, and (2) To develop a policy proposal by designing a joint policy for flash flood preparedness in the Mekong region to promote inequality reduction from disasters. This research is action research in conjunction with policy design focusing on brainstorming. Group discussions with in-depth interviews. The research results were found that: [A] People have a basic understanding of (1) the nature of the disaster, and (2) the experience of the flash flood disaster encountered by the WiangKhuk Sub-district people is about remembering the severity Looking at the floods that have been associated, but in terms of preparation, community leaders see together that they want to develop into a system and plan for a joint rehearsal in the future. [B] Flash flood response weaknesses are (1) Weaknesses for early warning, evacuation, and flash flood drills, (2) Weaknesses of flash flood plans for areas that have not yet been formally planned, And (3) weaknesses in communication. [C] The interesting common policy design guidelines that should be developed are (1) Flash flood knowledge development, (2) direction and coordination for emergency operations, (3) agreements that Formal and informal for flash flood response, (4) resource mobilization focused on the certainty of emergency work. [D] The policy recommendations are: (1) Appropriate policy guidelines for flash flood preparedness in the Mekong River Basin should include precautions, evacuation, flash flood drills, and community-level plans to tackle flash floods. (2) The public sector, civil society, and communities should jointly develop policies to prepare for flash floods, that is, to develop flash flood knowledge to keep up with the changing circumstances of the local context. (3) The key policy to deal with flash floods to help reduce inequality is to develop community capacity or community potential. This is a collaboration of community organizations, the government sector, civil society in the area, which together with driving a community-level response plan. [E] The operation recommendations include (1) the community must be the host to invite government organizations such as the Provincial Disaster Prevention and Mitigation and the Mekong Community Organization Council to drive community-level planning. (2) Organizing a network meeting on flash flood response such as communities, Provincial Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Agency, and Mekong Community Organization Council should hold meetings at least twice a year to understand the situation and implement measures to deal with flash floods in a timely manner. (3) Flash flood drills should be conducted at least once a year in order to build mutual learning among communities and networks in flash flood preparedness, it is also an analysis of the weaknesses each year and can be used to develop the capacity and capacity of the community to handle the flash flood in the future.