Flood Management in the Context of Climate and Land-Use Changes and Adaptation Within the Chao Phraya River Basin

Floods are a regularly occurring form of natural disaster in Thailand. They commonly occur during the monsoon season. Although the Chao Phraya River basin is strategically important because it accommodates several primary sectors that form the backbone of the Thai economy, it is vulnerable to flooding. The causes of flooding in this basin are both natural and human-induced. Climate and land-use changes are believed to be factors that elevated the severity of recent flood events. In 2011, Thailand suffered the worst floods in half a century; this is ranked as among the top five costliest natural disaster events in modern history. Thailand has developed a number of structural and non-structural measures to prevent devastating flood impacts. This paper reviews the flood management and adaptation measures within the Chao Phraya River basin, serving as a stepping stone towards sustainability.