Transforming Thailand’s Western Lower Chao Phraya River basin with multifunctional blue–green corridors

For example, the 2011 monsoon floods along the Chao Phraya River and its tributaries caused an estimated USD 46.5 billion in damages and losses. These floods affected 66 provinces, inundated around 4.14 million hectares, impacted more than 13 million people and led to 680 deaths (Impact of the 2011 floods and flood management in Thailand).

Aging infrastructure struggles with the effects of more frequent and severe weather events, exacerbating economic and environmental vulnerabilities that often impact marginalised and disadvantaged groups most acutely.

We’re working with Thailand’s Royal Irrigation Department (RID) to develop strategies that combine conventional engineering solutions and nature-based solutions. The aim is to transform the basin with multifunctional blue–green corridors that mitigate flooding and support agriculture and eco-tourism activities.

The project is funded by the Australian Government under the Australian Water Partnership.

It builds on a 3-phase seminar program Dr Jianbin Wang (our Chief Innovation Officer) delivered to RID on the practical application of NbS:

• Delivering multifunctional urban water systems through integrated green and grey infrastructure (October 2024)
• Polder strategy for integrated water management and the real-world application of NbS in managing water and environment in a polder city (December 2024)
• Polder flood mitigation strategy (January 2025).

“To date, the business-as-usual approach to flood infrastructure in the Western Lower Chao Phraya River Basin has focused on engineering solutions without adequately addressing social vulnerabilities,” said Dr Wang. “Climate-resilient flood control measures such as offline wetlands, paddy fields used as water buffers and sediment reuse offer a cost-effective option that addresses flooding and supports the economic livelihood of local communities.”

“As well as increasing awareness of climate-resilient water management practices, our aim is to build capacity for local practitioners to develop, implement, operate and maintain such infrastructure.”