Hat Yai was flooded every rainy season. The city is criss-crossed by canals and the rapid and largely unplanned urban development had obstructed the water flow. The King set up a Royal project to dig new bypass canals to carry the water directly to the sea, so the problem was greatly reduced and the city of Hat Yai has never experienced a major flood since.
“No one in Thailand has worked on the irrigation longer and harder than the King. We are very lucky to have lived during his reign.”