FLOOD DISASTER PREPAREDNESS: GUIDELINES FOR THAILAND (PART 1)

Abstract

Floods are a frequent disaster that causes widespread loss in many regions of the world. The severity of these events is increasing due to climate change, which is causing more extreme rainfall and flash floods. In Thailand, floods over the past several decades have had significant impacts on lives, the economy, society, and the education system. This reflects the vulnerability of areas and communities to disaster risks. Education on flood risk reduction is therefore a crucial mechanism for minimizing losses and enhancing societal adaptability. Schools, in particular, play a crucial role in developing students' knowledge, skills, and awareness in preparation for readiness. This article aims to provide guidelines for school administrators and teachers in high-risk areas to create risk reduction learning programs, prepare students, and then disseminate this knowledge to parents and the community. The article presents the importance of risk reduction for schools and the roles of administrators, teachers, and stakeholders in risk reduction. An integrated approach to flood disaster learning focuses on applying learning concepts and theories to reduce flood risk, these include disaster education, systems thinking, resilience-oriented learning, Protection Motivation Theory, experiential learning, and transformative learning. These perspectives provide essential knowledge and conceptual foundations for administrators, teachers, educational personnel, academics, and researchers to design learning experiences that prepare individuals and communities to anticipate, respond to, and manage flood disasters, while strengthening long-term community resilience.