(MENAFN) Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul issued a public apology for the "state's failure" to shield communities devastated by catastrophic flooding that has claimed over 160 lives, media outlets reported Sunday.

Anutin apologized, during a recent field visit, to "every resident he met" for the government's inability to protect them from the disaster, vowing improvements as he prepared to revisit the worst-hit Hat Yai district in Songkhla province for urgent assessments Sunday, media reported.

Acknowledging the necessity for "stricter" evacuation alerts, he confirmed authorities will evaluate conditions to develop a comprehensive package of soft loans and financial assistance for impacted residents.

Saturday's updated casualty count revealed flooding deaths reached 162, with 126 fatalities concentrated in Songkhla.

Over 1 million households nationwide have suffered flood damage.

The deluge, the most severe in a quarter-century, left thousands stranded inside their homes earlier this week.

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