(MENAFN) Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul publicly apologized for what he described as the “state's failure” to safeguard communities devastated by severe flooding, which has claimed more than 160 lives, according to reports on Sunday.

During a recent on-site visit, Anutin apologized to “every resident he met” for the government’s inability to prevent the scale of destruction, promising stronger measures and immediate action. He is scheduled to return to Hat Yai district in Songkhla province — one of the hardest-hit areas — to conduct urgent evaluations, as reported by local sources.

He stressed the importance of implementing “stricter” evacuation warnings and said authorities will review the overall damage to assemble a full support package, including soft loans and financial aid for affected families.

The death toll rose to 162 as of Saturday, with Songkhla province alone accounting for 126 fatalities. More than one million households nationwide have been impacted by the disaster.

The current flooding, considered the worst the country has experienced in 25 years, left thousands stranded in their homes earlier in the week.

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