Posted on September 8, 2025
Thailand and Malaysia have agreed to systematically dredge the Golok River mouth to improve water flow and protect local communities as well as the local ecosystem.
The initiative was reached during the 41st meeting of the Thai-Malaysian Joint Technical Working Group (JTWG) on the improvement of the Golok River mouth.
The event was co-chaired by Royal Irrigation Department (RID) deputy director-general Wittaya Kaewmee and his Malaysian counterpart, Ir Haji Mohd Azmin bin Hussin, on Aug 28.
The meeting also focused on exchanging technical data and reviewing key issues, including survey results, monitoring and evaluation of the river mouth that straddles the two countries.
Both sides conducted a joint hydrological survey and agreed to adopt Thailand’s rating curve, a graph or table that shows the relationship between a river’s water level (stage) and its discharge (streamflow) at a specific point, for flood warnings in the Golok basin.
A major topic was the dredging of the river mouth, where sediment deposits have exceeded healthy limits for two consecutive monsoon seasons.
Malaysia will submit technical reports covering underwater surveys, dredging methods and environmental safeguards.
It will also put forward plans for constructing wave barriers and embankments.
These aim to stabilise riverbanks and protect the river’s ecosystem.
The cooperation stems from a 1997 memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Thailand and Malaysia to maintain the navigability of the Golok River mouth, preserve its condition, and reduce flooding in areas around it.
The 103-kilometre river forms part of the border between Narathiwat province and Kelantan state and is a vital resource for local communities, supporting daily use, agriculture and transport.
Past sedimentation problems at the river mouth between 1975 and 1987 caused frequent floods and riverbank erosion, disrupting local livelihoods.
