Local Government Leadership in Disaster Management: Lessons Learned from the 2025 Songkhla Flood

Abstract

This academic article aims to draw lessons on the roles and competencies of local government organization (LGO) leaders in disaster management from the flood in Songkhla Province between 19 and 28 November 2025, which affected 635,423 people in 16 districts. A documentary analysis and synthesis was conducted on 37 documents: 3 reports and data from relevant agencies, 7 news reports and policy analyses, 5 laws and policy documents, and 22 academic works. Crisis leadership served as the main analytical framework across the phases of the disaster.

The findings show that local leaders were strong in mobilizing communities and volunteers, but four systemic weaknesses remained: early forecasts were not translated into action, warnings were delayed, command lacked unity, and local governments lacked the authority and resources to make decisions in the early stage. The article proposes a framework for developing LGO leaders' competencies in five dimensions: 1) risk analysis and planning, 2) communication and information management, 3) command and decision-making, 4) network coordination, and 5) good governance and learning.

The findings can guide the design of training curricula for local executives, trigger criteria for early action upon warnings, the adjustment of central and local roles in the early command of disasters, and after-action learning mechanisms in every LGO.