ALOR STAR: A leading disaster risk expert urged the government to strengthen bilateral disaster response mechanisms following the devastating floods that recently struck southern Thailand and northern Malaysia.

Assoc Prof Dr Khamarrul Azahari Razak said transboundary climate risks were rising, making stronger cross-border communication, data-sharing and coordinated disaster response increasingly critical.

He said existing cross-border coordination platforms, particularly those focused on border safety and security, should be strengthened to incorporate disaster risk management.

"There are cross-border coordination committees looking at safety and security concerns along the (Malaysia-Thailand) border. "Increasing their capacity will benefit both governments, especially when responding to major disasters in the future," he told the New Straits Times.

"Beyond government agencies and official emergency responders, civil society organisations and NGOs are valuable assets for both countries, particularly during large-scale disasters," he said, adding that tourists should be encouraged to better prepare for potential emergencies when travelling.

"In terms of frequency and magnitude, the Hat Yai floods were reported as a once-in-300 years event.

"But the discussion should not stop at extreme weather alone. We must examine preparedness, response and the involvement of tourists, in this case Malaysians, who were affected in Hat Yai."

On Malaysia's disaster preparedness, Khamarrul said human casualty figures had declined in recent years but economic losses continued to rise.

He said official figures estimated economic losses in Hat Yai alone at more than US$400 million, while data for areas along the Malaysian side of the border had yet to be released. However, he expects overall losses to be high.

Khamarrul said Malaysia must pay great attention to protecting critical infrastructure and economic activities along the border, particularly business centres and the agriculture sector.

"Plantations and small and medium enterprises are among the most affected. We need to strengthen their capacity to recover, to bounce back and build back better," he added.