A fisherman sits near a sign warning of strong winds and powerful waves as he gazes out to the sea at Songkhla. Many local fishing boats are sheltering in Koh Noo and Koh Maew because of the 3-4 metre swell.

Following a meeting with state agencies on the problem, Sompol Panmanee said His Majesty was concerned about the big waves that had hit people's homes and government facilities along the south-east coastline.

His Majesty's Private Affairs Division officials were ordered to inspect the damage in a bid to find long-term solutions and provide affected residents with aid granted by HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, he said.

The Marine Department had been assigned to build an 80-metre-long dam to block strong waves 100 metres inland to strengthen beaches in areas with problems in Nakhon Si Thammarat - from Ban Na Saton village in Hua Sai district to Ban Na Khot village in Pak Phanang district.

Construction would begin this year with a Bt365 million budget, Sompol said.

Officials were now studying further structures to stop erosion to structures from Ban Na Khot to Ban Laem Talumpuk, he said.

The next step would be moves by the Marine and Coastal Resources Department to help formulate a three-phase plan, including short-term aid to severely-hit areas and a mid-term plan to solve problems in severely-eroded areas by growing mangroves and coastal forests.

The long-term plan would be getting help from related agencies for a strategic plan to sustainably and continuously prevent and reduce coastal erosion, he said.

There was also a project to build the Uthokwipak Prasitthi Water Gate to reduce the shortage of fresh water, and combat floods in Pak Phanang. Four canals would be dug to drain floodwater quickly in the event of disasters.

And to prevent saltwater inflow to farmlands, earthen dikes would be built to separate freshwater along the eastern coast and Pak Phanang Bay's north-east. The project would benefit over 480,000 rai of farmland, he said.