Transferability of International Flood Recovery Governance to Hat Yai, Thailand: A Qualitative Comparative Study

Objective: Post-disaster recovery is increasingly guided by Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) and Build Back Better (BBB) frameworks, yet recovery in many middle-income urban settings remains focused on restoration rather than future risk reduction. This study examined how governance mechanisms from international flood recovery cases could inform context-sensitive reforms in Hat Yai, Thailand.Material and Methods: We used a qualitative comparative policy-learning design combining a structured synthesis of peer-reviewed literature on flood recovery governance in Japan and the Netherlands, a review of Hat Yai-specific literature, and in-depth interviews with eight residents affected by the November 2025 flood. Data were analyzed using an integrated framework combining PDNA, BBB, and policy learning across five governance dimensions.Results: Recovery in Japan and the Netherlands was supported by institutionalised governance mechanisms linking recovery with long-term flood risk management. In Hat Yai, recovery remained centred on emergency coordination and short-term restoration despite strengthened preparedness and community resilience. Across five dimensions, mechanisms with the potential for contextual adaptation were identified and synthesised into three domains: (i) institutionalised recovery governance and policy learning, (ii) risk-aligned recovery financing and spatial planning, and (iii) institutionalised participation and protection of vulnerable groups. Unlike the reference cases, Hat Yai remained more dependent on emergency structures, household adaptation, and informal community networks.Conclusion: Governance transferability should be understood as contextual adaptation rather than direct policy replication. Strengthening recovery governance, risk-aligned financing and spatial planning, and inclusive participation could advance long-term flood risk reduction in Hat Yai and similar middle-income urban settings.