Humanitarian aid experts say that poor coordination between the government and international organisations, including the United Nations, is hurting flood relief efforts.
Diplomatic sources said that while Bangkok had not made a formal request for UN assistance in the country's flood relief efforts, some technicians from nearby countries with expertise in disaster relief were flown in.
After not being given any work to do for two weeks, the technicians returned home.
Jackie Pollock, director of the MAP (Migrant Assistance Programme) Foundation, a Chiang Mai-based non-governmental organisation, said a similar lack of coordination is evident with other agencies.
"It's sad that we don't see much coordination from agencies with expertise such as the Thai Red Cross and other international players," she said.
Ms Pollock said migrant workers in particular were suffering as a result of this lack of coordination.
Ms Pollock said inter-governmental agencies such as the International Organisation of Migration should play a bigger role in monitoring the flow of migrant workers who lost their jobs due to the flooding of industrial estates and small and medium-sized enterprises.
Andy Hall, with Mahidol University's Institute of Population and Social Research, echoed Ms Pollock's concerns. Mr Hall said hundreds of thousands of flood-hit migrant workers have been neglected.
Only one shelter was set aside for migrant workers, the Labour Ministry's evacuation centre at Wat Rai Khing in Nakhon Pathom province.
However, they were recently moved to Ratchaburi province amid fears of possible flooding at the Nakhon Pathom centre.
UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon is scheduled to visit flood victims during his scheduled visit to Thailand on Nov 16 and 17.
Mr Ban is expected to pledge support for the government's relief and rehabilitation efforts during his visit, diplomatic sources said.
The sources said that despite Bangkok not formally requesting assistance, the UN's resident agencies last month held talks with officials from the foreign, defence, agriculture and cooperatives and labour ministries.
They talked about help they could offer the government as it responds to the flood crisis.
One of these agencies, Unesco, offered to help rehabilitate flood-hit world heritage sites, especially in Ayutthaya and Phitsanulok provinces. The UN's Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (Escap) also backed the flood-relief operation.
Escap executive secretary Noeleen Heyzer met Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra at the Flood Relief Operations Command at its former headquarters at Don Mueang airport late last month.
The UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has donated nearly US$100,000 (3.06 million baht) to the Thai Red Cross to purchase survival supplies.
Unicef delivered 20,000 mosquito nets to the Public Health Ministry.
The UN Refugee Agency has provided funding as well as 5,000 solar-powered lanterns and 1,300 plastic sheets.
The World Health Organisation disbursed aid from the Southeast Asia Region Health Emergency Fund to the Emergency Medical Institute of Thailand to support response workers, and buy life jackets and first-aid kits for affected families.
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