Pak Chong District Of Nakhon Ratchasima Declared Disaster Area

[george]

Pak Chong district of Nakhon Ratchasima declared disaster area from critical flooding

NAKHON RATCHASIMA: -- Rescue officials are searching for one person missing in a flash flood which hit Northeast Thailand's Pak Chong district in Nakhon Ratchasima province Saturday, an area now declared a disaster area, after more than 200 homes were hit by raging floodwaters.

Water run-off from Khao Yai National Park swept into villagers' homes in the gateway district of Nakhon Ratchasima province, and provincial authorities tried to dispatch food to flood victims, even as rescue teams initiated a search for the unidentified missing person.

A relief centre was established at the Pak Chong district office. Rescue and emergency workers said they expected that the floodwaters could recede within a few days if there was no additional rain.

The disaster area was announced throughout the district to facilitate the relief mission to the victims.

In Tak province on Thailand's northwest border with Myanmar, flash floods raged into a village, causing more than 50 homes to be at least partially under water and causing much damage. Farmlands and crops were also heavily damaged.

Border patrol police distributed food and other necessities, donated by His Majesty the King, and stockpiled for such emergencies.

In the Northern province of Phetchabun, flash flooding from the Khao Kor hills -- caused by continued heavy rain, hit the main Saraburi-Lom Sak road in the provincial seat.

A section of roadway extending about one kilometre under water 60 centimetre deep waters caused difficulty for vehicles on the road.

Small vehicles were unable to travel the road, and emergency workers were mobilised to help drivers who became stranded or otherwise needed help.

Rising water inundated neighbourhoods and communities in Phetchabun's Tha Phon municipality, and some 1,000 sandbags were given to local residents in an attempt to prevent further floodwater encroachment.

Meanwhile, further south, heavy rainfall also hit the southern province of Surat Thani. Chaitut Boonpupuntunti, chief of Khao Sok National Park in Surat Thani, said he had decided to close an important tourism destination within the park, for safety purposes to prevent last year's tragic accident from reoccurring.

Seven foreign tourists and their local guide died on October 13 when they were trapped inside a cave by a flash flood and drowned.

-- TNA 2008-09-13

[Scott]

My thoughts are with the folks in those areas. I've got friends who live in Pak Chong--hope they are OK.

[astral]

My sympathies to the people affected.

When will Thailand learn that disasters like this are directly related to deforestation..........

[dclaryjr]

My thoughts are with the folks in those areas. I've got friends who live in Pak Chong--hope they are OK.

I own a house in the area--my wife will be on the phone in a few hours.

[TJAN]

My thoughts are with the folks in those areas. I've got friends who live in Pak Chong--hope they are OK.

I own a house in the area--my wife will be on the phone in a few hours.

You mean your wife owns a house in that area.

[davehowden]

Tjan,

Maybe he has Thai Citizenship?

[dclaryjr]

My thoughts are with the folks in those areas. I've got friends who live in Pak Chong--hope they are OK.

I own a house in the area--my wife will be on the phone in a few hours.

You mean your wife owns a house in that area.

Yep, I'm just paying for it.

[dclaryjr]

Tjan,

Maybe he has Thai Citizenship?

Nope.

I thought I can own a house--not the land it's built on.

[Thanyaburi Mac]

Pak Chong district of Nakhon Ratchasima declared disaster area from critical flooding

NAKHON RATCHASIMA: -- Rescue officials are searching for one person missing in a flash flood which hit Northeast Thailand's Pak Chong district in Nakhon Ratchasima province Saturday, an area now declared a disaster area, after more than 200 homes were hit by raging floodwaters.

Water run-off from Khao Yai National Park swept into villagers' homes in the gateway district of Nakhon Ratchasima province, and provincial authorities tried to dispatch food to flood victims, even as rescue teams initiated a search for the unidentified missing person.

A relief centre was established at the Pak Chong district office. Rescue and emergency workers said they expected that the floodwaters could recede within a few days if there was no additional rain.

The disaster area was announced throughout the district to facilitate the relief mission to the victims.

A section of roadway extending about one kilometre under water 60 centimetre deep waters caused difficulty for vehicles on the road.

Small vehicles were unable to travel the road, and emergency workers were mobilised to help drivers who became stranded or otherwise needed help.

-- TNA 2008-09-13

Yep, we were in it Friday morning. We're driving south, inbound, on the normally outbound lanes, that's the outbound traffic on the side road moving really slow. This is at Khaeng Khoi about km 122.

Mac