Thai PM Urges Southerners To Follow Official Warnings;

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PM urges southerners to follow official warnings; Cabinet to consider assistance regulations.

SURAT THANI, April 3 - Although heavy rains have stopped and floodwater has started to recede in some areas in the South, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Sunday urged southerners who have been living in a nightmare for almost two weeks to pay attention to disaster warnings. and to cooperate with government officials.

Speaking during his weekly TV and radio address, held at a hospital in the southern district of Phunphin in Surat Thani province, Mr Abhisit said the current flooding has impacted 10 provinces in the South and although rain had stopped falling in Surat Thani in the past two. days, water runoff from nearby Nakhon Si Thammarat province and other neighbouring areas had deteriorated the flooding situation in the province and concerned officials would have to speed up assisting affected people.

Some people affected by the severe floods, which began on March 23, were reluctant to leave their homes as they wanted to watch over their belongings and that was a wrong decision, Mr Abhisit said.

"People from now on should pay attention on (government) warnings and strictly follow them in order to minimise losses," Mr Abhisit said, adding that although rains had stopped and floodwater started receding, landslide problem could occur and officials would continue issuing warnings and. in some cases people would have to evacuate their homes.

Mr Abhisit said the Cabinet will on Monday consider regulations on government assistance to flood-stricken people whose properties were damaged from the disaster. The "special assistance" request will be forwarded by the Minister attached to the Prime Minister's Office Satit Wonghnongtaey after holding meetings with concerned government agencies.

Mr Satit, in his capacity as the emergency committee chairman, has said earlier that the committee would seek Cabinet approval for an allocation of Bt1.5 billion to help flood-stricken people.

The military has already dispatched about 4,000 officials to help affected people. About 600 army engineers are due to arrive in devastated southern provinces Monday and start repairs on damaged roads and houses. (MCOT online news).

-- TNA 2011-04-03