PM visits flood-hit areas in Phitsanulok, Udon Thani

BANGKOK, Aug 28 - Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Sunday has visited flood-stricken areas in Phitsanulok in the North before leaving for the northeastern province of Udon Thani later in the day.

Ms Yingluck led her team to Bang Rakam and Phrom Phiram districts in Phisanulok on Sunday. She was received by Public Health Minister Witthaya Buranasiri.

Mr Witthaya said the ministry has offered free medical services at three locations in the two districts and distributed 3,000 medicinal kits to flood victims.

More than 300 mobile teams of doctors worked daily to offer medical treatment in flood–stricken areas. The accumulated number of patients was reported at 58,423.

The minister ordered 1,030 mobile teams to be on alert and keep monitoring water-borne diseases in flood-hit areas around the clock.

He said more than 3,000 patients have received mental health counseling services and 639 of them were suffering from depression with 144 others at risk of committing suicide. Public health officers and health volunteers will conduct follow-up visits until they are fully recovered.

Education minister Worawat Ua-apinyakul, who has also accompanied the prime minister, said several schools have been damaged by flooding, while the Education Ministry planned to seek additional budget from the government to help students.

Ms Yingluck will later travel to visit flood victims in Udon Thani in the Northeast.

She also said regarding Thai people in the US as Hurricane Irene hit the Northeast United States that no Thai nationals in the US have been reported affected by the hurricane so far, but she ordered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to cooperate with US authorities to be prepared to help them.

Meanwhile, floods and rain in Thailand continue in many provinces on Sunday. In the northern province of Chiang Mai, Deputy Governor Chuchart Keelapaeng said he ordered district chiefs of Chaiprakarn and Mai Ai districts to help flood victims after deaths were recently reported from landslide.

Chaiprakarn district chief said that more than 1,400 households have been affected by flood since August 26. Five houses were damaged. One man, Chankaew Bualoang, 51, was swept away and killed by flood while he was riding a motorcycle.

In Mae Ai district, a landslide hit a house, killing 13 pigs and damaging a car. No one was killed or injured in the incident.

In the southern province of Phangnga, heavy overnight rains caused an earth dam in Kapong district to collapse, leading to flood waters overflowing into the Thakua Pha municipality and nearby areas. Flood and landslide warnings were issued to residents in disaster prone areas. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-08-28

No chopper rides for this lady as former PM used to do.

Maybe, just maybe, she may shine some luster on her surname.

There is plenty of graphic evidence showing her wading in high water and now visiting the flooded areas on the ground.

This approach will enable her to connect with the people and hopefully instill a sense in all that a positive change is possible in Thailand. If it is for the greater good of the country, so be it!