Emergency Funds Boosted For Uttaradit

[Lite Beer]

FLOODING CRISIS

Emergency funds boosted for Uttaradit

By The Nation on Sunday

476,000 in 14 provinces hit by floods; warning to people in North

Extra emergency funds were provided to Uttaradit province yesterday, boosting the total to Bt150 million, to tackle flood concerns in the wake of Friday's forest-runoff and landslide in Nam Pat district. The death toll in Tambon Nam Phai stood at three with four people still missing. The landslide destroyed 70 homes, four roads and six bridges.

Nationwide, 14 provinces remained inundated and the death toll was 72, while warnings of forest runoff and landslides were issued in Nan, Phrae, Uttaradit, Sukhothai, Phitsanulok, Phetchabun and Loei provinces.

Deputy Interior Minister Thanis Thienthong and PM's Office Minister Kritsana Seehalak went to Uttaradit's Ban Huai Deu yesterday to inspect the situation and distribute Bt30,000 to the owners of 23 destroyed homes, plus Bt50,000 in assistance to families of the deceased. They also gave 300 affected villagers Bt1,000 and a relief bag each.

Kritsana checked on efforts to search for the missing, while assigning local administrative organisations to dispatch trucks with drinking water. Affected villagers were being housed in three temporary shelters as the damage was assessed, and the province's Bt50 million emergency fund was beefed up to Bt150 million.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said before leaving on a visit to Brunei yesterday that she had put Thanis and Kritsana in charge of flood-relief efforts, and offered condolences to relatives of the landslide victims. She instructed officials to survey other areas to see if they were at risk, investigate the origin of logs caught up in the landslide, assist victims and co-ordinate the search for the missing. She said she would visit the area in person after she returns from her overseas trip.

Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva planned to visit the landslide victims this morning to distribute relief items and financial donations, party spokesman Chawanon Intrakomolsut said. He asked the government to clarify how the flooding would affect its rice-mortgage scheme, scheduled to start next month, as many farmers' crops had been ruined.

Chatpong Chatphuti, deputy director of the 24/7 Emergency Operation Centre for Floods, Storms and Landslides, said 476,775 people had been affected by floods in 65 districts of 14 provinces, with 3,681,912 rai of farmland damaged.

Chatpong said torrential rain was forecast from yesterday through to tomorrow in the Northeast, Central and Eastern regions, so people living near mountains and waterways should brace for floods and landslides.

The Weather Bureau said rainfall was forecast for 80 to 90 per cent of the country, including an 80-per-cent chance of rain in Bangkok and surrounding areas.

The National Disaster Warning Centre yesterday urged residents of Tak, Phichit, Phetchabun, Lop Buri, Saraburi, Chaiyaphum, Buri Ram, Sakon Nakhon, Nakhon Ratchasima, Kalasin, Sa Kaeo, Rayong, Ranong and Phang Nga to be on alert for heavy rainfall and possible floods and landslides up till tomorrow.

In Phetchabun's Mueang district, water flowed down from the Wang Thong Mountain Range to submerge 800 homes in nine villages at 3am yesterday, leaving many roads impassable, under 60cm of water.

In Phitsanulok's Wang Thong district, 59 villages were under up to one metre of water after the Wang Thong River overflowed yesterday, the third time it has burst its banks this month. The Phitsanulok Disaster Office said six people had died since the floods began, with 82,556 residents and 553,255 rai of farmland in 798 villages of nine districts affected. Assistance totalling Bt232 million has been approved for seven districts so far.

In Phichit's Taphan Hin district, the Nan River overflowed, inundating about 500 homes in Tambon Phai Luang.

The Thai Red Cross Society yesterday distributed 2,000 relief bags to flood victims in Chai Nat's Sapphaya, Mueang and Manorom districts and urged people to make donations to Siam Commercial Bank savings account number 045-3-04190-6 (call 0 2251 7853-6 or 1664 for details).

In Sing Buri's In Buri district, portions of the Bt170-million flood barrier on a 2km stretch of the Chao Phraya collapsed at around 3am yesterday, flooding In Buri Market and some 1,000 homes.

-- The Nation 2011-09-11

[Lite Beer]

Abhisit travels to Uttaradit to aid flood victims

BANGKOK, 11 September 2011 (NNT) - Incoming Democrat leader Mr. Abhisit Vejjajiva travels to Uttaradit province to provide assistance for the victims of the massive flooding and mudslide. On route, he revealed that he was not aware of Mr. Thaksin Shinawatra’s travel plans to Cambodia and pointed out that it is the government’s duty to responsibly apprehend the situation

As for the re-approval of the Mr. Thaksin’s red Official passport by Mr. Surapong Tovichakchaikul, the Minister of Foreign affairs, Mr. Abhisit stressed that the government should uphold the regulatory framework and further proceed with the matter with a legislative conscience.

Mr. Abhisit further thanked the people for their efforts in aiding the flood victims with donations to the Thai Volunteers Foundation formed by the Democrats in order to swiftly deal with situation.

-- NNT 2011-09-11