Thailand Live Monday 17 Oct 2011

[webfact]

2nd flood barrier at Navanakorn Industrial Park repaired but evacuation still continues; warnings about flood water being contaminated /

PM asks soldiers to reinforce flood barrier for BKK to boost residents' confidence /

/TAN_Network

[webfact]

Food for elephants

The Nation

BP Foods Co Ltd, a subsidiary of Charoen Pokphand Group which is the sole producer of elephant food, today visited an elephant park in Ayutthaya which has been stranded by the floods.

It donated 10 tonnes of food for over 100 elephants in the park, believed to last for 1 month.

-- The Nation 2011-10-17

[webfact]

Public Health Ministry reveals nearly 100,000 flood victims develop mental problems

BANGKOK, 17 October 2011 (NNT) - Ministry of Public Health has reported that there nearly 100,000 flood victims are suffering from mental health problems and that it is preparing a long-term mental health recovery plan to help rehabilitate the patients.

According to Deputy Minister of Public Health Torpong Chaisarn, the survey conducted among the flood victims has revealed that 92,310 of the people have suffered from accumulated stress; 3,706 among whom suffer from high-level stress, 5,313 from depression, 727 are suicide-prone, and 1,091 need special treatment. The Ministry of Public Health has therefore prepared a long-term plan to treat those encountering mental problems by launching a project titiled "Bite the bullet and pull through." The Department of Mental Health has been ordered to collect data on mental health and the plights of the flood-affected regions, process the data and adapt them to the plan suitable for each region before proceeding with mental health recovery services.

As for the short-term mental treatment, Mr Torpong insisted that he will start a campign to take comedians to entertain the people in the flood-affectd areas. During the previous floodings, the campaign was warmly welcomed by the citizens, judging from the smiles on their faces right after the show; which apparently helped reduce stresses and took their minds off the flood problems.

-- NNT 2011-10-17

[webfact]

October OTOP fair is postponed indefinitely

BANGKOK, 17 October 2011 (NNT) – The Interior Ministry has decided to postpone the October mid-year OTOP fair indefinitely on account of the heavy floods.

According to the Community Development Department, the fair has to be put off because the severe floods have hit many provinces. A large volume of OTOP products have been damaged.

Flooding has also cut off many transport routes and put the public in no mood for shopping.

The Community Development Department will revive the fair within two months if the situation improves .To help relieve OTOP producers’ hardship, the Department will provide producers in affected areas with booths free of charge when the fair reopens.

The postponed fair is scheduled to be held between October 19-23.

-- NNT 2011-10-17

[webfact]

Wat Phra Dhammakaya was a safe area where 1,500 cars had been parked. These cars need to be moved now /via@RichardBarrow

[webfact]

Flood Aid Streams In from Overseas

With the flood crisis in Thailand still critical in many areas, various countries have been sending help.

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Thani Thongpakdi said that in the past week, a number of countries and international organizations have sent aid to Thailand to assist with flood relief.

This includes 1.8 million baht in cash from Denmark via the Danish ambassador to Thailand, one million baht in cash via the Thai Red Cross from the Swiss government and 1.7 million baht in cash from the German government via the Thai Red Cross to purchase rescue boats and necessity items for flood victims.

The German ambassador to Thailand also donated bedding items to the evacuation center for flood victims at Thammasat University's Rangsit campus.

In addition, Singapore's Mercy Relief organization has donated 70,000 bags of ready-made food and 12 boats for rescue efforts.

-- Tan Network 2011-10-17

[webfact]

Honda (Thailand) to resume production of motorcycles Oct19;no date set for Honda vehicles yet /via@Biz_TheNation

[webfact]

Consumers Advised Not to Overstock Supplies

The Wholesaler and Retailer association has been warning people not to panic and over-purchase essential supplies.

The supply shortage is expected to only be a temporary situation due to disrupted transportation during the floods.

Meanwhile, the instant noodle manufacturer, Ma Ma, has increased production by 30 percent.

Wholesale and Retailer association president, Somchai Pornrattanajareon said the shortage of goods is a temporary situation that occurred because many routes have been cut off by the floods.

The president urged consumers not to panic by overbuying necessity items.

The association also asked manufacturers not to raise goods prices in an effort to help flood victims.

Thai President Food president, Suchai Rattanajiajareon affirmed that the instant noodle maker, MaMa has been producing up to 30 percent more each day than what they normally produce.

The president gave assurances that consumers will have an adequate supply of goods.

The Tesco Lotus president, Chris Bush, confirmed that the company never keeps product inventories, nor will they raise goods prices.

He stated that the shortage of goods is happening because transportation has been halted by the floods.

23 Tesco Lotus express shops, and 2 regular branches have been affected by the inundation.

The company has spent 22 million baht to organize flood rescue centers nationwide as well.

CP All and 7-Eleven vice president, Suwit Kingkaew said the 7-Eleven product distributors in Bang Bua Tong, Suvarnnabhumi, Khon Kan, and Surat Thani have not been affected by the flooding, and are open as usual.

Recently, 7-Eleven joined hands with the Prime Minister's Office and are accepting donations at 7-Eleven service counters nationwide to help flood victims.

-- Tan Network 2011-10-17

[webfact]

PATTAYA NEWS

Pattaya Jet Ski and Speedboat operators join flood-relief efforts in Central Thailand:

Body of murdered child washed up on beach in Jomtien:

Transsexual caught up in armed robbery in East Pattaya:

[webfact]

Dhammakaya Temple starts evacuating monks to its Korat and Loburi centres. /via@nnanews /via@veen_NT

[webfact]

As of today 113 bank branches in flood-affected areas are closed: Bank of Thailand. /via@Biz_TheNation

[webfact]

RT @veen_NT: Correction: Dhammakaya Temple "PREPARES" for evacuation of monks to its Korat and Loburi centres.

[webfact]

SET index closed at 971.63, up 15.82; Bt/USD30.49; GBP48.14; AUD31.37; EUR42.26; CAD30.17; HKD3.92; SGD24.05; JPY39.19

[webfact]

Temporary custom service point opened at Dong Mueang

The National Flood Relief Centre yesterday instructed the Custom Department to open the temporary custom service point at Bangkok's Don Mueang Airport's Terminal 1 Gate 5 for flood-affected business operators from Hitech Industrial Estate and Bang Pa-in Industrial Estate in Ayutthaya starting from October 18 until the flood situation was back to normal.

-- The Nation 2011-10-17

[webfact]

Tapwater unaffected: MWA

The Nation

Metropolitan Waterworks Authority (MWA) officials Monday reassured people in and around Bangkok there was no need to stockpile drinking water as MWA waterways had not flooded and tapwater could be produced as normal. Bottled water has sold out in some areas and is needed for flood victims.

The report was issued after MWA Governor Charoen Passara inspected Pathum Thani's Samlae water pump station and Khlong Rangsit's siphon pipes and instructed that a wall be strengthened to withstand rising flood water.

-- The Nation 2011-10-17

[webfact]

Mail stuck at Nakhon Sawan post office

About 5,000 letters and packages for residents in Nakhon Sawan have been stuck at the local post office (region 6) for a month due to floods in the Central region town, officials said Monday.

Office head Somchai Jinda said the post office only had one boat - so residents should come to pick up their mail by boat, or they would keep it for them until the flood situation ended and postmen were able to deliver it to them again.

-- The Nation 2011-10-17

[webfact]

Flood toll update: 307 dead (since July), 3 missing, 27 provinces affected: Disaster Prev. and Mitigation Dept. /via@tukky_nt

[webfact]

1,900 temples nationwide, with over 20,000 monks, affected by floods. Initial damage at Bt600mn. /via@Biz_TheNation

[webfact]

PM Expresses Grievance over Navanakhon Flooding

Follow this link:

[webfact]

Air Force may relocate aircraft if base flooded

The Nation

The Air Force has mapped out a contingency plan to relocate its aircraft if Don Mueang air base is flooded, its spokesman Air Vice Marshal Monthon Satchukorn said Monday.

Monthon was speaking after Nava Nakorn Industrial Estate was flooded and water was spreading to Sai Mai and Rangsit. If Bangkok's Sai Mai is inundated, there is a strong possibility that the inundation would also spread to Don Mueang.

"In case of flood at Don Mueang, Air Force planes would be redeployed at air bases across the country," he said.

-- The Nation 2011-10-17

[webfact]

20 bank branches close today

The Nation

A total number of 129 branches are temporarily closed today, according to Bank of Thailand, as flood impacts on Pathum Thani are escalating.

In the morning, financial institutions reported the closure of only 113 branches.

Of total, 59 branches are in Ayutthaya (compared to 56 on Friday), while the number of closed branches in Pathum Thani rose from 14 branches in the morning to 31. The rest are located in Nakhon Sawan, Nonthaburi, Chai Nat, Singburi, Lop Buri and Bangkok (two in Lat Krabang).

-- The Nation 2011-10-17

[webfact]

PM apologizes for failure to protect Nava Nakorn Industrail Estate from flooding

Follow this link:

[webfact]

Germany extends support to Thailand

The Nation

The German government will support the reconstruction and conservation of the historical district of Ayuttaya, by sending archaeologists and other experts from Germany and by providing 100,000 euro or Bt4.2 million.

The support was announced by German Ambassador Rolf Schulze during his meeting with Education Minister Worawat Auapinyakul on Friday.

The damages incurred to the historical monuments in Ayuttaya can only be closely examined after the floods have recessed and the area has fallen dry again. According to experts, it will take weeks until details on the extent of the damages will be available and specific reconstruction and conservation projects can be determined - but there is no doubt that the damage will be considerable due to the water-sensitive nature of the brickwork that the temples are made of.

Earlier on Friday, Ambassador Schulze had handed over a 40,000 euro cheque to Phan Wannamethee, Secretary General of the Thai Red Cross Society, to be used to buy two rescue boats and other items of humanitarian aid.

The ambassador also visited Thammasat University's Rangsit Campus.

-- The Nation 2011-10-17

[webfact]

Updates on flood situation can be obtained from Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation at 1784. /via@Radio_Thailand #ThaiFloodEng

[webfact]

OTOP Fair postponed

The Nation

The OTOP fair scheduled on October 19-23 is postponed indefinitely on account of the heavy floods.

The severe floods have hit many provinces and a large volume of OTOP products have been damaged. Flooding has also cut off many transport routes, according to the Interior Ministry’s Community Development Department.

-- The Nation 2011-10-18

[webfact]

AFP: Thailand approves minimum wage hike: minister

Follow this link:

[webfact]

to continue:

Thailand Live Tuesday 18 Oct 2011

Follow this link: