Thailand Live Sunday 22 Apr 2012

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DDPM not worried about drought but flash flood

BANGKOK, 22 April 2012 (NNT) – The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) is not worried about the drought problem Thailand has been facing. Instead, it is more concerned about the possibilities of flash floods in some areas.

DDPM Director-General Viboon Sanguanpong said that it has been approximately a month since the drought situation has hit Thailand.

So far, more than 25,000 villages in 42 provinces have officially been declared drought-hit areas.

Mr. Viboon stated that six provinces, including Khon Kaen, Chiang Rai, Nakhon Phanom, Petchaburi, Yasothon and Si Sa Ket are the hardest-hit areas, with more than 100,000 farmers suffering the annual disaster.

However, he has assured that all involved state and private agencies have been lending all necessary help to those in need, as the government has called for .

The DDPM Chief is positive that the situation will improve soon. He said that the arrival of the cold weather front from China is hitting the hot air mass in Thailand, and rain is now forecast in many parts of the country.

However, Mr. Viboon said that all DDPM offices have been instructed to closely monitor weather updates from the Meteorological Department and to watch out for possible flash flood after more than 5,000 people in Krabi were affected by heavy rain and flood from the mountain.

-- NNT 2012-04-22

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Summer thunderstorms with isolated showers, gusting winds and hail expected over few days, especially in Northeast & North: weather agency /MCOT

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RT@newley: Hot enough for ya, Bangkokians? 99 degrees F at 4 pm today. http://t.co/LQqxG6mo (37C)

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RT@RichardBarrow: Feeling hot today? Ice cream Festival is now on at Central Plaza Rama 3 until Thursday. 100 different flavours.

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YINGLUCK'S JAPAN VISIT

Thai PM observes Japan's bullet train before returning home

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Sunday observed the operations of Japan's Shinkansen high-speed train and local products businesses before returning home from Japan late Sunday.

She is visiting Japan over April 19-22 to attend the Japan-Mekong Summit in Tokyo.

The prime minister was welcome by Seijiro Hatttori, deputy governor of Fukuoka prefecture, on her visit to the Hakata train station to be briefed on high speed train operations and security on Sunday morning.

She later travelled by Shinkansen bullet train to Kumamoto prefecture to see a local products project and to visit the landmark Kumamoto castle.

Yingluck said she wanted to learn more about development of the local products project after she saw it once when it started, aiming to improve Thai local products and promoting Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) businesses.

The prime minister is scheduled to arrive back at Suvarnabhumi Airport before midnight on Sunday.

-- The Nation 2012-04-22

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RT@RichardBarrow: Mukdahan Province: 62 of the dogs, rescued from the smugglers, have died from the heat so far http://t.co/3LhXnCdE

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Summer storms expected in North, Northeast

BANGKOK, April 22--- The Meteorological Department warned of possible summer thunderstorm in Thailand’s northern and northeastern regions in the next two days.

The weather warning issued on Sunday indicated a high pressure system originating from China prevailed over the upper part of the country with hot weather covering Thailand.

The hot weather was forecast to cause summer storms with possible isolated thunderstorms, gusting wind and hail, especially in the Northeast and the North on April 22 through 23.

Residents were warned to beware of severe weather.

Meanwhile, southwesterly winds caused scattered thundershowers over the Andaman Sea and the South.

In a related development, a summer storm struck Buri Ram’s Krasang district, destroying 50 houses in five villages, roadside lampposts, barns and a local child care centre as well as felling trees.

Twelve out of the 50 houses were completely destroyed by the storm, according to Manop Juprakhon, chief of Khokkhamin Subdistrict Administrative Organization. Damage assessment and housing repairs are underway.

Meanwhile, in the northernmost province of Chiang Rai, severe drought continued.

Military personnel of the local Armed Forces Development Command used a backhoe to dredge a waterway in Chiang Saen district to ease the drought problem and expand the water retention area.

So far, the three-month long drought in Chiang Rai has caused damage to about 300,000 rai (over 118,600 acres) of farmland and affected some 140,000 residents.

In Lamphun, relevant officials also used a backhoe to dredge up four major rivers — the Kuang, Lee, Ta and Ping rivers—as well as canals as the province has also been facing drought. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-04-22

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Thailand Live Monday 23 Apr 2012