More Heavy Rain Forecast !

[Buff-horns]

More unseasonal rain in Bangkok

BANGKOK, Dec 27 (TNA) - The Meteorological Department Tuesday predicted more unseasonal rain for Bangkok during the next two days, while the first 20 tonnes of emergency fodder has been shipped to feed cattle deprived of food for over a month due to floods in the southern provinces.

The rainfall the capital received Monday night was predicted as the heaviest for Bangkok this week, and it will continue -- in lesser amounts on Wednesday and Thursday, according to the weather bureau.

The weather service did not indicate whether the capital's New Year countdowns would be threatened by rain, but early reports suggest that the unusual rainfall will be spent by Saturday.

The rains which swept Bangkok Monday night were reportedly caused by uncertain weather conditions combined with strong winds from the Andaman Sea. Rain is also predicted in both the North and South, but will begin to lessen towards the end of the week, Dec 29 to Jan 1.

As part of relief operation to cattle farmers in the flooded south, the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives on Tuesday transported the first 20 tonnes of dried grass by train to Songkhla's Ranod district, where at least 20,000 cattle have been severely deprived of grass for grazing since the floods inundated wide areas of grassy farmland for over a month. Another 180 tonnes of dried hay will be sent to some other flood-affected areas for cattle feed, said Songkhla provincial animal husbandry officials.

More than 500 cattle have died of drowning, food shortages and sickness since heavy floods submerged the southern provinces for almost two months.

As the 2006 festive New Year countdown in Songkhla's Hat Yai district draws near, the accommodation reservations made by tourists has not fully reached the target due both to the floods in Hat Yai and Malaysia's northern part that might have made Malaysian and Singaporean tourists reluctant to decide whether to cross the border to celebrate New Year in Hat Yai, said local officials. (TNA)-E009

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