Cold Wave To Grip 54 Northern, Northeast Provinces Into February

[george]

Cold wave to grip 54 Northern, Northeast provinces into February

BANGKOK: -- Thailand's Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department warned that 54 provinces will be hit by the cold snap until February 2007 while it plans to allocate a budget of Bt31 million to provide warm clothes and blankets to affected people.

Anucha Mokhaves, Director-General of the Department said a strong high pressure system from China will sweep through Thailand's northern tier during December and January, and on into February. The cold spell will hit the north and the northeast, and is expected to grip both regions in frigid weather.

The department forecast that cold snap will affect some four million people in 54 provinces.

According to the report, until earlier this week, only nine provinces experienced the cold wave. The authorities estimated that as many as 156,000 persons in Chiang Mai, Phayao, Chiang Rai, Lampang, Sukhothai, Uttaradit, Khon Kaen, and Nong Bua Lam Phu have been affected by the cold weather.

The department set aside the budget of Bt31 million to supply people affected by the cold snap with warm clothing and blankets.

Any province severely affected by the cold wave can request for advance payment of Bt300,000. The department has an overall budget of Bt50 million to assist any province that needs additional advance payment.

--TNA 2006-11-30

[The Dan Sai Kid]

I live in the foothills of Doi Suthep and it's still not that cold yet. I wish it would hurry up though!

[taxexile]

The department set aside the budget of Bt31 million to supply people affected by the cold snap with warm clothing and blankets.

what did the people do with the clothing and blankets they were supplied with last year and the year before ?

[londonthai]

just read today a news report that global warming is coming to Bangkok and the whole thailand

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=94946

all very contradicting

[leisurely]

Tax exile, I wondered the same thing. Obviously children will outgrow coats and jumpers etc - but they can be redistributed, but what about the blankets?

[astral]

I am not sure why this is news?

It happens every year. My wife gets out the jumpers and jackets.

[kmart]

The department set aside the budget of Bt31 million to supply people affected by the cold snap with warm clothing and blankets.

what did the people do with the clothing and blankets they were supplied with last year and the year before ?

They burnt them to keep warm.

[Scott]

Yes, every year it's the same thing. The same last minute precautions and it seems the same people needing clothes. I wonder where all goes.

Meanwhile we continue to swelter in Bangkok.

[toptuan]

The government is allocating 31M Baht based on a weather report that's three months away yet? And we in greater Khon Kaen area have had cold weather already? Something doesn't compute....

[kmart]

The government is allocating 31M Baht based on a weather report that's three months away yet? And we in greater Khon Kaen area have had cold weather already? Something doesn't compute....

Sounds like a nice little racket someone has going up there then?

[toptuan]

Uh, yeah. I should get in line for the handouts! I wanna make sure the clothes have designer labels first, and the blankets match my bedroom decor.

Edited December 1, 2006 by toptuan

[Thaising]

The department set aside the budget of Bt31 million to supply people affected by the cold snap with warm clothing and blankets.

what did the people do with the clothing and blankets they were supplied with last year and the year before ?

You can find those donated items at second hand markets - Talat Nak market.

Edited December 1, 2006 by Thaising

[PeaceBlondie]

Dan Sai Kid, I also live at the foot of Doi Suthep, and it's absolutely frigid here already - 20 degrees at 9 AM, inside the house! An innuit in a parka just came past on a dogsled, wearing mukluks instead of sandals, and he's building an igloo next door. I'm going to sell him a refrigerator.

[chownah]

Is global cooling overtaking global warming?

[astral]

Dan Sai Kid, I also live at the foot of Doi Suthep, and it's absolutely frigid here already - 20 degrees at 9 AM, inside the house! An innuit in a parka just came past on a dogsled, wearing mukluks instead of sandals, and he's building an igloo next door. I'm going to sell him a refrigerator.

Is that 20C or 20F ???

[The Dan Sai Kid]

Dan Sai Kid, I also live at the foot of Doi Suthep, and it's absolutely frigid here already - 20 degrees at 9 AM, inside the house! An innuit in a parka just came past on a dogsled, wearing mukluks instead of sandals, and he's building an igloo next door. I'm going to sell him a refrigerator.

I'm just at the edge of CMU - wish it would get colder

[tracker]

day after tomorrow? Shutdown of atlantic conveyer?

Edited December 1, 2006 by tracker

[The Dan Sai Kid]

day after tomorrow? Shutdown of atlantic conveyer?

What's that now?

[petecooper]

Just getting back to the OP, does anyone know just how "cold" is "cold" according to thse officials? Like "properly" cold or "Thai" cold which would be anything under 25 C?

On a separate note, I've left my home in BKK for the week to visit Toronto for business, and it's about 5C here at the moment - and I'm loving it!

[my friend I]

Because the weather is cold for 3 months the blankets never get washed as no chance to dry so after winter the blankets have rotted away. In some mountain areas in north & ne Thailand overnight temps often get down to zero

[tracker]

I was refering to the movie "the day after tomorrow", which uses the scientific supported theory that if enough ice melts (through global warming) and flows into the atlantic sea, it disturbs the natural "water-pump" (conveyer) which brings warm water to the northern regions of america and europe.

This will affect the whole planet.

[The Dan Sai Kid]

I was refering to the movie "the day after tomorrow", which uses the scientific supported theory that if enough ice melts (through global warming) and flows into the atlantic sea, it disturbs the natural "water-pump" (conveyer) which brings warm water to the northern regions of america and europe.

This will affect the whole planet.

I remember that film - but wasn't it so that the equatorial countries were not as badly affected - Thai property prices would boom!

[JimsKnight]

Dan Sai Kid, I also live at the foot of Doi Suthep, and it's absolutely frigid here already - 20 degrees at 9 AM, inside the house! An innuit in a parka just came past on a dogsled, wearing mukluks instead of sandals, and he's building an igloo next door. I'm going to sell him a refrigerator.

You should try the Mae Sa Valley at 10AM! Its blinkin' baltic once you get up to 40 kph! And thats with a jacket on! Burrrrr!

[tracker]

"I remember that film - but wasn't it so that the equatorial countries were not as badly affected - Thai property prices would boom!"

Well, I am not a climate specialist, but a bit of thinking: if the major parts of europe and america would be covered with ice, giving our planet a lot more "mirror" to bounce back the sun-radiation, wouldn't the effect also be felt in the tropical circels... It will probably not cause any snow in bangkok, but the minimum temperatures here will drop for sure.

Yep, the land still suitable for agriculture, which will be hard to come by after this, will be priceless... Food will be valuable like gold...

[plachon]

The government is allocating 31M Baht based on a weather report that's three months away yet? And we in greater Khon Kaen area have had cold weather already? Something doesn't compute....

Sounds like a nice little racket someone has going up there then?

Nah, it's just advance budgeting - the Thai way! If they don't predict a disaster now, then when the mercury drops to 15 C from Ubon to Tak and everyone starts saying "naowww maaak" and huddles round wee fires of a morning, and the top of Doi Intanon gets near freezing, it is too late to raid the government's piggy bank and distribute thousands of blankets and jackets to the Headman's family and friends. But, as they are very clever and can predict that this disastrous situation will develop as regular as rain in the rainy season and hot days in the hot season, then they are just doing what comes naturally to a senior karachagan i.e. claim as big a share of the cake as one thinks one can reasonably get away with, without anyone else calling foul. And 31 M baht just happens to be the going rate this year. If Tax-sin had still been in and he was well connected, he probably would have tried for 300 million, but times are hard this year and some tightening of belts is required.

Come December they will be declaring a drought disaster coming up for the dry season and in April at the height of the "drought" they will declare that a flood disaster is predicted for 3 months ahead. Millions will be requested each time. And right or wrong, every last baht of that budget must be spent.............

[cm das]

A cold snap from December until February - isn't that called "winter"?

[PeaceBlondie]

THE ANTS ARE GONE! AND THE MOSQUITOS!! Almost overnight, all those little and big, black and brown and red ants are gone! Boyfriend says the mosquitos, as well. Hooray.

So if this is winter, I'm okay. It was a wee bit cool in the pool for this fool, but I swam anyway.

[Johpa]

Because the weather is cold for 3 months the blankets never get washed as no chance to dry so after winter the blankets have rotted away. In some mountain areas in north & ne Thailand overnight temps often get down to zero

The blankets handed out are "emergency" type blankets, usually made of 30% wool and 70% unknown fiber. Similar blankets wholesale in the US for under $3 each. They are not designed for extended usage over time. They are difficult to wash for people who must wash everything by hand and in the rainy season are difficult to keep dry. So after only a year or two the blankets are often scarcely fit to be used as cover cloths for items, not for personal usage.

[Cyberstar]

Despite my protests, my wife bought a puppy today. Now, I wish I'd paid a bit more interest so I could've influenced her choise: of all the breeds avaiable, she bought a shihtzu (yes, they really are called that) ... However, I'm sure there'll be at least one creature surviving Antartic climate in Chiang Mai ... Here's how those bastards look like as adults:

[Choscura]

I have seen cold, and thailand does not have it. it doesn't even really get into the range of 'uncomfortably sub luke-warm'.