People in Thailand urged to follow storm closely

BANGKOK, October 6 (TNA) - People in Thailand, especially those in the Northeast, East, upper South and even Bangkok, have been recommended to follow developments of the approaching Gaemi storm, now expected to hit the Kingdom with heavy downpours from October 8-10. Royon Jitrdorn, who chairs a sub-committee tasked with monitoring and allocating water under the government-appointed National Water Resources and Flood Policy Committee (NWRFPC), made the suggestion Saturday morning during the weekly broadcast of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, assessing that the Gaemi storm is now expected to become a depression but bringing heavy downpours to Thailand's eastern region and Bangkok from October 8-9. Royon warned that the approaching storm is likely to become stronger after it passes through the Gulf of Thailand and it, therefore, may bring heavy rainfalls to Phetchaburi and Ratchaburi provinces from October 8-10. According to the Thai water expert, flood relief centres have been set up in flood-prone areas and more pumps have already been installed to drain floodwater into canals on the capital's eastern and western sides even though concerned parties are confident they can cope with the possible flooding in the city. Meanwhile, Lertviroj Kowattana, Director-General of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives'Royal Irrigation Department, insisted that water management at Thailand's major dams and reservoirs has been steadily operated by concerned officials on a regular basis, covering discharging of water, aimed to receive incoming rainwater during the ongoing monsoon season. In an attempt to ease worries over flooding in Thailand this year, Captain Somsak Kaosuwan, Director of the National Disaster Warning Centre, acknowledged that anti-flood relief officials have been on alert and military officers have been ordered to be well-prepared to provide assistance to affected people in case of flooding in any area. (TNA)