Temperatures in Thai North, Northeast to rise further

CHIANG RAI, April 22 (TNA) - Weather experts have warned that thunderstorms with gusty wind and hail would appear in the Northern and Northeastern provinces on Sunday following a high pressure from China. The Thai Meteorological Department has issued a warning, saying the weather will become hotter in Thailand while people living along the Andaman coast should stay alert of heavy rain. Meanwhile, the drought problem in the northernmost province of Chiang Rai has worsened. Soldiers have brought in heavy machinery to dredge canals and nearby waterways in Chiang Saen district so that they could retain about 1.6 million cubic metres of rainwater during the upcoming monsoon season. Officials said more than 300,000 rai of farmland in the province have already been damaged while over 140,000 households are suffering from shortage of water for consumption. In Lamphun province, also in the North, officials have dredged four rivers and canals in the province after water levels have continued to drop sharply due to persisting dry season. (TNA)