Thailand prepared for tropical storm Gaemi

BANGKOK, October 2 (TNA) - The Thai government has been on alert to cope with impacts of the approaching Tropical Storm Gaemi, which is expected to hit Thailand, the eastern region first, this coming weekend. Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra told reporters on Tuesday that she has ordered parties concerned to discharge water from dams and to work together with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) to clear clogged drains. For mid-stream areas, Yingluck said, agencies concerned are speeding up draining water in eastern zones and installing more pumps to drain out excess rainwater during any heavy downpour. According to the prime minister, she has also assigned Deputy Transport Minister Chatchart Sithipan to ease traffic congestion, particularly at bottleneck areas during and after heavy downpours in Bangkok and peripheral provinces. The prime minister acknowledged that the Thai Cabinet, at its weekly meeting earlier in the day, was informed of the Ministry of Transport’s plans to solve traffic problems during heavy rainfalls, and that a special committee has now been tasked to look into the plans in details before they are implemented. (TNA)