Widespread downpours warned in several Thai areas

BANGKOK, May 5 (TNA) - The Meteorological Department has warned people in Thailand's northern, central, eastern, western and southern regions to brace for scattered downpours, with heavy falls and possible floods in some areas, from May 5-9 when trawlers in the affected areas, especially those in the upper part of the Gulf of Thailand, are also advised to proceed with more caution, as this year's monsoon season is approaching. The Meteorological Department's latest warning, issued Saturday, coincided with Industry Minister Mom Rajawongse Pongsvas Svasti's remarks saying that the construction of flood prevention barriers at five out of six Thai industrial estates, hit by the country's massive flooding late last year, has progressed significantly and is expected to be complete in August 2012. Pongsvas, however, told journalists, while presiding over a religious ceremony to mark the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the Thai Ministry of Industry, that the construction of flood prevention barriers at the Saharatana Nakorn Industrial Estate in the central Ayutthaya province has not yet started. Regarding foreign investors' restored confidence in the post-flood Thai economy, the industrial minister insisted that it has been improving, acknowledging that the total value of foreign investment in Thailand during the March-April this year exceeded 200 billion baht, compared to 130 billion baht in the same period last year, with Japanese investors topping the list in applying for promotional privileges by the Board of Investment of Thailand (BOT), followed by those from Malaysia. The industrial minister also suggested that Thailand speed up developing industrial standards and logistics links with neighbouring countries and establishing industrial estates along the border, as part of the country's preparations for the establishment of ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) by 2015. Meanwhile, Shozaburo Jimi, Japanese State Minister in charge of financial and postal issues, who visited Thailand this week, expressed Tokyo's interest in Thailand's new water management, high-speed railway and digital cable development projects, referring to Japan’s earth and weather remote sensing technology which can support water management in Thailand. (TNA)