11 Fatalties In Southern Thai Floods - Authorities

By Mohd Haikal Mohd Isa BANGKOK, Dec 6 (Bernama) -- The number of fatalities in southern Thai floods has increased to 11, with two people listed as missing after being swept away by swift currents, said the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department (DDPM). Its chairman, Chatchai Promlert said in a statement that two of the deaths occurred in Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat (three), and two each in Songkhla, Phatthalung and Pattani. "Torrential rains have begun to ease in Surat Thani while heavy downpour continues in several other provinces. More than 366,000 people in 68 provinces have been affected by the floods," he said here Monday. Other provinces affected by the flooding included Chumphon, Krabi, Trang, Yala and Narathiwat, he said, adding that the government was closely monitoring the flood situation. The flooding in southern Thai began last week after several days of non-stop rain. Meanwhile, Fourth Army Chief Lt Gen Piyawat Nakwanich toured the affected areas in Phatthalung with other senior army officers and instructed all army personnel to be on standby round-the-clock to assist flood victims. The level of water in flooded areas in provinces such as Muang, Khuan Kanun, Papayom and Kongra, according to him, remained high as it still experienced heavy downpour. He said intense downpour and flooding did not spare the tourist island of Koh Samui, either, as several areas in the island were inundated in flood waters. Nakorn Si Thammarat's Deputy Governor Khajonkiat Rakpanicmanae said the province was badly affected by the disaster, with the evacuation of 15,878 of its residents. The authorities have also suspended all south-bound train services due to the worsening flood situation, affecting thousands of commuters who wanted to travel to Trang, Hatyai, Yala and Sungai Golok. All southern-bound train services had been instructed to stop at Thung Song station in Nakorn Si Thammarat, said State Railway of Thailand governor, Wutthichart Kalayanamitr. --BERNAMA