Assistance provided to people in Thailand's drought, storm-affected areas

BANGKOK, March 18 (TNA) - Thailand's Department of Highways, under the Ministry of Transport, and the state-run Provincial Waterworks Authority (PWA) have worked together to provide water supply to people in drought-affected areas. Department of Highways Deputy Director-General Abhisit Promsen told journalists on Monday that his department and PWA, in cooperation with all other relevant parties in local areas, will continue to assist people in drought-affected areas, especially those in the Thai northeastern and central regions, by timely providing them with water supply until the situation in each area returns to normal. Abhisit stated that his department's mission, under the joint project run with PWA, includes dispatching personnel and sending trucks, machines and other tools needed for the distribution of water supply to people in the drought-affected areas. The senior official suggested that drought-affected people and communities call his department's hotline, 1586, 24 hours free of charges for the timely assistance. Meanwhile, Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha led a team of his Cabinet members to pay a one-day visit to the southern Nakhon Si Thammarat Province on March 17 to inspect developments on assistance and rehabilitation programs run for a number of people and communities in 23 districts that were affected and damaged by the tropical storm "Pabuk" early this year. The assistance and rehabilitation programs include a housing project, vocational training and other living support activities, as well as newly-installed utility facilities. (TNA)