Cold disaster sweeps more areas in Thai North

LAMPANG, December 17 (TNA) - Cold disaster has now been declared in Thailand’s northern Lampang Province, as a number of local villagers have been engulfed by this year's cold snap. Deputy Lampang Governor Suwan Klaosuntorn signed in a public emergency statement on Saturday, declaring 13 districts in the province cold-stricken disaster zones, after temperatures in the areas have dropped by more than 7 degrees Celsius over the past 1-2 weeks, to below 15 degrees Celsius now, particularly on mountain tops where temperatures have fallen to below 9 degrees Celsius. A survey conducted earlier this year pointed to the possibility that up to 135,082 people in Lampang would suffer from this year's cold spell, most of them, or over 65,400, are the elderly, followed by the disabled and orphans, and more than 140,000 blankets would be needed to assist the cold victims. The deputy governor said that concerned agencies in Lampang are urgently distributing warm clothes and blankets to the needy by January 2012. Earlier this week, Chiang Rai Deputy Governor, who is now the acting provincial governor, also declared all the 18 districts of the northernmost Thai province cold-stricken disaster zones. A cold snap has similarly swept adjacent northern provinces, including Chiang Mai, Nan and Lamphun. (TNA)