New Thai ministers inspect flooding in central provinces

CENTRAL REGION, September 13 (TNA) - Thailand's new Interior Minister General Anupong Paochinda and Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Petipong Pungbun Na Ayudhya are inspecting the flooding situation in Chi Nat and Ayutthaya Provinces in the central region on Saturday (Sept 13). In Chai Nat, General Anupong, who is a former Thai prime minister and army chief, inspected water stored at the Chao Phraya Dam and held a meeting with 10 provincial governors in the central region, ordering them to closely monitor the updated water situation and to provide assistance to flood victims. In Ayutthaya, the new agriculture and cooperatives minister inspected flooded-hit areas, namely those in Sena and Bang Ban Districts. Speaking to journalists separately, both the interior and the agriculture and cooperatives ministers said they were informed that the volume of rainwater this year would not much and they were, instead, worried over a water shortage during the upcoming dry season. Regarding Typhoon Kalmaegi, which is expected to enter China from September 17–18, General Anupong noted that he is still awaiting a report from the Meteorological Department, while concerned officials are on alert. General Anupong assured people that Thailand this year would not suffer from a severe flooding, like that in late 2011 when many people died and several provinces were devastated. (TNA)