Thailand’s floods remain critical

BANGKOK, October 20 (TNA) - Floods have affected up to eight provinces across Thailand, submerging at least 28 highways and major roads, most of them leading to the eastern province of Prachin Buri bordering Cambodia. Eighty-centimetre-deep floodwater had caused significant delays on inbound traffic to Bangkok through Pak Chong and Sikhiu districts, after a nearby reservoir overflowed. Chatchawal Buncharoenkit, director-general of Highways Department, said inbound travels to the capital were expected to return to normal within days. However, the Bangkok-Northeast route remained open and accessible until now. In Roi Et province, floodwater had steadily risen after the Chi River overflowed and damaged more than 2,000 rai of paddy fields. In Chachoengsao province, the local people had already sandbagged their shops and houses for protection after the Bang Pa Kong River overflowed its banks. Mountain runoff in southern Thailand had swamped most low-lying neighbourhoods, particularly in the resort province of Krabi which sits on the Andaman coast. Millions of baht in damage had been estimated for local rubber and palm oil plantations. (TNA)