Temperature drops in Thailand’s North

CHIANG RAI, Dec 9 (TNA) - Temperature in Thailand’s North has dropped further, causing several provinces in the region to face cold weather and hardships to villagers who do not have sufficient clothes. Thick fog has covered the northernmost province of Chiang Rai Sunday morning while motorists have to open headlight while driving. The temperature in the provincial seat was at 15 degrees Celsius, considered the lowest so far this year. Weather atop mountains was much more colder as the temperature dropped to between 5 to 8 degrees Celsius, forcing hilltribe people to sit around fire and drank tea or ginger to warm themselves. Many children and aged hilltribemen who do not have enough clothing are suffering a lot. In the northern capital of Chiang Mai, the temperature was measured at 16 degrees Celsius in the morning, forcing Buddhist monks living atop Doi Suthep to wrap themselves with thick clothes and caps to protect themselves from dew drops. Food shoppers had to also wear jackets and those driving motorcycles were forced to wear gloves. Prachon Prajsakul, director of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation office in Lampang province, said a task force office has been established to assist northerners suffering from cold spell in four northern provinces including Chiang Mai, Lampang, Lamphun and Mae Hong Son. The office is also responsible for helping people during the upcoming summer season which is expected to be severe between next March and April. Lampang governor Thawatchai Therdphaothai , meanwhile, warned northerners that temperatures in the North are expected to drop further from last week. The Meteorological Department office in the North has forecast that temperature would drop between 1 to 2 degrees Celsius on Monday. (TNA)