Rain likely to continue in Thai South

BANGKOK, January 6 (TNA) - Although floods have ravaged nine southern Thai provinces, claiming six lives so far, continual downpours are forecast during the coming weekend. Dr. Royol Chitradon, Director of the Hydro and Agro Informatics Institute (HAII), told journalists on Friday that a low pressure mass lying over the Andaman Sea is likely to be intensifying and to move towards Phuket Province, causing incessant rainfalls in the Thai South consequently, including flood-stricken Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat and Phatthalung. Dr. Royol forecast that rainfalls are likely to drop during the night time on January 8, acknowledging that heavy downpours are, normally, not expected in January, but this year the sea level in the Gulf of Thailand has risen by 10 per cent, compared to the same period of last year, coupled with impacts from the intensifying low pressure trough in the Andaman Sea and the Philippines. According to the HAII chief, all the factors have increased the amount of rain in Nakhon Si Thammarat to reach 600 millimeters and even 1,000 millimeters on January 1 alone. Meanwhile, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, under the Thai Ministry of Interior, asked the Royal Thai Navy to send 50 boats, each equipped with a water jet propulsion system, to help divert floodwater into the sea so that flood-hit Nakhon Si Thammarat Airport and roads can be reopened as soon as possible. (TNA)