King provides relief supplies to flood victims in Thai South

SOUTHERN THAI REGION, January 11 (TNA) - His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun has provided relief supplies to flood victims in the Thai South. Army Chief General Chalermchai Sitthisat told journalists on Wednesday that the Fourth Army Area Command was handing the relief supplies to flood victims, royally-presented by the new Thai King. General Chalermchai acknowledged that the assistance has, however, reached about 90 per cent of flood victims, as some highland areas remain inaccessible. The army chief said after floods recede, the Royal Thai Army will support personnel and resources for post-flood rehabilitation missions. Meanwhile, the Royal Thai Navy has mobilized helicopters to distribute food and drinking water for flood victims in the Thai South. Royal Thai Navy Spokesman Admiral Jumphon Lumpikanond told journalists on Wednesday that the Royal Thai Navy has sent two helicopters to transport food and medical supplies to flood-stricken areas in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province. The spokesman said the two aircraft will be stationed for relief operations until the flooding situation in the southern areas eases. According to the spokesman, food and drinking water have been prepared in the kitchen of HTMS Ang Thong landing platform dock ship before they are handed to flood victims in Nakhon Si Thammarat’s Pak Phanang District by Landing Craft Mechanized (LCM-8) boats. In Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, local authorities have opened two bailey bridges in Bang Saphan District, after inundations damaged bridges on Phetkasem Highway, causing motorists to take up to about four hours for a 40 kilometre-route from Tabsakae to Bang Saphan Districts and the large number of accumulated vehicles were forced to pass the one-lane bailey bridge earlier. The repair of the damaged bridge was set to be completed before the Songkran or the Traditional Thai New Year Festival in April. In Trang Province, Kultarin Rotechanasurasri, chief of the provincial disaster prevention and mitigation office, reported that six districts remain flooded, but two others have started returning to normal, while villagers living along the Trang River have moved to stay on temporary roadside shelters. Trang Governor Siripat Patkul revealed that floods in his province have claimed two lives and about 46,000 people have been affected so far. The governor conceded although rain has stopped, water drainage remains slow due to a high tide. Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Governor Yuthasak Supasorn stated, in the meantime, that TAT has hurriedly inspected flood damages in the southern region, vowing to immediately rehabilitate affected tourist sites. According to the governor, the flooding over the past week has slightly affected the tourism sector in the region and TAT local offices in some areas. The TAT governor pointed out that no cancelations by international visitors have been reported but hotel booking rates in the Thai South have lowered by 10 per cent, expressing his belief that the local tourism would soon return to normal after the floods recede. (TNA)