Rainy set to arrive in Thailand next week

BANGKOK, May 14 (TNA) -- The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has forecast the country would start transcending into this year's rainy season next week, influenced by a cyclone that would swept pass through the country, which should create 10-20 per cent more precipitation that last year. TMD Director-general Wanchai Sakudomchai said Thailand is currently facing the weather at the end of summer, noting that he believes the country would head into the rainy season by the end of next week or around May 18. He said the latest inspection of the weather revealed that a low pressure area presently hovering over the Gulf of Bengal has a high tendency in turning into a cycle, which the TMD believes would soon pass through the eastern side of the Indian Ocean before changing into a western monsoon to pass over Thailand, signalling the beginning of the rainy season in the country. The TMD head said precipitation is expected to be higher than the average amount by 10-20 per cent this year, particularly during the last half of the rainy season or from July until September. He said rainfalls are also projected to be more frequent than last year, where Thailand is also expected to be hit with two more storms, which should help to solve the problem of drought entirely for the year. He further said that in 2017, Thailand could also be seeing more downpours due to the influence of the La Nina which should hit the country at year's end. (TNA)