NCPO guarantees smooth royal cremation ceremony

BANGKOK, Oct 14 (TNA) -- The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) has assured that flood prevention measures are effective in inner Bangkok and the royal cremation of His Majesty late King Bhumibol will take place smoothly. NCPO spokesman Maj Gen Piyapong Klinpan said Prime Minister and NCPO chief Prayut Chan-o-cha ordered army chief and NCPO secretary-general Chalermchai Sittisad to work out effective flood prevention and relief measures. According to the spokesman, Gen Chalermchai ordered all army regions to monitor flood situations and be ready to help flood victims around the clock. “It rained heavily last night and roads and residences were flooded. Soldiers, police and concerned officials helped victims swiftly. At 9.30am there were reports that 20 roads were flooded and floodwater was as deep as 50 centimeters on some roads. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration is doing its best to speed up drainage to the sea through canals,” Maj Gen Piyapong said. He also said that provinces in the Central Plain including Chai Nat, Sing Buri, Lop Buri, Ayutthaya and Ang Thong were prepared to accept water from dams. Lop Buri could hold 116 million cubic meters of water and Ayutthaya could retain 1.1 billion cubic meters of water, he said. Maj Gen Piyapong asserted that the royal cremation of His Majesty late King Bhumibol would happen smoothly as canals in inner Bangkok were already dredged as ordered by King Maha Vajiralongkorn and relevant organizations were preparing the ceremony at their best. (TNA)