Thai Navy rescues hundreds of stranded holidaymakers
BANGKOK, March 31 Thailands sole aircraft carrier HTMS Chakri Naruebet carrying 753 tourists, including 551 foreign visitors from Tao Island in Surat Thani province to safety docked at the Sattahip naval base in the eastern province of Chonburi Thursday as Thailand's flood crisis took its toll on the southern provinces leaving at least 20 people dead.
Meanwhile, HTMS Chao Phraya is enroute to Sattahip naval base carrying another 500 tourists from the southern island. The navys other frigates are continue on the high seas to help tourists left stranded on other southern islands.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand helped locate accommodation for foreign tourists who cannot fly home at the moment and helped reschedule flights for some others.
Thai Airways International and Bangkok Airways flights to Samui Island are again operational with good visibility at Samui Airport.
Special flights are also being offered to collect stranded tourists. Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, visiting Surat Thani on Thursday, said ferries to Koh Samui and Koh Phangan had also resumed service.
However, the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) announced it had still suspended southern line train service as portions of the tracks remain under floodwaters, and some are damaged by flooding.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Thursday visited southern province of Krabi, which was hard hit by mudslide on Wednesday.
The prime minister was briefed by Krabi Governor Prasit Osathanon on the latest situation, reporting five deaths in the province. Twenty injured persons were released from hospital while 16 others remained hospitalised.
Bantonharn in Krabis Khao Phanom district was hit by flood and mudslide on Wednesday. Four people were killed and several remain missing.
His Majesty King Bhumibol provided 200 relief supplies to villagers and they were distributed to villagers at the evacuation centre by the army chief.
Interior Minister Thaworn Senneam al! so visit ed residents, saying 20,000 baht will be allocated to each owner of the partly-destroyed houses and 30,000 baht for each owner whose house is completely destroyed. The injured and families of person killed will receive 50,000 baht.
The National Flood Relief Coordination Center expected continuous rain, which ravaged Thailands eight southern provinces to stop on April 3 while the centre to help tourists, stranded and evacuated from southern islands has been set up.
Centre deputy director Vittayen Muttamara said the flood situation in the South eased at some certain extent due to less rainfall but the centre designated three red zones to evacuate people at Banplusompan in Phuket, Banwanglung in Nakhon Si Thammarat and Bansrabua in Surat Thani.
The budget to compensate flood victims will be decided by the Cabinet next week but the number of now affected households is estimated at about 250,000 households.
Satit Wongnongtoey, PMs Office minister said in his capacity of chairman of the committee to follow up assistance to flood victims said he will convene a meeting on Friday to assess the compensation money of each household at 5,000 baht and additional assistance measures before proposing it to the Cabinet on Monday.
Mr Satit said the flood situation in the South is still worrisome. Three villages in Nakhon Si Thammarat have been cut from the outside world for about six days. Three helicopters have been sent to help locals but the bad weather obstructed operations, so soldiers will bring relief supplies to help them by foot. (MCOT online news)
Meanwhile, HTMS Chao Phraya is enroute to Sattahip naval base carrying another 500 tourists from the southern island. The navys other frigates are continue on the high seas to help tourists left stranded on other southern islands.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand helped locate accommodation for foreign tourists who cannot fly home at the moment and helped reschedule flights for some others.
Thai Airways International and Bangkok Airways flights to Samui Island are again operational with good visibility at Samui Airport.
Special flights are also being offered to collect stranded tourists. Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, visiting Surat Thani on Thursday, said ferries to Koh Samui and Koh Phangan had also resumed service.
However, the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) announced it had still suspended southern line train service as portions of the tracks remain under floodwaters, and some are damaged by flooding.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Thursday visited southern province of Krabi, which was hard hit by mudslide on Wednesday.
The prime minister was briefed by Krabi Governor Prasit Osathanon on the latest situation, reporting five deaths in the province. Twenty injured persons were released from hospital while 16 others remained hospitalised.
Bantonharn in Krabis Khao Phanom district was hit by flood and mudslide on Wednesday. Four people were killed and several remain missing.
His Majesty King Bhumibol provided 200 relief supplies to villagers and they were distributed to villagers at the evacuation centre by the army chief.
Interior Minister Thaworn Senneam al! so visit ed residents, saying 20,000 baht will be allocated to each owner of the partly-destroyed houses and 30,000 baht for each owner whose house is completely destroyed. The injured and families of person killed will receive 50,000 baht.
The National Flood Relief Coordination Center expected continuous rain, which ravaged Thailands eight southern provinces to stop on April 3 while the centre to help tourists, stranded and evacuated from southern islands has been set up.
Centre deputy director Vittayen Muttamara said the flood situation in the South eased at some certain extent due to less rainfall but the centre designated three red zones to evacuate people at Banplusompan in Phuket, Banwanglung in Nakhon Si Thammarat and Bansrabua in Surat Thani.
The budget to compensate flood victims will be decided by the Cabinet next week but the number of now affected households is estimated at about 250,000 households.
Satit Wongnongtoey, PMs Office minister said in his capacity of chairman of the committee to follow up assistance to flood victims said he will convene a meeting on Friday to assess the compensation money of each household at 5,000 baht and additional assistance measures before proposing it to the Cabinet on Monday.
Mr Satit said the flood situation in the South is still worrisome. Three villages in Nakhon Si Thammarat have been cut from the outside world for about six days. Three helicopters have been sent to help locals but the bad weather obstructed operations, so soldiers will bring relief supplies to help them by foot. (MCOT online news)
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