• Published: 11/06/2012 at 06:06 PM
• Online news:

Authorities have declared 10 flood-hit districts of Surat Thani a disaster zone, provincial governor Cherdsak Chusri said on Monday.

Mr Cherdsak said the floods have affected 12,551 households and damaged 90 roads, 11 bridges and 31 waterways.

The southern province estimated the cost of damage at more than 40 million baht.

Surat Thani Provincial Administrative Oganisation chief Montri Phetkum said teams of rescuers were using flat-bottomed boats to carry food and provisions to people in inundated areas.

Mr Montri said the rescue operation was difficult because of the strong currents and the fact electricity had been cut off in many areas.

A flash flood has washed away part of a road in tambon Huay Or in Phrae’s Long district. A bridge, and railway tracks have also been swept away by strong forest runoff. (Photo by Thaweesak Sukkhasem)

On Sunday, authorities declared Phrae, to the North, a disaster zone after parts of it were badly hit by flash floods and forest run off.

In the northeastern province of Kalasin, the provincial authority continued releasing water from Lampao dam as rain kept falling.

Lampao dam officer Pornthep Mengpramul said the dam currently holds 690 million cubic metres of water, about 35 per cent of capacity. The dam held about 490 million cubic metres of water at the same time last year.

Mr Pornthep said the dam is releasing seven million cubic metres of water per day to prevent flooding.

The province had prepared plans to manage the water discharge system and control the water situation, he added.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has begun her four-day tour to inspect the progress of flood prevention projects in eight flood-prone provinces.

Ms Yingluck on Monday visited Chulalongkorn sluice gate in Pathum Thani.

She was informed by local officials that the sluice gate now has 24 water pumps that can release 108 cubic metres of water per second in total. The sluice gate previously could pump out only 36 cubic metres of water per second.

The premier also received complaints about unfair flood compensation payments from the local people in Pathum Thani.