By Bernama,
Bangkok : Due to concerns over the deadly cyclone and the powerful earthquake which hit Myanmar and China, respectively earlier this month, Thailand’s Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej on Tuesday established a working committee to closely monitor possible natural disasters as the country is now entering the monsoon season.
A government spokesman said the Prime Minister had ordered concerned ministries to be well prepared to cope with natural disasters after more than 10 provinces encountered flash floods due to heavy downpours in several parts of the country.
Flood victims have been evacuated to higher ground, and boats and relief supplies were sent to help the victims, the spokesman was quoted by the Thailand news agency (TNA) as saying.
The floods have now receded.
However, as worries persisted, Samak set up the working committee, headed by Deputy Prime Minister and Industry Minister Suwit Khunkitti, to plan for any emergency and determine the budget required, the spokesman said.
The prime minister must be kept informed on a regular basis, he said.
Meanwhile, five more northern provinces have been declared unsafe because of possible mudslides and flash floods during the current monsoon season — Lampang, Phrae, Sukhothai, Uttaradit and Loei.
Local residents near mountains and waterways in these provinces should be on alert, the government spokesman noted.