“The prime minister has issued the order out of concern for the flood victims,” Chatchai Promlert, director-general of the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department, said yesterday.

This year’s extreme storms have left 12 provinces underwater and more than 1.6 million people in distress while being blamed for at least 36 deaths.

PM’s Office Minister Ormsin Chivapruck said the government would pay Bt50,000 to each of the families of those who lost their lives.

“The prime minister will himself hand over the compensation in the form of cheques to some families,” he said. “The rest will receive compensation from their governors.”

Chatchai said officials would check casualties, property damage, residents’ livelihoods and public facilities affected by the flood fallout.

“The information will allow us to prepare both urgent and long-term rehabilitation,” he said.

Six provinces have already recovered but Phatthalung, Songkhla, Trang, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat and Prachuap Khiri Khan remain affected by flooding.

Just as some residents are isolated by floodwater, others living in areas where the waters have subsided are struggling with various problems including storm debris.

Waste has been now scattered across Ban Krut Beach in Prachuap Khiri Khan for days already in the wake of last Monday’s flashfloods.

The garbage has spoiled a span of well over five kilometres. Not only is it an eyesore, it also stinks.

“You can find all kinds of junk there,” said Suwat Kanchanarat, a resort owner, adding that he hoped Tambon Ban Krut workers would clean up the beach soon.

Train services in Nakhon Si Thammarat remain suspended. However, The State Railway of Thailand said operations on the Bangkok-Sungai Kolok route could now resume.

Authorities said they were closely monitoring the situation as more downpours were expected in various inundated provinces.

PM’s Office Minister Ormsin said the government was considering distributing portable radios to people in flood-risk areas so that could tune into weather forecasts and early warning announcements.

“Each transistor radio costs Bt200 to Bt300,” he said. “We’ll check if we have enough budget for this.”