A flash flood struck Nakhon Si Thammarat’s Lansaka district on Tuesday after a mass of water thundered down from Khao Luang mountain.
Continuous rain in the South has increased the level of water in catchment areas on the mountain, with the water overflowing to downstream canals and residential areas.
Residents of Pho Sadet sub-district in Muang Nakhon Si Thammarat were affected the most and had to promptly evacuate with their belongings.
Schools and universities in the flooded areas announced they were closing on December 2 and 3, or until the situation normalised for the safety of students.
Water current reportedly remained strong in the morning as rain continued to fall.
The baht opened at 30.25 to the US dollar on Wednesday, unchanged from its closing rate on Tuesday.The Thai currency is likely to move between 30.15 and 30.35, said Jitipol Puksamatanan, senior director of the chief investment office at SCB Securities.On Tuesday night, the S&P 500 increased to 3,662 points amid a “risk on” market state.Jitipol explained that the index was supported by tech stocks, a weakened dollar and investors who believed the US government would come out with a fresh stimulus package at the end of the year.The US Ten-Year Treasury yield rose by 8.7 basis points to 0.93 per cent while the dollar weakened by 0.7 per cent and the euro strengthened to 1.2 per dollar, the first time since April 2018.The market situation boosted the gold price by 2.1 per cent to $1,800 (Bt54,450).In Thailand, the baht moved in a narrow range as investors were cautious after the Bank of Thailand issued measures to control the exchange rate. Also, foreign investors sold Thai bonds they were holding.Jitipol mentioned that the baht and other Asian currencies would continue to strengthen if the capital market experienced no obstructions.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is planning 40 per cent discounts on tour packages at a maximum Bt5,000 for each senior citizen who travels during the weekdays under the second phase of the “Rao Tiew Duay Kan” (We Travel Together) campaign.
The first phase runs until December 31 and offers eligible people a 40 per cent discount on rooms and restaurants at participating establishments. They also receive an e-voucher when checking into a hotel, as well as a 40 per cent flight fare refund when they check out.
“At a Centre for Economic Situation Administration meeting on Wednesday, we will propose the scheme to offer similar benefits from the Rao Tiew Duay Kan campaign to senior citizens aged over 55 who travel on weekdays,” said TAT Governor Yuthasak Supasorn.
“This will help promote tourism during the weekdays and reduce crowding at tourist attractions during the weekends.”
Yuthasak said the senior-citizen campaign will use Bt5 billion from a total budget of Bt20 billion that TAT received to run the entire campaign.
“The maximum discount a person can get is Bt5,000. Registration will open for 1 million senior citizens. Eligible candidates must buy a package tour from a domestic tour operator to receive a 40 per cent discount. This is to ensure revenue distribution among local travel entrepreneurs,” he said.
The other criteria include: the package must feature cross-provincial travel and more than a 3-day/2-night stay from a tour operator who has a licence approved before January 1, 2020.
The Interior Ministry has signed a memorandum of understanding with Siam Kubota Corporation and the Rang Jorakhe district administration office in Ayutthaya province under a “Straw Bales for Zero Burn” campaign aimed at reducing air pollution, especially PM2.5 dust particles, that are caused by farmers burning their leftover crops to prepare for the next cultivation season, Deputy Interior Minister Nipon Bunyamanee said on Tuesday.
“Under this campaign, Siam Kubota will provide rice harvesting machines that are capable of making rice straw bales to selected farmers in Ayutthaya so they no longer need to burn their fields after harvest,” he said.
“The straw bales will be sold to Siam Cement Group, which will use them as biomass fuel in their cement manufacturing factories.
“The straw bales, when used as fuel, produce lower emissions than fossil fuels and therefore help reduce greenhouse gas and lessen the environmental impact,” Nipon said.
“Furthermore, under this project, farmers will earn extra income from straw bales instead of burning their fields, which is not only dangerous and environmentally hazardous but also a waste of time and marketable materials,” he added.
The National Internal Affairs Police is investigating a case assigned by National Police chief Pol General Suwat Jangyodsuk since November involving some police officers who had allegedly swindled Covid-19 allowance that was supposed to go to other officers who worked extra shifts during the outbreak, bureau chief Pol General Wissanu Prasatthong-Osot said on Tuesday.
“The result of the investigation should be ready in 10 days. Currently, 97 officers in 41 police stations ranging from non-commissioned to generals are under investigation for being involved in the swindle,” he said.
“The bureau aims to provide justice to all policemen involved. After the investigation concludes, the victims will receive their full allowance, while the offending officers will be punished under the law and disciplinary standards.”
Wissanu said he had submitted the list of offenders to the National Police chief and insisted that all would be punished without exception.
“The National Police chief had also ordered the transfer of offending officers at the commander and sub-commander levels out of their areas as per the investigation procedures,” he added.
The Ratsadon pro-democracy group announced via the United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration group’s Facebook page on Tuesday that their rally on Wednesday would be held at Lat Phrao Intersection, also known as Ha Yaek Lat Phrao, in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district from 4pm, instead of the Constitutional Court in Lak Si district.
Earlier this week, Ratsadon protesters had planned to gather in front of the Constitutional Court as December 2 is the day the court announces the verdict in a case against Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha for reportedly breaking Army rules by living in a military house after retirement.
Earlier this year, former Army chief General Apirat Kongsompong had ordered retired military officers to move out of their state-provided quarters before the end of February. However, he exempted Prayut and Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan, both retired Army generals, because of their “significant contributions to the country’s well-being”.
“If Prayut is found guilty in this case, he could be forced to step down as the court has deemed his action unconstitutional, rendering him unfit to be prime minister,” the group said in the Facebook post. “Please come out at Ha Yaek Lat Phrao from 4pm to witness this historical moment together,” the post added.
Upper Thailand will witness cool to cold weather, strong wind and frost on some mountaintops, while the strong northeast monsoon prevailing over the Gulf and the South will bring isolated heavy to very heavy rain in the region, the Meteorological Department forecast on Wednesday.
It said people should beware of severe conditions that may cause flash floods and water runoff in the South, with waves in the Gulf likely to be about 2 metres high and above 3 metres during thundershowers. The department advised all ships to proceed with caution and keep away from areas with thundershowers, while small boats should stay ashore until December 4.
Here’s the weather forecast for the next 24 hours:
North: Cool to cold weather; temperature lows of 12-19 degrees and highs of 29-33 degrees Celsius. Temperature on hilltops is likely to drop to 5-12 degrees Celsius with frost in some areas.
Northeast: Cool to cold weather with strong wind and isolated light rain; temperature lows of 15-20 degrees and highs of 29-30 degrees Celsius. Temperature on hilltops is likely to drop to 9-14 degrees Celsius.
Central: Cool weather with strong wind and isolated light rain; temperature lows of 21-23 degrees, highs of 31-33 degrees Celsius.
East: Partly cloudy with strong wind and isolated light rain; temperature lows of 22-24 degrees, highs of 31-33 degrees Celsius; waves a metre high and 1-2 metres offshore.
South (east coast): Mostly cloudy with thundershowers in 70 per cent of the area and isolated heavy to very heavy rain; temperature lows of 22-24 degrees, highs of 27-31 degrees Celsius; waves 2 metres high and over 3 metres during thundershowers.
South (west coast): Mostly cloudy with thundershowers in 60 per cent of the area and isolated heavy to very heavy rain; temperature lows of 22-24 degrees, highs of 28-31 degrees Celsius; waves 1-2 metres high and 2 metres during thundershowers.
Bangkok and surrounding areas: Partly cloudy with strong wind and isolated light rain; temperature lows of 23-24 degrees, highs of 31-33 degrees Celsius.
The Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry aims to boost the country’s agricultural gross domestic product by 3.8 per cent and agricultural productivity by 1.2 per cent annually.
It also aims to reduce the number of low-income farmers by 10 per cent and increase irrigation areas by 350,000 rai each year.
Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry permanent secretary Thongplew Kongjun said the ministry will work under the concept of “Agri Challenge” to solve immediate problems for farmers, and set up workflows in line with the “new normal” era.
Urgent missions the ministry needs to work on include the Royal Projects, the One Tambon One New Theory Agriculture Group, large scale agricultural projects, and smart farming, he added.
“We will hold a monthly meeting and assign tasks to central and provincial departments immediately afterwards to ensure our missions achieve success,” he said.
Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting approved a Transport Ministry draft for new speed limits on Thai roads.
The draft ministerial regulation raises the speed limit on highways from 90 kilometres per hour to 120kph – but only for cars.
A limit of 90kph has been set for trucks weighing more than 2.2 tonnes and buses with room for more than 15 passengers. Minivans and buses with capacity for 7-15 passengers are limited to 100kph. A 65kph limit applies to cars towing another vehicle, small four-wheelers, and three-wheelers.
Meanwhile motorcycles have an 80kph speed limit, though big bikes of 35kW or more have a 100kph ceiling.
School buses are limited to 80kph.
The speed limits will apply on national and rural highways of four lanes separated by a barrier and without U-turn points.
The draft regulation also sets a minimum speed for the fast lane of highways of 100kph, aimed at easing traffic congestion and helping the transport sector.
The proposal will now be submitted to the Council of State for legal examination.
Parliament on Tuesday unanimously endorsed amendments to Thailand’s trade agreement with the European Union and the United Kingdom.
Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit explained to Parliament that the trade agreements had changed because the UK had separated from the EU, causing Thailand to renegotiate quotas for its exports.
Thai officials have renegotiated quotas for about 31 Thai products exported to the EU, and 32 products exported to the UK. The new quotas came into force on Tuesday (December 1).
MPs voted to pass three draft documents on trade with the EU and UK.
The first is a draft agreement between the EU and Thailand under Article 28 of the relevant General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994, with amendments to quotas in the EU’s table of obligations. The second is a draft letter on trade from the UK government to the Thai government, and the third is a draft letter on the same subject from the Thai government to its UK counterpart.
