PM closely monitors flood recovery plan

The Prime Minister closely monitors the flood recovery plan, ordering the cabinet meeting that if additional compensation is needed, it must be sent to the National Reform Council for urgent approval. He also ordered that the next phase of the recovery must be carried out continuously by local government agencies to accommodate tourism in Thailand Winter. Mr. Jirayu Huangsap, advisor to the Prime Minister and spokesman of the Operation Center for Flood, Storm and Landslide Relief Operations (OCR), revealed that in the cabinet meeting, Ms. Paethongtarn Shinawatra, the Prime Minister, had instructed the cabinet to expedite consideration of additional relief measures for the people by sending matters beyond those approved by the cabinet to help flood and storm victims in all regions of the country to the OCR as soon as possible to compile and filter them before presenting them to the cabinet. The Prime Minister also urged government agencies in Mae Sai District and other districts to continue with the ongoing rehabilitation process, even though the Forward Command Center has already handed over the areas, in order to ensure that tourism in many areas is lively in line with government policy. Regarding the water situation, Mr. Jirayu, spokesman of the CPOC, said that at present, although many provinces have entered the winter season, there is still rain and water management must be closely monitored. The Royal Irrigation Department reported that the water in the Chao Phraya River basin at the Chao Phraya Dam in Chai Nat Province is currently being continuously discharged at a rate of 1,699 cubic meters per second, resulting in the water level at the end of the dam stabilizing, causing low-lying areas outside the embankment at Khlong Phong Pheng in Ang Thong Province. As for Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province, Khlong Bang Ban and Mae Nam Noi, Tambon Hua Wiang, Sena District, Tambon Lat Chit, Tambon Tha Din Daeng, Phak Hai District, have seen water levels decrease. While the Office of National Water Resources (ONWR) reported to the NDRC that it has warned of heavy rain in some areas of the lower central and eastern regions tomorrow and Thursday (October 30-31), while the westerly and northwesterly winds are covering the Andaman Sea, the South and the Gulf of Thailand, causing heavy rain in some areas of the South. Therefore, it is predicted that areas at risk of flooding from accumulated rain during the period will be more than 200 millimeters in Phetchaburi Province, Kaeng Krachan District and Nong Ya Plong District, as well as Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, Pran Buri District and Hua Hin District. As for the South, there is still a need to watch out for rain in Takua Pa District, Phang Nga Province. 'The NESDB would like to warn the public to continue to be vigilant in the southern region from Chumphon down, as there will be an increase in rainfall. The Royal Irrigation Department in the area has been ordered to closely monitor the water situation,' said Mr. Jirayu. Mr. Jirayu also said that in terms of the rehabilita tion after the flood situation in Chiang Mai Province, especially the ancient sites of Wat Ku Pa Dom and Wiang Kum Kam, which have been flooded for months, Mr. Phanombut Chanthachoti, Director-General of the Fine Arts Department, recently informed the CCSA that the Fine Arts Office 7, Chiang Mai, together with the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Center, Region 10, Lampang, have installed a long-distance water pump to drain the water that has flooded the ancient sites. The next step in the conservation and restoration will be to cover the stucco patterns with thick and soft fibers to maintain the temperature balance of the stucco patterns with the weather conditions to prevent damage to the stucco patterns in order to restore them to their best condition. 'The government prioritizes the rehabilitation after flooding in all areas, especially ancient sites that require expertise to restore and maintain them to their best condition because their artistic and cultural value is priceless. It is a soft power tha t adds charm and enhances the tourism sector in another way. Therefore, the rehabilitation must take into account all the relationships that support each other,' said Mr. Jirayu. While managing waste from the flood situation in Chiang Mai Province, more than 42,000 tons, Mr. Jirayu said that Mr. Nirat Phongsitthaworn, Chiang Mai Governor, reported to the CPOC that all sectors helped clean up and asked local administrative organizations or local governments to hire private companies to come in and manage the separation and disposal, including using it as fuel to generate electricity. The rest will be buried. The sandbags will be given to the public for use, and the excess will be disposed of. Of the 1 million sandbags, 400,000 are at Chiang Mai Municipality, 74% of which have been removed. In Muang Chiang Mai District, 84,533 bags outside Chiang Mai Municipality, 100% have been removed. In Saraphi District, 427,700 bags, 100% have been removed. .314.-Thai News Agency Source: Thai News Agency