On departing the Parliament Building yesterday afternoon, Mr Settha revealed that after completing his morning duties at Government House today (July 5), he will travel to Phuket, reported state news agency NBT.
His visit will focus on the soil slide situation and the airport expansion, among other matters. After his parliamentary duties, he will attend to a personal matter, the report noted.
The visit comes as Phuket is expected to experience more scattered heavy downpours. The Southern Meteorological Center (West Coast) office of Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) forecasts rainfall across 70% of the island today.
The office, also called ‘PhuketMet’, has not issued a weather warning for Phuket, but the national TMD has forecast heavy rain and thunderstorm showers for region for at least the next few days.
“From July 4-7, 2024, the monsoon trough will pass through northern and northeastern Thailand, reaching a low-pressure area in upper Vietnam. At the same time, the southwest monsoon over the Andaman Sea, Thailand, and the Gulf of Thailand will strengthen. This will bring increased rainfall to Thailand, with heavy rain expected in some parts of the Northeast, East, and South, and very heavy rain in parts of the North,” the TMD notes in its forecast.
“From July 8-10, 2024, the monsoon trough will move to upper Myanmar and upper Laos, while the low-pressure area will remain over upper Vietnam. The southwest monsoon will continue to blow over the Andaman Sea, Thailand, and the Gulf of Thailand, causing thunderstorms in some areas of the Northeast, East, and the west coast of the South.
“Waves in the upper Andaman Sea will be moderate, ranging from 1-2 meters high, and may exceed 2 meters in thunderstorm areas. In the lower Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, waves will be about 1 meter high, with thunderstorm areas experiencing waves higher than 2 meters,” the forecast said,
SMALL BOATS ORDERED ASHORE
Regardless, the Phuket Marine Office has issued a warning for boat navigation from July 4-8, urging caution. Boats shorter than seven meters are strictly prohibited from venturing into open sea.
Phuket Marine Office Chief Nachapong Pranit explained that the warning aims to ensure maritime safety during the onset of the monsoon season, which brings highly unpredictable weather. “Mariners, boat operators and machinery controllers are advised to be extra cautious during this period,” said the warning.
“According to the Meteorological Department, the Andaman Sea will experience waves up to 2 meters high, and areas with rainfall will see waves exceeding 2 meters. Consequently, boats shorter than 7 meters must not leave the shore for the open sea.
“Small boats should avoid venturing out and ensure they are equipped with necessary tools, communication devices, and life-saving equipment such as life jackets. Mariners should also stay updated with weather forecasts and strictly follow official instructions,” the warning said.
“In case of emergencies, incidents can be reported via the marine hotline at 1199, which is monitored 24/7 by the CSC or VTS centers at the deep-sea port. These centers track boats and handle incident reports. In the event of an emergency, coordination with nearby agencies such as the Third Naval Area Command, the Marine Police, and other maritime networks will be carried out as per joint operation plans,” the warning concluded.
CLEANUP CONTINUES
Meanwhile, officials are continuing their efforts to clean up after the flash floods last weekend, which affected more than 740 households and 1,468 residents, mostly in Tambon Thepkrasattri.
Phuket Vice Governor Adul Chuthong, along with Kathu District Chief Theerapong Chuachu and other officials yesterday (July 4) led another multi-agency effort to help cleanup Kamala, which was also heavily affected by flash floods.
The cleanup teams included officers and personnel from Kamala Tambon Administrative Organisation (OrBorTor), Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation (PPAO), Kathu Municipality, Patong Municipality, the 1st Battalion of the 15th Infantry Regiment of the Royal Thai Army as well as students from Phuket Technical College, Thalang Technical College, Phuket Vocational College and volunteers.
The teams aimed to clear the remaining mud and sand from homes and clean the drainage systems in Kamala, particularly in Moo 5, Baan Huakhuan. Additionally, they repaired electrical appliances and motorbikes damaged by the flash floods last Sunday (June 30).
Vice Governor Adul said that the heavy rainfall and flash floods had significantly impacted Kamala. In response, volunteers from various sectors have been mobilised for five days to clean homes, main and secondary roads, and drainage systems clogged with debris, soil and wood. About 80% of the work has been completed, he said.
"Today [July 4], apart from cleaning the canals and removing sand and debris from Huakhuan Canal, especially at the canal’s head, last night’s rain added more soil to the canal, requiring immediate excavation,” V/Gov Adul explained.
Residents affected by the floods have expressed their desire for government agencies to expedite the dredging of Huakhuan Canal, which is clogged with debris, soil, and wood, as heavy rain on Wednesday night spurred worry and sleepless nights due to fears of further flooding.
CLEARING WATERWAYS
Meanwhile, the village head of Moo 4, Baan Pasak in Cherng Talay, along with the private sector, deployed machinery to dredge areas prone to flooding in the area.
Boonlert Suebsap, Phu Yai Baan of Baan Pasak, explained that following the flooding last weekend, he sought assistance from the private sector, which provided heavy machinery for free to dredge the Sanepoh Canal.
The clearing effort aimed to remove weeds and obstacles from the canal, allowing water to flow more freely and reducing the risk of flooding in his and nearby areas, he said.
With heavy rainfall frequently causing flooding, it is essential to prepare and carry out the dredging operations, Mr Boonlert said.
Kathu Mayor Wannayut Suthikul yesterday also led a team of Kathu Municipality workers to urgently remove any waterway obstructions and dredge canals in case of more heavy rainfall, to prevent repeated flooding in the area following heavy flooding last Sunday.
Officials from Kathu Municipality Public Works Department also raised plans to install new drainage routes to better handle large volumes of water and enhance the overall drainage efficiency, said an official report of the operation.