Thunderstorms for NE Thailand, dry in south

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Thunderstorms for NE Thailand, dry in south 
Beware of thunderstorms
The Nation on Sunday
Published on 1/3/2009

The Meteorological Department yesterday warned public of summer thunderstorms in upper Thai regions until tommorow (March 2).

The ridge of moderate high pressure system from China over northeastern Thailand extends to northern, central and eastern Thailand and the Southern China Sea. This caused summer thunderstorms together with isolated thunderstorms and gust in many areas thus people should beware of severe weather during 28 February to 2 March 2009, the Weather Forecast Bureau stated.

As for the Bacho Peat Swamp Forest fire in Narathiwat that occurred since Tuesday (February 24), officials managed to put off fire at two locations yesterday. But the last location in Bacho district's Ban Kathung, the fire continued to spread to damage a total of 300 rai of palm and rubber planations. The smoke caused resipartory problems to residents in five tambons in Muang, Bacho and Yingor districts that located around the forestland, but urban community remained unaffected.

This dry season saw many provinces suffered from drought.

The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office Region 5 declared as disaster zones Nakhon Rtachasima, Chaiyaphum and Surin. The office director Wanlop Theppakdee yesterday said 588,675 people in the three provinces were affected, 8,916 rai of farmland were damaged and another 22,100 rai of farmland were at risk.

In the South, some parts of Trang province's popular waterfalls such as Sai Rung Fall, Ton Tae Fall and Roi Chan Pan Wang Fall went dry, causing disappointments to tourists thus mant turned to visiting beaches instead.