PM Thaksin visits flood-hit Phrae and Uttaradit Provinces

SAMUT PRAKAN, May 27 (TNA) - Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is paying a weekend visit to Thailand's northern provinces of Phrae and Uttaradit, which were severely hit by flash floods and mudslides earlier this week.

Mr. Thaksin said on Saturday that the floodwaters in Phrae had receded, and that he planned to visit two districts, including Muang District, and about five villages atop a mountain now cut off from the outside world following damage to a main road leading to the villages.

The prime minister said he would visit Ta Pla District in Uttaradit Province on Sunday.

Expressing surprise at hundreds of logs which were carried into the areas by floodwaters, particularly in Phrae's Den Chai District, Mr. Thaksin said he would make an aerial inspection and would order provincial officials to give assistance.

Mr. Thaksin said he believed that some major financiers must be behind a large scale illegal logging as villagers would not have enough money
or power to engage in illegal activities on such massive scale.

Referring to the proposed installation of a warning system in the North to monitor potential flash floods and landslides, Mr.Thaksin said he had ordered caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Suwat Liptapanlop to assign Smith Tumsaroch, chairman of the National Disaster Committee, to work together with Plodprasop Suraswadi, director of National Disaster Center, on installing the system as requested by villagers in the region.

TNA
May 27, 2006

Rail service to Chiang Mai suspended for 12 days

BANGKOK, May 27 (TNA) - Direct passenger trains to Thailand's northern city of Chiang Mai have been suspended for another 12 days, from Saturday, due to severe damages to rail track resulting from flash-floods earlier this week, the chief of the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) said Saturday.

SRT Governor Chitsanti Dhanasobhon said a damage survey earlier this week on the rail line through Uttaradit Province after SRT stopped train services late Monday found over 30 kilometers of track and three bridges to be badly damaged.

Train passengers traveling to Chiang Mai must for the time being disembark at Uttaradit Station and then travel by bus via Den Chai, Lampang and then to the final destination Chiang Mai, he said.

Passengers with advance bookings who no longer want to travel between May 27 and June 7 can receive full reimbursement from the SRT, Mr. Chitsanti said.

He said initial damages were estimated at around Bt50 million (currently about US$1.3 million).

The SRT chief said that he would visit on Saturday and offer food and medicine to SRT officials who had been affected by the floods and the overall emergency response situation to boost their morale.

TNA
May 27, 2006