Army engineering corps to help flood victims in Surat Thani, Chumphon
Two engineering-corps units to move from southern border provinces
The Royal Thai Army on Sunday dispatched two engineering-corps units to help flood victims in Chumphon and Surat Thani provinces.
Col Richaya Suksuwanon, deputy spokesman for the army, said commander-in-chief Gen Pana Klaewplodthuk ordered the two engineering-corps units to move from southern border provinces to help flood victims in the Chumphon and Surat Thani.
The two units have been helping flood victims in southern border provinces since November 28.
Chumphon and Surat Thani were hit hard by flash floods on Saturday after several southern provinces had been hit by torrential rain since Friday.
The spokesman said the two units would coordinate with local army bases to help flood victims in crisis areas including Lang Suan, Pathiew and Mueang districts of Chumphon and Phra Saeng, Ban Nasarn, Kanchanadit and Muang districts of Surat Thani.
Richaya said as of Sunday, some areas were still under 1 or 2 metres of floodwater. He said mudslides disrupted road transport at certain spots.
The engineering-corps units were deployed with heavy machines, including a crane truck, five-tonne trucks, rescue boats, and mobile systems to supply tap water, the spokesman added.
Meanwhile, Industry Minister Akanat Promphan, secretary general of the United Thai Nation Party, posted on Facebook that UTNP MPs were ordered to provide food to help flood victims in Chumphon, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat and Ranong.
Akanat posted that UTNP members in the southern provinces were asked to set up mobile kitchens to cook food and distribute it to residents of flood-hit areas.
