Southern army chief oversees flood relief in Nakhon Si Thammarat

The army chief for the South showed up in Nakhon Si Thammarat on Monday to personally oversee flood relief efforts as the province suffered its third consecutive day of severe flooding. 

Leading a team of senior officers, Lt-General Paisal Noosang, toured the worst-hit district to distribute relief supplies and coordinate evacuation efforts. Heavy downpours have hit Nakhon Si Thammarat, Chumphon, Surat Thani and several other provinces in the South since Thursday and triggered flash floods over the weekend. 

Several areas in Nakhon Si Thammarat remained submerged as of Monday, prompting Paisal to instruct military units under his command to work closely with local government agencies to expedite relief operations. Apart from distributing necessities, he pushed for the immediate evacuation of vulnerable groups, including the elderly and bedridden patients. 

The army’s medical team was also dispatched to distribute essential medicines and provide basic healthcare to affected residents. 

Paisal visited the Bo Sup community in Muang district’s Pho Sadej area to personally hand out relief bags and medicine kits. 
He also met with flood victims sheltering at Wat Sena Muang School, accompanied by medics from the Vajiravudh Army Base, who conducted health check-ups.

One notable rescue was that of 65-year-old Nittaya Sanukul, who was bedridden due to a herniated disc in her spine. The 15th Infantry Regime safely shifted her from her flooded home in Prom Khiri district’s In Khiri area to a shelter at Ban Tho Ek School. 

The regiment also helped 28 families move their valuables to higher ground as flood waters continued to rise. The Army Circle 41, in collaboration with civilian volunteers, distributed relief supplies in Tambon lian and Tambon Si Keed in Nakhon Si Thammarat’s Si Chon district, where floodwaters remained deep and currents strong.