BANGKOK, 17 May 2012 – The Thai weather office has warned people in certain areas to beware of possible risks from heavy rain, expected until this Sunday.
The Meteorological Department’s Deputy Director General Somchai Baimoung said that heavy rain has continued to hit several parts of Thailand and the amount of rainfall is likely to increase until May 20th.
Mr. Somchai stated that heavier rain is particularly forecast on the western coast of Thailand’s South and in the lower part of the Northeast, the eastern seaboard, the northern region as well as the central plain.
However, he said that rain will scatter and be particularly heavy near hill slopes. Therefore, people living close to such areas are warned to watch out for possible flash flood.
On a brighter side, more rain will help increase water storage in upstream provinces, such as Sukhothai, Phetchabun and Tak, according to Mr. Somchai.
The Meteorological Department’s Deputy Director General stated that Bangkok will likely experience heavy rain and consequential flooding, as statistics showed that 4-5 hours of continued rain of more than 90 millimeters can overrun the city’s drainage system.
Still, he is confident that there will not be a repeat of severe flooding as Thailand has experienced late last year.
