The northeast monsoon covering the South and the Gulf of Thailand will gain strength during Jan 16-20, bringing more rain with isolated heavy falls in 12 southern provinces, the Meteorological Department said on Sunday.
The 12 provinces are Chumphon, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, Phangnga, Phuket, Songkhla, Krabi, Trang, Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat.
Waves in the Gulf of Thailand will be 2-3 metres high during this period.
The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department has instructed its provincial offices to prepare manpower and equipment for possible flash floods and landslides.
Chatchai Promlert, the department chief, said since Jan 1 flash floods and storms had hit Prachuap Khiri Khan in the lower Central and 11 southern provinces, affecting 1.6 million people and causing damage to 20 government installations, 1,172 roads and 191 bridges. The death toll as of Sunday was 41.
The situation had generally improved in the 12 flood-hit provinces. However, six of them remained partly flooded and attempts to drain water were continuing. They are Phatthalung, Songkhla, Trang, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat and Prachuap Khiri Khan.
