SUKHOTHAI — PM Prayut Chan-o-cha on Sunday said the government is doing everything to deescalate the flood situation in areas affected by tropical storm Dianmu. He also urged residents in flood-hit Sukhothai to resort to prayers.
The Prime Minister and his entourage were visiting flood victims in Sukhothai’s Si Samrong district, which is among the hardest hit by the tropical storm last week. Prayut spoke to the residents through loudspeakers mounted on a truck, telling them that the government will not abandon them to their plight.
“It’s a natural disaster. We will fix it. You will only have a hard time for a short while,” Prayut said at one point. “Everyone please stay safe and strong. Your troubles are my troubles, too, because I care about the people.”
He added, “The storms are hitting us right now. In 2020, there were five storms. We’ve seen just one so far [this year]. So I ask all of you to pray together. Don’t let another storm come our way. Only one storm is enough.”
Several other provinces were battered by Dianmu’s path, leaving floods in its wake, including Tak and Nakhon Ratchasima. Roads were cut off and many cars were almost completely submerged underwater.
In Chaiyaphum, a hospital was forced to evacuate 40 patients to escape the flood.
During his visit to Sukhothai, the Prime Minister also distributed relief bags that contained essential items to flood victims at Ban Khlong Chad and at Wat Don Chan. Later, he traveled to inspect other relief operations and flood prevention efforts in the province.
