The government has decided to revamp the flood early warning system, after complaints were received during the recent flooding that people had not been warned in advance, leaving them unable to move their belongings to high ground or evacuate in time.
Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai called a meeting yesterday with relevant agencies to discuss improvements to the system.
It was agreed that the Public Relations Department will be assigned to play a key role in coordinating with agencies concerned, to ensure that the public are provided with update information on the flood situation and are alerted in advance of potential flooding or mudslides.
In doing so, it was reported that the PRD will adjust its program schedule to give priority to the flood status across the country for one month.
The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society was also assigned to coordinate with mobile phone service providers, to disseminate similar information to their subscribers.
Meanwhile, a tropical depression, called Storm 4 in Vietnam, is forecast to hit Vietnamese coast, from Quang tri to Quang Nam province, this evening, with wind gusts of up to 102kph.
The Meteorological Department said today that the depression, with wind speeds of 55kph at its centre, was located in the South China Sea, about 300km from Vietnamese coast, at 4am this morning.
The storm is gaining speed as it moves towards the coast and will intensify into a tropical storm when it makes landfall this evening. It will then gradually weaken again.
Heavy to very heavy rain is forecast in the northern, north-eastern, eastern, southern and central regions, including Bangkok and surrounding areas, from this evening until Monday, according to the department.
Meanwhile, in the north-eastern province of Nong Khai, the water level in the Mekong River is steadily dropping, but is still about one foot above the bank on the Thai side of the border with Laos.
Residents in the Mueang district began cleaning up their houses of mud sediments and other debris today.
A two-metre crocodile was caught by officials after it was sighted by villagers in Wat That sub-district. It has been taken to the fresh water fisheries research centre in Si Chiang Mai district.
