Residents of Chiang Rai’s Mae Sai district are yet to clear away the mud, which came with the massive flooding a week ago, but they are now also facing excessive amounts of airborne dust.
On the Phahonyothin Road, which leads to the permanent border crossing with Myanmar, many vehicles, which have been left on the road waiting to be repaired, are covered by a thick layer of dust.
One shopkeeper, whose business is located by the side of the road, told Thai PBS that he has to mop down his shop every day because of the dust, as he urged authorities to dispose of the mud to help ease the dust problem.
Many shopkeepers are offering flood-damaged goods at highly reduced prices, prompting many Thai and Myanmar customers to flock to the shops. The shopkeepers say that, even though they are selling the goods at a loss, it is better than getting nothing.
Most residents are still worried that the district may be flooded again by heavy rains induced by tropical depression Soulik, which hit several north-eastern provinces yesterday.
Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department issued a warning today of torrential rainfall in northern, north-eastern, central and eastern provinces from today until Monday, as the result of a strong monsoon trough compounded by the weakening tropical depression.
Rough seas and strong winds are forecast in both the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea today and tomorrow, with wave heights averaging two metres, but higher in stormy areas. Small vessels are advised to remain on shore.
