People living along river banks and in low-lying areas in Bangkok and Chainat, Sing Buri, Ang Thong, Lop Buri, Ayutthaya, Saraburi, Pathum Thani and Nonthaburi  provinces are advised to brace for possible flooding from overflowing Chao Phraya and Pasak rivers from tomorrow until October 5th.

The flood alert was issued today (Thursday) by the secretary of the National Water Resources Directorate, Samroeng Sangphuwong.

In the announcement, he said parts of the northern, north-eastern, central and eastern regions of Thailand had experienced heavy to very heavy rain from September 22^nd to 24^th, due to the influence of a monsoon trough moving over the lower northern, central and lower north-eastern regions, compounded by a low pressure cell looming over the central region.

The rate of water flowing downstream to the Chao Phraya Dam in Chainat province, from the Sakae Krang River in Uthai Thani province and the Chao Phraya River, from Nakhon Sawan, is estimated at 3,200 cubic metres/second.

The Royal Irrigation Department has been instructed that the flow of water through the Chao Phraya dam should be at an average of 2,700 cm/second.

Coupled with the flow of water released from the Pasak Jolasid Dam, estimated at between 900-1,200 cm/second, the National Water Resources Directorate said that, altogether, 3,000-3,200 cm/second will flow into the Chao Phraya river through the water measurement station in Bang Sai district of Ayutthaya.

This will result in a slight increase in water levels downstream of the Chao Phraya dam, but levels downstream of Pasak Jolasid Dam are expected to increase by 1.20-2.40 metres and the from the Rama VI Dam by 2.30-2.80 metres from tomorrow until October 5^th.

Areas vulnerable to flooding during this period are:

• Chainat province; Nang Dam Nok and Po Nang dams, Nok sub-districts of Sappaya district.
• Sing Buri province; Wat Sua Kham and Wat Singh in In Buri, Muang and Prom Buri districts.
• Ang Thong province; Wat Chaiyo in Chaiyo district and Pa Mok district.
• Lop Buri province; both sides of Pasak River in Pattana Nikhom district.
• Ayutthaya province; Hua Wiang sub-district in Sena district, Lat Chid and Tha Din Daeng sub-districts in Pak Hai district along the Noi River and Klong Bang Ban, both banks of the Pasak River, Tha Rua, Muang and Nakhon Luang districts.
• Saraburi province; both sides of the Pasak River, Wang Muang, Khaeng Khoi, Muang, Sao Hai and Ban Mor districts.
• Pathum Thani and Nonthaburi provinces; low-lying areas below the Chao Phraya River embankments.
• Bangkok; along the Chao Phraya River embankments.