The Ministry of Tourism and Sports has instructed all its agencies in Songkhla province to provide food and bottled water to foreign tourists, mostly Malaysians, trapped by widespread flooding in hotels and at the airport in Hat Yai district.
Many Malaysian tourists have complained of food and water shortages in their hotels and at the airport, because a number of hostelries do not have kitchens and convenience stores are closed due to flooding. Getting out of hotels to buy food and water is also difficult or dangerous due to strong currents.
Natthriya Thaweevong, the tourism and sports permanent secretary, said today that she has also coordinated with the Agriculture and Transport ministries to arrange for boats or trucks to transport tourists from their hotels to Hat Yai airport, which is still open, but access to which is limited to all but large trucks.
According to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, many hotels have asked for food and water for thousands of stranded Malaysian tourists. A 24/7 coordination centre has been set up to coordinate assistance for the stranded tourists.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who visited Hat Yai yesterday, is due to fly to the district again this afternoon, while Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn and Agriculture Minister Thammanat Prompao are currently in Hat Yai to supervise assistance.
Anutin told the media that Songkhla and Phatthalung are the worst affected among all the flooded southern provinces, with Hat Yai being singled out as being in the direst need of help.
Unlike the floods in the northern and central provinces, where floodwater is normally trapped on flat land and drains slowly into the sea, Anutin said that floodwater in southern provinces, including Hat Yai, will drain into the sea quickly, if there is no more heavy rain in the next few days.
He also said that he has instructed the governors of all southern provinces affected by flooding to survey the number of households affected, so that compensation can be dispensed without delay.
The Meteorological Department, however, forecasts heavy to very heavy rain in the next 24 hours in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, Songkhla, Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat, Phuket, Krabi, Trang and Satun. Flooding in Hat Yai is likely worsen today after the district was lashed by heavy rain throughout Saturday night, as officials work around the clock to drain water from the municipal area.
It is reported that a number of stranded Malaysian tourists have tried, unsuccessfully, to return home, for fear that flooding may get even worse.
Most Malaysians travel to Hat Yai in their private cars and spend the weekend in the town. Now though, many cars parked in underground parking lots or on roadsides are submerged.
Meanwhile, the Internal Trade Department reports that food has become scarce in some areas, because several stores have closed due to the flooding and stockpiling by consumers fearing a shortage.
The department said it has told distributors to increase the volume of supplies sent to the affected areas once roads become passable.
