Thousands of people in Sapphaya district of Thailand’s Chai Nat province have been taking temporary refuge on the roadside, after their houses became submerged, following an increase in the volume of water being discharged through the Chao Phraya Dam in the province.

Irrigation officials have increased the volume of water being released from the reservoir behind the dam to 2,739m³/sec, to ease pressure on the dam itself, as increased runoff from the north continues to flow in, at an estimated rate of 3,054m³/sec.

The worst affected district is Sapphaya, where about 2,000 households are under as much as 1.7 metres of water, forcing people to evacuate and take temporary shelter on roads.

One of the evacuees, 23-year old Chaiya Yanchai, said that he, his wife and a three-month baby have been staying in a make-shift tent on the roadside for about two weeks.

He said that life in the temporary shelter is a difficult, because there is no toilet, drinking water or other public utilities and a lot of mosquitoes, adding that the baby will cry after being bitten by mosquitoes.

The Meteorological Department reported this morning that a cold front from China has blanketed northern Thailand and the South China Sea and this will mean less rain in the northern and north-eastern regions of Thailand.

Rain is forecast for 70% of Bangkok and its peripherals today, with isolated heavy showers.

This morning, the Department of Public Disaster Prevention and Mitigation issued a warning of river overflows in Thanyaburi, Khlong Luang and Lam Luk Ka districts of Nonthaburi province, Muang, Bang Phli, Bang Sao Thong and Phra Pradaeng districts of Samut Prakan and Bangkok.

The department also warned of high tides in Bangkok and coastal provinces.