BANGKOK: (Bernama) Floodwaters have begun to recede and traffic has returned to normal in many areas in Bangkok amid ongoing drainage operations, a Thai government spokesman said.
Nevertheless, government spokesman Ekkapob Pianpises said some communities and lanes remain inundated, and authorities are stepping up assistance to affected residents.
"Rainfall in Bangkok has decreased from the previous period, while drainage operations in many areas are continuing and traffic has returned to normal,” he said at a press briefing of the Joint Information Coordination Centre (JICC) on the flood situation on Tuesday (Sept 29).
Ekkapob said Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has ordered relief and recovery measures to begin immediately to help affected residents return to normal life as soon as possible.
However, residents evacuated from low-lying areas along waterways in Klaeng district, Rayong province, have been warned not to return, as water levels in the Pra Sae Canal were rising rapidly following a large volume of upstream runoff.
Ekkapob said water levels could rise further and overflow suddenly. He urged residents of low-lying and downstream areas to remain vigilant and follow official warnings.
"Those who have evacuated must not return to low-lying areas along waterways and should remain in safe locations,” he said.
Meanwhile, Thai Airways has cancelled 14 flights scheduled for Sept 29 and 30 in the wake of the flooding in Bangkok and surrounding areas.
The affected Sept 29 flights are between Bangkok and Udon Thani (TG008/TG009), New Delhi, India (TG315/TG316), Singapore (TG407/TG408), Kuala Lumpur (TG415/TG416), and Frankfurt, Germany (TG922/TG923).
The affected Sept 30 flights are between Bangkok and Munich, Germany (TG924/TG925) and Brussels, Belgium (TG934/TG935).
Passengers seeking further information can contact the Thai Airways Contact Centre at +66 2 356 1111 which operates round the clock, or email contact@thaiairways.com.
According to Thai media, Bangkok was among 41 provinces affected by floods since Sept 16.
At least eight people have been killed and more than 580,000 households affected, said the Interior Ministry. - Bernama
