SONGKHLA, Nov 24 — Flooding in Thailand’s deep south has started to recede after rain stopped, even as several popular tourist destinations in the North are packed with tourists attracted by the chilly weather.
Heavy rain which fell in the southern province of Songkhla overnight Saturday stopped, but metre deep floodwater overflowed a canal in Sadao district swamping the homes of government workers, including doctors and nurses at the hospital.
The Sadao hospital remains open as usual despite the floodwater.
In Narathiwat province, people living near the Sungai Kolok River began cleaning their homes after being under water earlier in the week due to heavy rain. Some waited for another few days after a warning by the Meteorological Department urged people to closely monitor the weather situation.
While the heavy monsoon has only just stopped in the deep South, temperatures in the North continue to drop.
Weather in the northernmost province of Chiang Rai dropped to 16 degrees Celsius early Sunday while it fell to between 10-12 degrees Celsius only atop the mountains.
Phu Chi Fah, a popular tourist destination in Chiang Rai’s Thoeng district, was packed with Thai and foreign tourists waiting to see the sunrise and the sea of fog while temperatures fell to 10 degrees Celsius.
Owners of restaurants and resorts atop Phu Chi Fah say their business has been bullish since the beginning of this month, and they expect business will remain strong until February, especially during the New Year celebrations.
More than 1,000 resort rooms atop the mountain have been booked by tourists, amounting to more than 80 per cent occupancy.
Temperatures atop mountains in the North are now lower than 6 degrees Celsius, while weather forecasters said a high pressure system from China is still covering the northern region, causing chilly weather with thick fog in the early morning.
They urged motorists to take extra precautions while driving.
