National parks to be closed for tourist safety if situation worsens

October 8, 2012

BANGKOK, Oct 8 – Thailand’s Minister of Natural Resources and Environment on Monday instructed the country’s national parks and natural attractions to immediately close their sites if they are affected by depression Gaemi, for the safety of tourists.

Minister Preecha Rengsomboonsuk spoke to a meeting of governors from 25 provinces via video conference.

Senior officials from other ministries also attended the meeting.

Mr Preecha said Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra assigned concerned agencies to closely monitor the situation and to be ready to provide assistance to the public.

The minister said the water resources department and the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department have been working together and set up 22 special centres to follow up the flood situation across the country. He said governors can seek assistance from the centres in their areas.

Mr Preecha said the water resources department has 274 water pumps. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration borrowed 50 of them for its drainage work and other governors can also request the equipment from the department if needed.

Mr Preecha also urged the governors of provinces where national parks or tourist sites are located to assess the risk of possible natural disasters which can affect tourists.

He said the governors can ask national park chiefs in at-risk areas to temporarily close the sites for safety reasons.

Director-general of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department Chatchai Promlert also reported to the meeting that, as of today, 40 districts of nine provinces are flooded, including Prachin Buri, Chachoengsao, Phitsanulok, Phichit, Angthong, Ayutthaya, Suphanburi, Nakhon Pathom, and Samut Prakan.

He said over 100,000 residents have been affected in the current flooding. (MCOT online news)

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