Floods to cost Chiang Mai Bt3 bn: banker
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Chiang Mai city was hit hard by flooding yesterday, with more than 20,000 residents struggling to cope and businesses suffering huge damages.
Praphan Sujaritpanich, a senior deputy manager at Bangkok Bank’s head office, estimated that Chiang Mai operators would lose at least Bt3 billion worth of business opportunities to the floods.
The city’s Night Bazaar, many shopping centres, hotels, restaurants and bank branches on key roads like Chang Klan, Charoen Muang and Charoen Prathet were flooded, said Sarawut sae Tiao, president of the Chiang Mai Tourism Association.
The Ping River broke its banks and has been flowing into the central business district since Wednesday.
Floods have affected more than 20,000 residents, said Prajon Prachsakun, chief of the Chiang Mai disasterpreventionandmitigation office. At some of the worsthit spots, the water was almost one metre deep.
The Hydrology and Water Management Centre for the Upper Northern Region said runoff water was descending on Chiang Mai.
Officials were rushing to deliver essential assistance to affected people. Food and water were handed out, while the elderly and children were evacuated.
Jatuporn Photiteng, 52, was hoping to find a vehicle to move her 77yearold father out of their flooded house.
“He’s ill. He can’t wade through floodwater; I’m so worried about him,” she said.
Waves caused by passing buses in town shattered windows and broke the doors of many shops.
Locals who waded through floodwaters to get food complained about stepping on broken glass.
Chiang Mai is one of the 12 flooded provinces that Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is closely monitoring. Yesterday, she ordered her Cabinet members to facilitate floodrelief operations in these 12 provinces.
Assigned to Chiang Mai were Natural Resources and Environment Minister Preecha Rengsomboonsuk and Deputy Finance Minister Boonsong Teriyaphirom.
Many other parts of Chiang Mai were also inundated. In Saraphi district, residents were found waiting for help on the roofs of their partially submerged houses, as soldiers moved in to pass out relief kits.
