People urged to follow forecasts

More than 100 tourists were left stranded for several hours at Phi Phi Island’s Maya Bay yesterday as boat drivers decided against braving choppy seas and 3-4-metre-high waves back to mainland.
“We decided to wait until the conditions became calmer,” Manoj Saengkhiew, a 47-year-old driver of a long-tailed speedboat, said. He added that other boat owners had decided to do the same despite so many tourists being stranded.
Phi Phi Island, a popular tourist destination, is located in Krabi province.
According to Krabi Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department chief Talerngsak Phuwayannapoing, small trawlers were cautioned against going out to the sea because weather conditions there were rough.
“People should keep abreast of weather updates from the Meteorological Department too. There’s a risk of flash floods and landslides,” he advised.
In Satun, another southern province, floodwaters rose beyond the one-metre level yesterday at some spots, with many roads becoming impassable.
The National Disaster Warning Centre said landslides and flash floods might hit Satun, Phang Nga and Trang yesterday and today, while the Mineral Resources Department said this risk was also present in Ranong and Songkhla.
In Bangkok, heavy downpours left the Min Buri-Suwinthawong intersection flooded for a while early yesterday though main roads in the capital were unaffected.
In a related development, 200 people yesterday blocked a road in front of Klong Sam Wa District office to demand that the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration give Bt20,000 in compensation to owners of each house hit by the 2011 flood crisis.
However, the district office’s director Naratip Pattarawimon explained that the government would determine the amount to be given in compensation.
“We have to proceed in line with guidelines laid down by the central government,” he said, adding that his office was ready to accept complaints from people if they fell the amount is unfair.
“But these complaints will be subject to review,” Narathip said.
Meanwhile, Science Minister Plodprasob Surassawadee yesterday urged the public to launch a campaign against non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that had done wrong things. He said this after some NGOs expressed opposition against the construction of dams and reservoirs.
“Don’t intimidate me. I will go ahead and do what is right,” Plodprasop said.
He also said only “pessimists” were attacking the government for awarding Bt300-billion worth of projects to companies that had good proposals about water-management and flood-prevention systems.
Plodprasop is chairing the Water and Flood Management Committee.
In Lop Buri, more than 50 people expressed concern that the Bang Chom Si watergate would not be fixed in time for the upcoming wet season and that their homes would be flooded again this year.
The watergate sustained huge damages during the flood crisis last year.