The South suffers heavy flooding as rains refuse to let up
Severe flooding continued to ravage many parts of the South including Nakhon Si Thammarat, Trang and Phatthalung provinces Thursday, affecting tens of thousands of people, damaging property and interrupting transportation. Two deaths from the flooding were reported in Nakhon Si Thammarat and Phatthalung each.
Trains to the lower South could go no further than Surat Thani as the Thung Song Train Station in Nakhon Si Thammarat’s Thung Song district had to be closed due to flooded rail tracks. Also Thursday, Transport Co Ltd suspended buses scheduled to go through the heavily flooded Thung Song district.
The company’s acting managing director Pol General Amnat An-art-ngam said the severe flooding in Thung Song had led to the suspension of seven bus routes: Bangkok-Thung Song-Chian Yai; Bangkok-Hat Yai; Bangkok-Yala-Betong; Bangkok-Pattani-Sungai Kolok; Bangkok-Satun; Bangkok-Hat Yai-Dan Nok; and Bangkok-Hat Yai-Padang Besar.
In addition to this, four inter-provincial bus services operated by private concessionaires to Hat Yai-Chumphon, Hat Yai-Surat Thani, Hat Yai-Thung Song and Hat Yai-Nakhon Si Thammarat have also been suspended. As of 1.30pm, Transport Co resumed some services as the buses were able to re-route via No 401 Road through Surat Thani-Nakhon Trang, though journeys take an hour or two longer than usual. The company said those not wanting to spend more time on the bus can get refunds within a week.
