Military forced to move Pattani command centre as floods swamp temple
Pattani’s 25th Special Infantry 15323 company, which had set up a command centre at Santikaram Temple in Muang district's Pakaharang subdistrict, had to quickly move their tents and redeploy on the road temporarily after 1-metre-high flood waters engulfed the temple situated in a low-lying basin.
The command centre had been set up on January 6 to monitor the flood situation and provide assistance to affected villagers.
The flood was the result of water being released from the Bang Lang Dam in Yala province earlier this month.
As the temple became completely inundated, soldiers had to use a boat to transport food to the only two monks still residing in the temple’s two-storey building.
So far nearly 10,000 people in seven districts, 16 subdistricts and 101 villages in Pattani have been reportedly affected by the flood.
Officials estimate that it would take at least one month for the flood in Pattani to subside.
