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WORLD NEWS Friday 4 January 2019

Thailand braces for powerful storm at southern beach towns

By SUMETH PANPETCH of the 16 provinces to dis-
Associated Press cuss preparations for the
NAKHON SI THAMMARAT, emergency, including dig-
Thailand (AP) — Thai au- ging drainage canals to
thorities suspended ferry run off floodwaters, mobiliz-
services and began evacu- ing rescue vehicles, order-
ations Thursday ahead of a ing all boats to be docked,
powerful tropical storm that and readying medical fa-
is expected to pound the cilities.
Southeast Asian nation's Southern Thailand's tour-
famed southern beach re- ist industry is a huge mon-
sorts during a peak tourism eymaker, and authorities
season. have become particularly
Rain was already falling sensitive to visitors' safety
around the Gulf of Thai- since last July, when 47
land and officials warned Chinese tourists drowned
that torrential downpours, when the boat they were
strong winds and rough on sank in rough seas near
seas were expected in 16 the popular resort of Phuket
provinces when Tropical Thai man walk close to a sandbank, which was built to protect properties of seaside communities in the Andaman Sea.
Storm Pabuk makes its ex- in Songkhla, Thailand on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019. On Samui island, beach
pected landfall late on Fri- Associated Press guards hoisted red flags to
day. warn people to stay out of
There are fears that the glers who had not yet been ocha said. "We are ready time to resolve problems." the sea. Police patrolled
storm will be the worst to hit evacuated. ourselves, but if the rainfall He later held a video con- beaches, although many
Thailand since 1989, when "We have prepared three is high we will need some ference with the governors were almost deserted.q
Typhoon Gay left more shelters and currently have
than 400 dead. A tropical about 1,000 people in
storm in 1962 killed more them," said local official Kri-
than 900 people in the angsak Raksrithong.
south. Fishing is another major
In an incident possibly relat- industry in the south, and
ed to the storm, a Russian small boat owners were
tourist in Koh Samui died heeding the warning.
Wednesday as he tried to Many dragged their vessels
rescue his daughter, who ashore, attaching ropes
was struggling in strong to the boats and having
surf. Thai PBS television re- friends help tug them on to
ported that the daughter beaches.
survived but her father lost The Meteorological De-
consciousness after being partment said the storm
tossed against some rocks was moving west into the
and couldn't be revived by Gulf of Thailand with maxi-
rescuers. mum winds of 65 kilometers
Thailand's Meteorological (40 miles) per hour, and
Department said the storm that waves 3 to 5 meters
will lash southern Thailand's (10 to 16 feet) high were
east coast from Thursday possible in the Gulf of Thai-
to Saturday, with the two land, and 2 to 3 meters (6
provinces of Surat Thani to 10 feet) high in the An-
and Nakhon Si Thammarat daman Sea on the west
expected to be hardest coast. It warned of strong
hit. Surat Thani is home to winds and storm surges on
the popular tourist islands the gulf side and said all
of Koh Samui, Koh Tao and ships should stay berthed
Koh Phangan. on land through Saturday.
Army trucks were driving "There will be heavy rainfall
around remote seaside and we have to prepared
areas in Nakhon Si Tham- for flooding or an impact
marat on Thursday eve- on transportation," Prime
ning, searching for strag- Minister Prayuth Chan-