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A worker braves rain to clear a rice field drain in Isarn to use the water well

Photo by phuketwan.com

UPDATE Floods That Plague Phuket Tourists May Ease Thailand's Drought

By Chutima Sidasathian and Alan Morison

Saturday, October 3, 2015

UPDATING All Day, Every Day

Forecasts of storms for Phuket were being questioned on Sunday by at least one Phuketwan reader but news outlets have a responsibility to relay official warnings, regardless.

Original Report

PHUKET: Storms and possible floods are likely across Phuket and the Andaman holiday coast through until Wednesday, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation warned today.

Bad weather triggered by Storm Mujigae also brought flood warnings for Bangkok - but the heavy weather, also forecast across the north-east of Thailand. may alleviate drought conditions that have rice farmers especially worried about their next planting.

Rain is non-political but governments are often blamed for droughts.

The forecast of wet weather through until Wednesday comes as Phuket, Krabi, Phang Nga and Ranong were also welcoming a flood of extra Chinese visitors, taking advantage of the national holiday week to visit Thailand's most popular holiday island.

A Phuketwan team in north-east Thailand encountered farmers putting on wet-weather gear and heading for the fields to unblock ditches so the storms could be put to good use.

''Good weather at last,'' one told the southern reporters. ''We love it when it rains.

''There are no tourists in this part of Thailand, but there are plenty of farmers who need to know the gods and the government are on their side.''

Comments

Comments have been disabled for this article.

We had one day of rain in Issan (Northeast Thailand) but it's still startlingly green and lush up here - but not wet enough for a full rice harvest.

Posted by Sam Wilko on October 3, 2015 09:37

@Sam: We haven't even had that much in Korat, nut the land looks good for now. The rice harvest is miles behind though & the local authorities say there could be water shortages in a few months if we don't get a late fill up.

Posted by Logic on October 3, 2015 15:04

"Rain is non-political but governments are often blamed for droughts." They indeed could be partially blamed, by allowing widespread deforestation, which reduces rainfall, but when it does rain causes excessive run off leading to flooding.

Posted by Laurie Howells on October 3, 2015 18:22

Contrarary to the common prejudiced anti-Sino sentiment:

Xinhua News:
A Chinese is helping keep safe #Kenya's lions, elephants and leopards http://xhne.ws/JbmEP

Posted by Sue on October 3, 2015 20:50

Please check weather forecasts for Phuket windguru and windyty, no heavy rain, no heavy wind, no heavy nothing for at least the next 7 days.

Posted by Chris on October 4, 2015 08:07

Editor Comment:

We and other news outlets must respond to warnings from the DDPM and other relevant organisations. We would not be socially responsible outlets if we ignored official warnings.

If there are discrepancies between official forecasts and the actual weather, the people who are most seriously affected - those with commercial interests - should formally take up the issue with the government, locally and nationally

@ Chris, well guess what, both your weather sites were proved wrong at lunch time on sunday.
The heavens openned in Laguna and Thalang. Very heavy downpores of rain. I believe the Phuket met office, but remember the Phuket is made up of many mini weather cells. So wet at Boat Lagoon and bone dry in Rawai.

Posted by Duncan B on October 4, 2015 14:47

Duncan B

still "heavy" obviously meant to be not just intense, but also lasting considerable time,hence making a material impact on ,say,comfort of beach activities.

In KhaoLak it was raining until the late 2nd breakfast time,then after 11:00 overall nice weather to take air/sunbathes,no wind at all,seas are not calm,but fit for bathing along a coastal line.

I think it was the same on Phuket and vicinity - no weather to disturb holidaying or weekend-makng to any sizeable effect.

Posted by Sue on October 4, 2015 17:36

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