SBC: Thailand - Health watch urged in Thailand as mercury drops

Temperatures have been dropping in many regions across Thailand, with some northern areas already hit by a cold spell.

The Meteorological Department Monday urged people to take extra care of their health as weather conditions were changing.

"It's just between 4 and 10 degrees Celsius on mountaintops," it said.

According to the weather bureau, the mercury dropped by between 1-3 degrees in the North, Northeast, East and Central regions Monday under the influence of a high-pressure ridge hovering over the upper part of the country.

In Bangkok and its vicinity, the lowest temperatures were 19-20 degrees.

While the cold weather is proving a welcome relief for many and has even stimulated tourism, it is posing a health threat to people who lack adequate warm clothes.

In Chon Buri's Sattahip district, for example, a 13-year-old boy blamed his mother's death on the chill.

"It's very cold at night," the boy said tearfully. "We don't have enough blankets."

His 49-year-old mother, Suna Jandadan, died in their shack. Her body lay stiff on the floor when police arrived. The mercury dropped to around 19 degrees in Sattahip.

In Sakhon Nakhon, the lowest temperature was 12 degrees and a large number of locals needed treatment for respiratory disorders.

In Nakhon Phanom, officials were closely monitoring the health of dogs at the provincial animal-quarantine station after canine distemper started to spread amid the cold weather.

"We have now vaccinated them. Some 40 dogs are being housed separately," an official said.

The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department yesterday declared seven districts as cold-spell zones. They are Omkoi, Samoeng, Chom Thong, Fang, Galyani Vadhana and Mae Ai in Chiang Mai and Pang Mapha in Mae Hong Son.

Meanwhile, farmers in Phitsanulok's Bang Rakam district expressed concern about imminent drought in their area.

"The water level in the Yom River has been dropping fast," said Samlee Jaemdee, 50.

She has now dug a 3-metre-deep artesian well in the hope of storing water for her paddy fields.

"With floods having eased, a drought is clearly coming," she said.

Temperatures have been dropping in many regions across the country, with some northern areas already hit by a cold spell.

The Meteorological Department Mondayurged people to take extra care of their health as weather conditions were changing.

"It's just between 4 and 10 degrees Celsius on mountaintops," it said.

According to the weather bureau, the mercury dropped by between 1-3 degrees in the North, Northeast, East and Central regions yesterday under the influence of a high-pressure ridge hovering over the upper part of the country.