Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha praised officials' efforts to prevent a major deluge and was cheered by local residents as he completed his flood inspection visit to Phetchaburi on Wednesday afternoon.
Gen Prayut said he admired the way people acted promptly to manage water levels and put in place measures to cope with any flooding downstream caused by water being discharged from the Kaeng Kachan dam.
- Photo gallery: Fighting floods in Phetchaburi
Officials should not lower their guard and must keep people fully informed about the situation. It was important that people stay calm, he told a briefing at Phetchaburi dam in Tha Yang district.
Fear of extensive flooding in Tha Yang, Ban Lat, Muang and Ban Laem districts eased on Wednesday as the swollen Phetchaburi River remained within its banks and the two dam reservoirs were able to handle the water flowing from upstream. Even so, some areas in districts close to the two dams were flooded.
The Meteorological Department forecast was for more rain in the province from Friday to Sunday. (continues below)
Gen Prayut's last stop was in Ban Laem distrrict, where the Phetchaburi flows to the Gulf of Thailand, and it turned on a political show, with gathered residents cheering and calling for him to continue as prime minister.
When residents asked which party he would join, Gen Prayut would not say. "This is not a political visit," the prime minister said. "This trip is my homework," he added, referring to his schedule to assess the flood situation in the province.
When asked by a reporter about the call for him to continue in the premiership, he said: "I get used to that."
Residents of Phetchaburi talk about their preparations for the approaching flood. (Video by Patpon Sabpaitoon)
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