The Meteorological Department has warned people in the upper part of the country to brace for sudden changes in temperatures over the next seven days.
Temperatures in the upper part of the country are likely to increase by 3-5C from today until Sunday as a high pressure zone weakens, the department said. However, the mercury will drop by 2-4C over next Monday and Tuesday with strong winds due to a moderate high pressure zone from China. Thick morning fog has also been forecast.
The department has warned motorists in the upper part of the country of poor visibility and urged them to take extra precautions while travelling.
Residents in Bangkok, adjacent provinces and the eastern region can expect light rain over the next few days. The department said northeastern provinces are expected to experience the weather changes before other regions. Sudden changes in the temperature can aggravate conditions of people suffering ill-health and expose them to a range of illnesses, the department said.
In the southern region, a northeastern monsoon over the Gulf of Thailand and the South will become weaker during this period, easing wind and waves over the Gulf and the Andaman Sea. However, from Monday and Tuesday the northeastern monsoon will be stronger and possibly cause more rain over the South with waves likely to reach 2 metres in the Gulf and the Andaman Sea.
Meanwhile, cold weather in the northeastern region has affected residents living in remote and mountainous areas in many northeastern provinces. Authorities said warm clothes and blankets have been distributed in 18 districts of Kalasin as officials are concerned about people's health. Several villages reported the cold spell has taken its toll on children and the elderly. Many have come down with respiratory diseases.
Average temperatures in the mountainous area in Kalasin will be 8-10C while low-lying areas will see average temperatures of between 12-15C.
In Nakhon Ratchasima's Soeng Sang district, residents braved strong winds and chilly weather to protect their farmlands from wild elephants. Farmers in tambon Ban Rat, armed with fire-crackers and noise-making tools, took turns patrolling the buffer area between farms and Thap Lan National Park to fend off elephant intrusions.
Farmers said wild elephants come out of the deep forests during the dry season to feast on crops like sugarcane and corn orchards. Arkhet Waekkrathok, of tambon Ban Rat administrative organisation, said locals have patrolled the area from dusk until dawn in recent days.
