the Devastation is reported to be large in the district of Pak Phanang where storm Pabuk reached the country on Friday. Warnings for torrential downpours and strong winds has been issued for the 15 regions in Thailand’s southern parts, and thousands of people have been evacuated. Authorities warn of flooding in the wake of the storm.
then the storm swept over the country, and Pabuk is expected to be downgraded, according to thai authorities.
One death has so far been reported, there is a fishermen must have been drowned, writes the Bangkok Post.
Two major airports have been closed and boats have been ordered to stay in port, which means that the tourists left on the turistöar as Koh Phangan, Koh Tao and Koh Samui may stay until Saturday.
“ten Thousand tourists are left on Koh Phangan,” says district manager Krikkrai Songthanee to AFP.
Pabuk is the first tropical storm in decades to hit Thailand in the middle of the tourist season. Wind speeds would seem to of over 20 metres per second and waves up to five meters in height has been measured at sea.
Pak Phanang in southern Thailand on Friday. Photo: Sameth Panpetch/AP
eye of the Storm is expected to pass over the region of Nakhon Si Thammarat and forth over the narrow region between the Thailandsviken and the Andaman sea, where the resort of Phuket is located.
In Phuket, the authorities have prepared with shelter for residents who evacuated and for the tourists in the area.
the Flights to Surat Thani, the gateway to Koh Samui, was almost empty on Friday morning which is a rare sight this time of the year when it is the peak season for tourism, writes the Bangkok Post.
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the touristy places come reports of empty beaches and deserted restaurants when tens of thousands of tourists have left the southern parts of the country.
– It is very empty… the tourists have abandoned the beaches, ” says Pui Suriwan that live on Koh Phangan to the AFP.
On nearby Koh Tao, one of southeast asia’s most popular islands for divers, preparing both the tourists and the locals for the storm that is approaching.
” It has started to blow all the more. There is no gasoline to buy on the whole island and 7-Eleven has run out on all of the goods. But we have stocked up, ” says a Spanish instructor, to AFP.
Tourism is a major source of income in Thailand and many are concerned that storm Pabuk should hit hard on the economy.
After the storm had swept in over Nakhon Si Thammarat went to the authorities on the flooded streets and among the demolished power lines and shouted in the speakers that people would leave the area:
“If anyone is left please and shout, we will come and help you out. You can’t stay, it’s too dangerous”, was the message, writes the Bangkok Post.
Sv enska ministry of foreign affairs calls on the swedes in the area to keep themselves informed to the current weather situation, for example, the thai meteorological institute’s website.
Read more: Seven meters high waves threaten turistöar in Thailand
Correction: In an earlier version stated incorrectly that the MINISTRY for foreign affairs advises against travel in the south of Thailand because of the storm.
