Evacuation preparation advisory issued for Bangkok

Residents of Bangkok are being advised to prepare for evacuation in case of floods caused by heavy rain that has been hitting Thailand.

Six industrial parks in central Ayutthaya province have been inundated by the water from the flooded Chao Phraya River. The flood has also affected about 430 Japanese-affiliated companies there.

Flood water is now moving down the river toward the capital city.

Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra on Wednesday called on the residents of 7 districts of northern and eastern Bangkok to begin to prepare for evacuation in case of floods.

These districts are about 30 kilometers from central Bangkok. In these areas there are industrial parks where many Japanese-affiliated firms have factories, including Honda's motorcycle plant.

There are 2 main airports near the areas. One is the Suvarnabhumi International Airport, which is a hub for Asia. The other is Don Muang Airport for domestic flights, where the Thai government has based a task force for the prevention of flood disaster.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011 20:01 +0900 (JST)