"We are concerned about their safety. There are many young children and elderly people in the affected areas. Most of the elderly are nearly 100 years old," the governor of this northern province said, as he tried to encourage flood victims to stay in temporary shelters instead inside the Wat Yang Ong School's compound.

He said people should return to their homes only after the water level subsided. Yet many were looking to return because they were afraid of burglars.

Tambon Toong Krachor Municipality's mayor Meechai Ua-roongruang said officials had asked people to remain alert. At 1am yesterday local Disaster Prevention and Mitigation officials sounded an alarm within Tambon Thung Krasor Municipality. Residents evacuated to higher ground just in time to escape run-off water.

The flood-water level in Tambon Thrung Krasor Municipality measured about one metre high. Flat-bottomed boats were pressed into service to move belongings. There was no report of casualties.

In another northern province, Phitsanulok, more than 5,500 residents of Tambon Tha Nang Ngarm remain marooned as all road links to the area lie submerged. Monks were forced to go on their morning alms round by boat.

A representative of HRH Princess Somsavali also visited flood victims in Phitsanulok to hand out relief. In the central province of Lop Buri continuing rain has disrupted life. More than 5,000 rai of farmland and 50 households were affected. In a related development Public Health Ministry permanent secretary Dr Prat Boonyawongvirot revealed yesterday that nearly 30,000 flood victims had sought treatment from mobile medical units during the past month. Of these, 4,290 were diagnosed with stress.

Prat said other common illnesses noticed among flood victims included athlete's foot, conjunctivitis, insomnia and diarrhoea. Mobile medical units have been reaching out to areas in many northern and central provinces since late last month, he said. "We also distributed medicine packs to the flood-hit provinces," he said, adding that boots had also been given to flood victims to prevent the spread of leptospirosis.

Prat said the mobile medical units were now heading to Nonthaburi, where a red alert was sounded on Thursday due to the rising flood water.

Wat Poramaiyikawas School in Nonthaburi was closed for two days as it was already submerged.

Meanwhile, Theeradej Tanpraprutkul, who heads Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's Drainage and Sewerage Division, said it would take two more days without rain to drain the flood water in the eastern part of the capital.

Some roads there are flooded and inaccessible to small cars. "We are using pumps to drain the flood water. We are also working closely with the Royal Irrigation Department to ensure the smooth flow of flood water," Theeradej said.