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The RID meeting yesterday to tackle the water situation, especially in the central region, had affirmed that the two dams could still hold nearly 20 per cent more before reaching their full capacity, thus it was not a concern as previously reported.

The dams released two million cubic metres each day without affecting downstream areas, said

RID deputy chief Weera Wongsaengnak.

The meeting also heard that, since the rainfall in many areas had started to decrease, it was expected the flood situations in various areas would subside in one or two days including in Phitsanulok province, he said.

However, there were still concerns for Lop Buri's Muang and Khok Samrong districts where some 100,000 rai of housing estates and farmland were damaged. RID officials had excavated irrigation waterways to drain floodwater, said Weera. He said the districts were severely flooded now because they were low-lying areas, thus it was difficult to drain the water and they had suffered their heaviest rainfalls in 30 years.

He reported that the water passing through Chao Phraya Dam was still normal at 1,400 to 1,500 cubic metres per second and it did not affect Ang Thong and the lower central region.

Continuous heavy downpours still covered all 32 districts of Nakhon Ratchasima causing flooding in some areas including Tambon Nong Bua Sala where one-metre-deep floodwater had started to stagnate and 30 residents were suffering water-borne diseases.

Lam Phra Phloeng Dam chief Chamlong Pinitkan said the 40-year-old dam, now containing 95 million cubic metres out of its full capacity of 110 million cubic metres, was strong enough and could hold more water. Officials had released two million cubic metres to the Lam Sam Lai reservoir for the drought season.

In Lop Buri, where many areas have been submerged for five days now, continuos heavy rains caused floodwater to rise, especially in Ban Mi district where floods are two metres deep. Tambon Dong Plub and Tambon Puka were also left with no electricity and boats were the only means of transport. Puka's 50 families had to use a local temple as a temporary shelter.

In Phichit, officials dispatched flat-bottom boats to assist 30 flood-affected families in Ban Phrom Village in Bang Mun Nak district, while Thab Khlo district resident Korn Sukkham, 83, was swept away by the torrent and went missing.

In Prachin Buri, which had been hit by Khao Yai National Park forest floods, the situation remained unchanged. The Prachin Buri River, taking both forest floodwater and Sa Kaew floodwater, also sent overflows to Sri Maha Pho, Muang and Ban Sang districts.

In Khon Kaen's Muang district, officials drained water from the School of the Blind and the Piman Buri housing estate was covered by floods half a metre deep.