Flooding and mudslides in southern Thailand have killed 21 people and left thousands of tourists stranded.
Three airports have been closed, including one on popular resort island Koh Samui, Nakhon Si Thammarat and Surat Thani, and trains to the region have been cancelled.
Supplies have been delivered to villagers in flooded villages by the army using an amphibious landing craft with on-board helicopters.
“The army and the navy are working together to help those stranded and evacuate others who live in areas at risk of a mudslide,” Satit Wongnongtoey, a minister in the prime minister’s office, told Reuters.
“More rain is expected in the next few days.”
The floods may also delay shipments of rubber as Thailand is the world’s largest producer of rubber.
The southern region supplies 90 per cent of the 3.2 million tonnes of rubber produced in Thailand every yera.
“Small producers along the upper south, who need to carry rubber by road to be shipped from Bangkok’s port are facing disruption as roads are cut off,” Prapas Uernontat, secretary general of the Thai Rubber Association told Reuters.
