US gives aid to flood victims
US Ambassador Ralph Boyce gave US$50,000 (Bt1.9 million) over the weekend to the Thai Red Cross for relief supplies for people affected by the floods in the North.
Boyce said the flooding concerned him, given more than 300,000 people in five provinces had been affected. "This emergency budget from the US Department of State is just a small donation to assist the Thai Red Cross Society in its relief efforts," he said. Thai Red Cross Society secretary-general Phan Wannamethee told the ambassador relief packages would contain cooked rice, instant noodles, canned sardines, canned chili-paste, canned fried chicken, salt, sugar, drinking water, lighters and candles. Extensive flooding in the northern provinces in recent days has forced evacuations, destroyed homes, roads, bridges, schools and farmland. On Tuesday, flash-floods and mudslides ravaged Uttaradit, Sukhothai, Phrae, Lampang, and Nan. Hundreds of thousands of people have been affected. "Though the rain has stopped, the suffering of the affected people continues. We hope this donation will assist our Thai friends to recover from this disaster," said Boyce.
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