This Reclining Buddha statue at a temple in Angthong’s Pho Thong district is threatened by rising floodwater, as many areas of the Central region remained inundated yesterday.

His Majesty the King has asked the Royal Irrigation Department (RID) to keep him updated on the flood situation and also granted permission for the RID to divert floodwater into his properties at Pathum Thani and Saraburi.

The Rama 9 Pond located between Klongs 4 and 5 in Pathum Thani has already absorbed water from the Rangsit area, while the RID is planning how to use Ban Mor Lake in Saraburi as soon as possible, said RID director-general Samart Chokanapitak yesterday.

Currently, the RID is planning to divert water during the high sea tide period into some agriculture areas - but in amounts that would not damage the crops.

Samart will inspect potential locations by helicopter today to gather data for a meeting with related agencies, so as to implement the idea on October 23 to 25 when the high sea tides will peak again.

Samart said the Chao Phya River water volume in Nakhon Sawan had reached 5,300 cubic metres per second and increasing - as there was rainfall in the northern province of Phrae.

However, when the water reaches Bangkok in 36 hours, it will have dropped to 3,500 cubic metres per second, as some water will be diverted to the east and west before reaching Chao Phya Dam, he said, adding the Bangkok water volume would not exceed 2002's rate of 3,930 cubic metres.

Meanwhile, a large number of swamps are being sought to be used as catchment areas to hold rainwater as part of a large-scale flood management plan, Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP) secretary-general Chalermsak Wanichsombat said yesterday.

There are more than 100 such areas registered around the country, including Borraphet Swamp in Nakhon Sawan. The most important swamps would be those located in central provinces through which the Chao Phya River flows.

An ONEP restoration programme is also under way in five provinces in the North - Uttaradit, Sukhothai, Phrae, Nan and Lampang - where more than 50,000 rai of forest areas have been damaged by flooding.

Anucha Mokawet, director-general of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, reported 17 provinces - Nakhon Sawan, Angthong, Chai Nat, Sing Buri, Lop Buri, Ayutthaya, Kamphaeng Phet, Phitsanulok, Sukhothai, Phichit, Uthai Thani, Sara Buri, Suphan Buri, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi, Prachin Buri and Chanthaburi, plus Bangkok - were experiencing floods. The first six provinces should brace for another round of river overflows.

The floods have killed 44 people, affected over two million and damaged more than 1.5 million rai of farmland. The damage was estimated at over Bt236 million.

In Phitsanulok, a Wing 46 Airforce Base inspection found Bang Rakham district submerged with several villages cut off. Many areas along the rising Nan River in Muang were also inundated.

In Angthong, representatives of HRH Princess Chulabhorn Valayalaksana gave 1,000 relief bags to affected villagers.

In Ayutthaya, homes and 14,975 rai of farmland in 12 districts were flooded, while the Sa Kae Krung River overflowed and kept commercial areas in Uthai Thani's Muang district under 20centimetres to 1.30 metres of water.

Up north, Chiang Mai's Mae Rim district was on flood alert and was preparing to evacuate residents - especially in tambons Rim Neu, Pong Yaeng, Huai Sau and Rim Tai - in case of continuous heavy rainfalls around Sa Meung Mountain.

In Mae Hong Son's Muang district, a flash flood killed three family members, leaving only a seven-year-old girl, on Wednesday night. Painter Ruay Mulnamchai, 37, and two-year-old daughter Faprathan were found dead while his wife Songsri Jintanapasuriyakul, 29, was missing. The family - with both parents disabled - was hit by a flash flood while crossing a creek.