A girl sits in a boat near Suphan Buri’s Banharn Tower during high water, which made roads impassable for cars.

Nakhon Sawan now showed signs of improvement as the water was passing at 5,850 cubic metres per second and was increasing at a much slower rate of 110 cubic metres per second - compared to the previous 300-400 cubic metres, he said.

It signalled the water volume would reach its highest point in a few days time, Samart said.

The water volume passing through Chai Nat's Chao Phya Dam was 4,030 cubic metres per second and Ayutthaya's Rama VI Dam was at a steady 758 cubic metres. The water volume heading to Bangkok was measured at 4,788 cubic metres, he said.

Noting the flood situation from Nakhon Sawan to Nonthaburi remained worrisome, Samart warned Bangkok's riverside areas to brace for rising river levels while also urging the city to employ more heavy duty water pumps to drain the flooded areas of Eastern Bangkok and Samut Prakan province.

From today, the RID would measure the water volume at Bang Sai - instead of estimating the amounts of water released by the two dams - as water from the Chao Phraya Dam was yesterday diverted into 1.38 million rai of land in Chai Nat, Sing Buri, Ang Thong, Ayutthaya, Suphan Buri, Lop Buri and Pathum Thani.

Samart insisted the water-diversion scheme - to reduce the water volume heading for Bangkok by 518 cubic metres per second during the high tide peaks from October 23-25 - was on a voluntary basis. He said the RID would control water levels so as not to damage paddy fields. The locals have joined the scheme so they can utilise the water for off-season rice growing.

Deputy spokesman for Agriculture and Cooperatives Pinij Kosriporn said farmers who let the RID divert water onto their land should receive a higher amount of compensation from the usual rate of Bt243 per rai. The exact amount would be submitted to the Cabinet meeting for consideration today.

At Government House, Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont received Bt1.2 million from the Hainan Association of Thailand and Bt10 million from Channel 7 to assist flood victims.

Surayud said he had approved Bt20 million for Nakhon Sawan to tackle the floods, food and drinking water shortage, during a video conference earlier yesterday with flood-affected governors and related agencies. He said Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin had also confirmed the city could handle the high tide peaks from October 23-25 and had enough money, having only spent Bt47.3 million out of its Bt100 million emergency fund.

Meanwhile, Interior Minister Aree Wongsearaya insisted the ministry had enough funding to assist flood-affected villagers and rehabilitation operations after the floodwaters subside, and did not need additional money from the Cabinet.

At the same time, secretary-general of the Chaipattana Foundation Dr Sumeth Tantivejkul yesterday emphasised that His Majesty the King was concerned about the situation and was continuing to give advice on the problem.

Sumeth said his team had discovered deep pits excavated by an earth moving business around Rayong province that could be used to retain millions of cubic metres of floodwater.

Meanwhile, the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department reported that floods had affected 2,452,563 people in 46 provinces - with 16 provinces still experiencing floods - killed 56 people and caused estimated losses of Bt305 million.

In Nakhon Sawan, local officials piled sandbags to prevent the Chao Phya River  from flooding City Hall.

In Angthong, five children aged between 12 and 15 drowned yesterday after playing in floodwater.

The rising Noi River forced authorities to open water gates, which then threatened to flood Pho Thong district's two local hospitals as well as Bang Chao Cha Village - famed for its handicrafts and home-stay tourism.

Following the news that Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn had instructed the Red Cross of Thailand to distribute meals in Angthong using mobile kitchens, residents yesterday requested thousands of food relief bags.

The Princess Pa Foundation and Sattahip Naval Base issued 18,200 more relief bags for flood victims in the Central Region.

In Suphan Buri, the Tha Chin River submerged riverside homes in all districts especially Muang Suphan Buri Municipality under a metre of water.

Suphan Buri Prison built flood barriers to keep water from inundating the detention area that holds 1,800 inmates and set-up an emergency area on higher ground in case the barriers fail to stop the rising water.

Elsewhere, organisers of the 25th Thailand Paralympic Games or "Sri Suphan Buri Games" were undeterred by the floods and launched the opening ceremony at the provincial stadium yesterday. Athletics will compete in 17 sports until Friday.