The "Clean-up Day" in Hat Yai district, Songkhla Province, southern Thailand, is scheduled to start on the 29th, with authorities mobilizing local residents and heavy machinery in an effort to rebuild the city within 7 days.
Authorities reported on the 28th that the death toll from the southern flood disaster has risen to 145, with Songkhla Province being the worst hit and accounting for more than 100 deaths.
According to the Bangkok Post on the 29th, Songkhla Provincial Chief Rattasa stated that Hat Yai is home to about 400,000 residents. Houses, roads, public utilities, and public infrastructure have all suffered severe damage, with large amounts of debris and mud left behind.
He urged residents to remove vehicles blocking traffic so that cleanup work can proceed smoothly.
Songkhla Province has assembled a large amount of machinery, including 200 trucks, 100 excavators, 100 loader-excavators, and 10 garbage trucks. More than 1,000 personnel will be deployed from local administrative organizations, government departments, volunteer groups, military units, and the community.
Reinforcement teams from neighboring areas are on standby in case additional manpower is needed, ensuring round-the-clock operations during the early stage of the effort.
The police have received orders to strengthen patrols after the floodwaters recede to protect residents' property.
● Foreign Tourists in Eight Southern Provinces May Overstay Without Penalty Due to Floods
In addition, Thai authorities have approved a directive at all immigration checkpoints to exempt foreign nationals who cannot leave on time due to floods in eight southern provinces but intend to leave Thailand, from overstay fines.
A large number of tourists have been unable to travel due to roads being blocked by floodwaters, making it impossible for them to leave within their visa period. Under the Immigration Act, a fine of 500 baht per day would normally be imposed for overstays, causing much inconvenience to foreign tourists in Thailand.
Immigration Bureau chief Panuma considered this a force majeure event and, on the 27th, signed relevant documents. The eight disaster-affected provinces eligible for the exemption are Songkhla, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, Trang, Satun, Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat. The applicable period is from November 20th to December 31st.
This policy is based on Article 54 of the Immigration Act and aims to assist foreign tourists genuinely trapped by the disaster who have no intention of breaking the law. At the same time, staff are still required to rigorously enforce security screening procedures according to the law.