Phuket joins relief efforts for flood, landslide victims

PHUKET: The Phuket Provincial Health Office (PPHO) today shipped 1,000 medical kits to hard-hit Nakhon Sri Thammarat province as part of its efforts to provide assistance to flood and landslide victims throughout Southern Thailand.

Today’s effort follows the PPHO delivering 1,050 first-aid kits to flood-stricken areas yesterday.

The kits were shipped to Weingsra Hospital and Phra-saeng Hospital in Surat Thani province and to the Provincial Health Office in Krabi, where a major landslide has claimed several lives.

PPHO Chief Dr Sak Tanchaikul told the Phuket Gazette today that the Phuket Health Office on Wednesday dispatched a total of 29 medical personnel and a field hospital tent to Khao Phanom District in Krabi province to provide emergency medical treatment for disaster victims there.

The team included two doctors and several nurses from government hospitals as well as Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) emergency response workers and Kusoldharm Foundation rescue volunteers, he said.

“Our medical staff are ready to serve any request from suffering provinces, but right now Krabi is the only province to ask for help from us,” said Dr Sak.

“We will keep monitoring the situation. After providing physical treatment, we will continue providing mental treatment as well, because many victims are suffering from traumatic stress – many have lost their jobs, their homes and beloved family members,” he added.

At Provincial Hall today, Phuket Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosutthirak was on hand to receive donations of dry food and consumer goods.

Donors this morning included Anda Focus Managing Director Natchanok Sucharitkul; Siam Guardian Services General Manager Barrie Buck and Janpen Arno representing the Phuket Gazette.

V/Gov Somkiet said the donations will be delivered to flood victims in Nakhon Sri Thammarat, Surat Thani and Krabi, with the first delivery to be made on Sunday.

Some of the donations will be stockpiled and kept in Phuket in case they are needed to provide assistance here, he added.

“I urge Phuket people to help relieve the suffering of those affected by the floods and landslides,” said V/Gov Somkiet.

“We prefer donations of dry food; we don’t want much money. All donations are welcome at Provincial Hall,” he said.

V/Gov Somkiet added that donations were still being accepted to help earthquake and tsunami victims in Japan.

“The bank account for receiving donations is still in operation. Money can be transferred until April 10, when the Phuket Provincial Office will hold a ‘Walking Street’ on Thalang Road as a last push to raise funds,” he said.

The relief fund account details are:
Phuket Tsunami Relief Center for Japan
Account No 805-0-41578-3
Krungthai Bank
Phuket Branch

Donations for flood victims are also being accepted from 11am to 10pm at the information center on the first floor of the Jungceylong shopping complex in Patong.

— Pimwara Choksakulpan