Thailand losses 6 bln USD as factories hit by flood

As industrial factory hubs in central region have been hit by flood, the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) estimated on Friday the cost of damage at 6.2 billion U.S. dollars so far, Thai media reported. Sing Tangcharoenchaichana, FTI chairman for the central region, said Friday that flood damage in the Central Plain rose from 160 billion baht to 190 billion baht (5.2 to 6.2 billion U.S. dollars) when water hit the Hi-Tech Industrial Estate in Ayutthaya province. He predicted that the final cost would double if the flooding continues longer than two months. Sing said damages in the Hi-Tech Industrial Estate, where there are 143 factories, are estimated at 30 billion baht (971.5 U.S. dollars) or more. Damages at the Rojana Industrial Park, with 300 factories, the Bang Pa-in Industrial Estate, with 98 factories, and the Saha Rattananakorn Industrial Estate, with 46 factories, are estimated at 50 billion baht (1.62 billion U.S. dollars). In Nakhon Pathom province, floods have covered seven districts and damaged over 3.2 square kilometers of farmland. Economic areas of Nakhon Pathom are also hit and the damage initially estimated at 30 billion baht. A massive amount of floodwater is also flowing to central province of Nonthaburi, and owners of local factories are increasing their dykes to six meters in height to prevent damage, he said. Factories in Pathum Thani province are also protected inside dykes and can, at this stage, still resist surrounding floodwater. However, 40 percent of their workers are absent because their houses are inundated. A total of 289 people were confirmed dead and two people were missing in the floods that have inundated the upper part of the country for almost three months, the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department reported on Friday. Flash floods and mudslide were caused by heavy rains in monsoon in the country since mid July.