Princess offers encouragement | Bangkok Post: learning

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Flood victims Nakornsrithammarat and Surat Thani got a big morale boost yesterday when they received a much-appreciated visit from Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn.

Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn disembarks from her helicopter to offer encouragement to victims in flood-ravaged Nop Phi Tham district in Nakhon Si Thammarat province yesterday. She also met flood victims in Surat Thani’s Phunphin district later the same day.

Morale boost

Villagers in the flood-ravaged southern provinces of the Nakornsrithammarat and Surat Thani got a big morale boost yesterday when they received a much-appreciated visit from Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn.

The princess travelled in a helicopter to Nakhon Si Thammarat's Nop Phi Tham district in the morning and then visited villagers in Surat Thani's Phunphin district later that afternoon.

Princess Chulabhorn, who is herself still suffering from the effects of a broken leg, told flood victims to look to the people of Japan as a model of how to cope with hardship.

She asked them not to give up, and pointed out how the Japanese people are dealing with devastation after the March earthquake, tsunami and continuing nuclear crisis with social discipline and calm.

"Look at them," she told the villagers, "and we will have morale to fight and band together to solve the problem."

Princess Chulabhorn also passed on the thoughts and care of Their Majesties the King and Queen to all flood victims in the South.

The death toll from the floods has risen to 51, according to the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department.

Of the total, 21 were reported in Nakhon Si Thammarat, 10 in Surat Thani, 10 in Krabi, five in Phatthalung, two each in Chumphon and Trang and one in Phangnga.

Floodwaters in Phunphin have started to recede, but the province has not yet been able to resume its production of tap water, said Withayen Muttamara, deputy director of the government's flood relief centre.

The situation in Nakhon Si Thammarat, where flooding forced the evacuation of 22,261 residents, is also improving.

Nakhon Si Thammarat Airport has reopened after a week-long closure.

In Krabi's Muang district, however, officials are keeping a close watch on Nong Talay mountain, where there was considerable risk of landslides from a large crack caused by the heavy downpour.

Adapted from a story in today’s Bangkok Post.

disembark – to leave a vehicle, especially a ship or an aircraft, at the end of a journey ออกจากพาหนะ
encouragement – words or actions that give someone confidence or hope คำให้กำลังใจ
victims – people who are killed injured or harmed in some way from an accident, natural disaster, crime, etc. เหยื่อผู้เคราะห์ร้าย
ravaged – destroyed damaged very badly  ถูกทำลาย, เสียหาย, ถูกล้างผลาญ
morale – the amount of confidence and enthusiasm, etc. that a person or a group has at a particular time กำลังใจ, ขวัญ
boost – an action or event that helps something to increase, improve, or become more successful การส่งเสริม
appreciate – to be grateful for something, i.e., feeling you want to thank someone for something they have done for you สำนึกในบุญคุณ
suffer (from) – to be badly affected by a disease, pain, sadness, a lack of something, etc  ประสบความทุกข์
model – something such as a system that can be copied by other people   น่าถือเป็นแบบอย่าง, ต้นแบบ
cope with – to deal successfully with a difficult situation or job จัดการกับปัญหา แก้ปัญหา
hardship – difficulty ความลำบาก
devastation – damage or destruction affecting a large area or a lot of people การทำลายล้าง, การทำให้เสียหายอย่างรุนแรง
earthquake – a sudden shaking movement of the ground  แผ่นดินไหว
crisis – a situation that has reached and extremely difficult or dangerous point ช่วงวิกฤต
discipline – the ability to control your actions  วินัย 
calm – peaceful and quiet; without anxiety ใจเย็น,ไม่ตื่นเต้น, สงบ
band together – to gather; to come together in a group รวมกลุ่ม, รวมตัวกัน
death toll – the number of people killed ยอดผู้เสียชีวิต
disaster – something very bad that happens and causes a lot of damage or kills a lot of people  ความหายนะ  ภัยพิบัติ
prevention – preventing something bad from happening การป้องกันภ้ย
mitigation – a reduction in the harmful effects of something  บรรเทา  ผ่อนคลาย
Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department – the government department in charge of preparing country to prevent and deal with disasters กรมป้องกันและบรรเทาสาธารณภัย
recede – to move back; to move further away into the distance; subside ลดลง
resume – to begin again after stopping for a period of time ดำเนินต่อไปใหม่, กลับมาอีกครั้ง
production – the process of making something, especially in large amounts การผลิต
tap water – water that is sent through pipes into building น้ำประปา
relief – help; assistance การช่วยให้พ้นภัย
evacuation – moving people from a place of danger to a safer place การอพยพ
residents – people who live in a particular area ประชาชนที่อาศัยในท้องที่
improve – to get better  ดีขึ้น
closure – the shutting down of a school, factory or other business or service การปิด
considerable – large in size, amount, or degree ค่อนข้างมาก
risk – the possibility that something dangerous or unpleasant might happen ความเสี่ยง
landslide – a mass of rock and earth moving suddenly and quickly down a steep slope แผ่นดินถล่ม
crack – a line on a surface where something is beginning to break apart รอยแตก  รอยร้าว
downpour – a lot of rain in a short time ฝนตกหนักมาก, พายุฝน

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