One man was killed and another injured during storms that caused havoc in at least 17 provinces across the country Thursday.
Suwit Soikong, 57, was found dead in a flooded rice field in Kamphang Phet's Muang district early Thursday while in Sukhothai, Rin Chusuwan, a villager from tambon Ban Rai, sustained head injuries.
Strong high pressure in the North resulted in summer thunderstorms and some hail across the Northeast, Central and eastern parts of Thailand on Wednesday and Thursday.
The provinces affected included Sukhothai, Phrae, Phetchabun, Uttaradit, Si Sa Ket, Ang Thong, Nakhon Phanom, Trat and Phetchaburi.
Other provinces hit by the storms were Chaiyaphum, Phitsanulok, Amnat Charoen, Chanthaburi, Chai Nat, Tak, Kamphang Phet and Phayao.
The storms wreaked havoc on roads, rice fields, fruit orchards, rubber plantations and more than 1,000 houses.
The roof of a house sits in shreds after a hail storm hit Sukhothai province on Wednesday night, with Boongsak village in tambon Ban Rai of Sisamrong district declared the worst-hit area with about 150 houses severely damaged. Phubes Faithet
In Sukhothai, about 150 homes were damaged in tambon Ban Rai of Si Samrong district. Troops were called in to help repair the damage and replace several homes that were destroyed.
In Phrae, nearly 300 homes were partially damaged, with the worst damage occurring in Wang Chin district.
Ratchadaporn Choobthaisong, 32, a resident of Mae Pung in Phrae's Wang Chin district, said strong winds blew down a wall of her house which led to the collapse of the whole structure.
"I was in the kitchen when the storm struck. I was so terrified I ran away from the house,'' she said.
A hailstorm also damaged about 200 homes in Chaiyaphum's Ban Khwao district.
About 80 homes were damaged in Phetchabun's Lom Sak district.
In Uttaradit, storms smashed windows and damaged the roof on two buildings at Uttaradit Rajabhat University in Muang Uttaradit district.
In Si Sa Ket, about 40 homes were damaged in Khun Han and Kantharalak districts.
Storms also damaged about 20 houses in Ang Thong's Samko district.
Boonmas Noithanom, 20, a Samko resident, said the storm struck about 2am Thursday, bringing high winds.
"The wind blew off part of my roof. My husband and I were so scared we ran downstairs and hid until the rain stopped,'' Ms Boonmas said.
About 20 families in Ang Thong were seeking help from the provincial office, Ang Thong governor Pawin Chamniprasart said.
In Nakhon Phanom province, about 500 homes were damaged, most of them in Phon Sawan district, while the owners of about 15 houses in Phop Phra district of Tak reported damage.
In Trat, vast areas of rubber, durian and banana plantations in Bo Rai district were badly affected.