Army units have been instructed to prepare for disaster relief operations with the expected arrival of tropical storm Gaemi, army deputy spokeswoman Sirichan Ngathong said on Sunday.

Col Sirichan said Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha, the army chief, has ordered the army's disaster relief centre to prepare 880,000 sandbags for distribution to the people in Bangkok.

In the Northeast, 28 companies of the 2nd Army are also ready for relief operations in coordination with civilian units in every province.

In the Central provinces, soldiers from the 9th Infantry Division have been deployed in Kanchanaburi, Nakhon Pathom and Suphan Buri.

Soldiers from an engineering regiment and equipment have been put on standby for operations in risk areas of Ratchaburi province, particularly Suan Phueng district.

In Nakhon Pathom province, soldiers have completed the dredging of canals and removing obstacles in waterways as assigned by the Water and Floods Management Commission (WFMC), Col Sirichan said.