Offshore rig workers in the South are prepared to make rapid evacuations in the event of treacherous seas and high winds whipped up by an approaching depression.
Companies running petroleum drilling operations in the lower Gulf of Thailand, off Songkhla and Nakhon Sri Thammarat provinces, have laid out plans to move their workers from rigs and boats to shore via helicopters and ships. Evacuations would happen if the sea and wind conditions become unsafe, and could be carried out at short notice at any time -- day or night.
The firms were said to have earlier conducted rehearsals for evacuation in case of typhoons and monsoons.
Sources in the petroleum drilling operations in Songkhla said current conditions do not hinder work on the platforms.
However, all parties are monitoring the depression's direction and strength, the sources said. If the conditions become unsafe, evacuations would be ordered immediately, they said.
Some rigging boats and other support vessels have already returned to shore, as they were unable to work in rough seas, and have docked around Koh Noo and the Laem Samila and Songkhla lakes, the sources said.
The Meteorological Department predicts heavy rain in the South until the week's end.
Meanwhile, a community in Surat Thani was hit with the heaviest rainfall for 30 years across a 24-hour period from Wednesday to Thursday.
Ban Na Tham in tambon Tha Uthaen of Kanchanadit district reported 62mm of rainfall over 24 hours.
Jamnong Sawasdiwong, chief of the provincial office of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, said flood-prone spots in Surat Thani are in tambon Khlong Sa of Kanchanadit district and tambon Pak Mak of Chaiya district, which could be flooded from mountain runoff.
Surat Thani governor Witchawut Jinto said sluice gates in Klong Chaiya and Klong Sa have been raised to speed up water flow. He said he was confident that the province would be able to deal with the heavy rain.
Heavy rain was also reported in several districts of Chumphon Thursday. Langsuan River water levels rose, but had not reached a critical level.
Kerdchai Thanyawattanakul, chief of Regional Irrigation Office 14, surveyed Langsuan River in Chumphon's Lang Suan district. He said Agriculture and Cooperatives minister Chatchai Sarikulya has instructed provincial authorities to deploy anti-flooding equipment to Chumphon, which could face possibly severe floods.
Mr Kerdchai said five water-pushing boats were deployed in the river under Ban Dan Bridge in Lang Suan municipality.
Somkiat Prajamwong, director-general of the Royal Irrigation Department, travelled to Prachuap Khiri Khan set out preparations for torrential rains which began Thursday and are forecast to last until Sunday.
Mr Somkiat ordered officials to drain water from Huay Sai Ngam, Huay Wang Ten and Yang Chum reservoirs, as they may receive a high volume of water from torrential rains.
Meanwhile, flooding continued to affect several Central Plains regions.
In Ayutthaya, nine districts have been affected by the deluge, which has killed 10 people.
Meanwhile, the level of the Chao Phraya River passing through Nakhon Sawan decreased, prompting the Chao Phraya barrage in Chai Nat to reduce discharge to 2,499 cu m per second.