NAKHON PHANOM: The level of the Mekong river is rising steadily in this northeastern province, between 30 centimetres and one metre per day, following heavy rain during the past week.
On Wednesday morning, the river was 6m deep and about 6m below the spill-over point.
After an inspection on Wednesday morning, provincial governor Kraisorn Kongchalad ordered the irrigation office to install four large water pumps and six smaller ones on the river bank to drain water from the town into the river if heavy rain causes fooding in business areas.
The governor also ordered districts along the river to take precautions against the river overflowing. He expects higher than average rainfall this year.
The governor's entourage encluded Muang Nakhon Phanom mayor Niwat Jiawiriyaboonya and provincial irrigation office chief Sastra Promrak.