Officials are closely monitoring the situation around the Khao Luang mountain range.

Apirak Kosayodhin, who heads the coordination centre for flood relief operations, said yesterday many areas of Surat Thani and Chumphon were also at risk of landslides.

In Surat Thani, more than 300 residents in Chai Ya district have already been evacuated because of the problem" a real threat in mountainous areas during flood seasons.

In the past two months, floods have ravaged many provinces and floodrelated deaths have risen to 223.

Heavy damage has also been done to homes and farmland.

At the Hat Yai Waterworks Office, floodwater swept away 58 cylinders containing toxic chlorine two weeks ago.

The office has retrieved most of the yellow cylinders, but 14 remain unaccounted for.

"They're extremely dangerous. If anyone finds a cylinder, he or she should alert us immediately," Thira Prasopsak, the local waterworks office chief, said yesterday.

Rescue workers, police, and volunteers have been looking for the cylinders in a bid to prevent a tragedy.

If improperly opened, they could cause serious health risks or death.

Floodwater, meanwhile, has subsided in Hat Yai. However, in many other parts, flooding remains a big problem. Education Minister Chinnaworn Boonyakiat said up to 264 schools were likely to remain closed today due to inundation.

"These schools are in floodhit central or southern provinces."

Chinnaworn said the flooding not only upset students' learning schedules but damaged school buildings and equipment.

"Now we are thinking about the construction of elevated school buildings in floodprone areas so as to avoid or reduce damage."

Agriculture Minister Theera Wongsamut, said floods and storms had damaged 181,200 rai of pararubber plantations across the country.

Theera said his ministry planned to ask the Cabinet to pay Bt6,007 (S$261) for each rai of damaged latexyielding pararubber plantations as compensation for affected farmers.

"Then, if the farmers replant their farms, they can get the financial assistance of Bt11,000 (S$478) per rai too," he said.

A different sum would be given to owners of the damaged plantations that had not yet given latex.

-The Nation/Asia News Network