Cold spell expected to continue into Feb

THE BIG FREEZE

Cold spell expected to continue into Feb
Published: 17/01/2009 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News
A cold spell which blew in from China last weekend will grip all regions until next month, but the weather will gradually become warmer by the end of the week.
Somchai Baimuang, director of the Meteorological Department's weather forecast bureau, said temperatures in all regions have plunged in recent days due to a high pressure system from China which has extended its ridge over Thailand.
The cold weather will last until next month, but temperatures will rise one or two degrees Celsius starting from this weekend, he said.
The average temperature in many areas would be 20 degrees Celsius.
In Bangkok, the lowest temperature was measured at 14.7 degrees Celsius at Don Mueang airport on Jan 11. It was the lowest temperature recorded in the capital in 10 years.
Bangkok experienced its lowest temperature of 9.9 degrees Celsius in 1955.
Temperatures in several provinces plunged to record lows.
In northeastern Nakhon Phanom province, the lowest temperature was measured at 4.2 degrees Celsius on Jan 11, beating the previous record low of 4.5 degrees on Jan 30, 1983.
In central Pathum Thani province, the lowest temperature was 14.5 degrees on Jan 12, lower than the lowest record of 15.6 on Jan 3, 1999.
In southern Krabi, the lowest temperature was measured at 15.3 degrees on Jan 11 against the previous record of 17.9 degrees on Jan 8, 1994.
Chilly weather has so far caused damage to at least 150,000 rai of paddy fields in Phitsanulok province.
Kasem Phetkor, a farmer in tambon Wang Pikul of Wang Thong district, said about 100 rai of his rice field was damaged as humidity from heavy dew had caused an outbreak of the ragged stunt virus that disrupts rice growth.
A survey found about 20,000 rai of paddy fields in tambon Wang Pikul alone had been damaged by the cold weather.
In the entire province, at least 150,000 rai of paddy had been damaged.
Local agricultural officials yesterday warned farmers to take extra care of their fields as low temperatures would cause the spread of rice diseases.
If the cold spell dragged on, rice productivity in Phitsanulok province was expected to be reduced by 30-40%.