FAO/GIEWS - Foodcrops & Shortages 09/01 - THAILAND (3 September)
Torrential monsoon rains and floods since the second week of August are reported to have killed 170 people, displaced more than 6 660 villagers and devastated thousands of village homes and country roads. The north-central province of Phetchabun has been the most affected area, where more than 125 people died, followed by Udon Thani, in the north- east, and Chiang Mai in the north. Emergency assistance from the Government and international organizations is being provided.
The rains affected about 200 000 hectares of farmland, but had no effect on the 2001/02 crop currently being planted. Harvesting will start from November and preliminary forecasts indicate paddy output at 24.1 million tonnes (16 million tonnes in milled equivalent), close to the 2000/01 crop. The country is the largest world rice exporter, and exports of 6.6 million tonnes in 2001/02 marketing year (November/October) are forecast.