Thailand Floods Situation Report & Emergency Appeal December 2, 2011 1. SITUATION Unusual heavy monsoon rains that have been plaguing South East Asia since July have severely affected up to one-third of Thailand s landmass. A total of 5,313 square miles of land an area 13 times the size of Hong Kong has been submerged underwater in the worst floods that Thailand has experienced in 50 years. According to the Royal Thai Government, the floods have now affected some 5 million people and claimed 677 lives. Thousands have been forced to leave their homes and move into government shelters, while as many as a million have become unemployed as the floods have engulfed factories and agricultural land. In fifteen central provinces, including Bangkok, and six southern provinces homes and factories are still inundated with filthy, stagnant water. Farming areas which have been affected are estimated at 12.11m rai (7,481 sq mi); 209,02 rai (12.91 sq mi) of fish/shrimp ponds and over 29.41 million livestock (source: Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives). It is estimated that the floods have so far incurred losses amounting to THB 30 billion (USD 1 billion). Thailand s Ministry of Finance, assessed the impact of the floods on the agriculture, industrial and tourism sectors to bring GDP growth down to 2.72% for the year. (Source: UN OCHA) Thailand needs to invest about $25.2bn over the next two years to rehabilitate the economy in the wake of the disaster, reports stated. The World Bank said that Thailand sustained $21.3bn in damage and 717 billion baht $23.9bn in lost opportunities due to the floods. 1
2. RESPONSE TO DATE 2.1. Government and international community Royal Thai Government The Ministry of Education has set up nine centers to help flood victims in Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Lop Buri, Saraburi, Sing Buri, Chachaoengsao, Ayutthaya, and Nakhon Sawan. They have been provided with boats, accommodation, food, and first-aid. Many schools have been opened as shelter and parking lots for the victims. The Military has mobilized a wide range of resources to the flood affected areas, including the provision of immediate relief and medical care services; search and rescue; the preparation of sandbags; propelling of water into the sea, especially in the Bangkok and nearby areas; the preparation of aircrafts and vehicles for the transportation of relief items and evacuees; public notification; and the excavation of rivers and canals to accelerate water drainage. The military has also constructed levy sandbags and secured the levies at many critical areas. The Ministry of Public Health has dispatched a mobile Medical Services Team and provided medicines and supplies for victims. The Emergency Medical Institute of Thailand has facilitated and supported emergency medical services via aircraft, boats, and cars to transfer trauma patients. The Department of Public Relations has established a flood victim assistance center to disseminate information to the public on the flood situation, as well as a hotline 1111 # 5. The center broadcasts the Flood Relief Operation Center press conferences daily. The Department of Water Resources provided water distributors at 36 spots in 15 affected provinces. drained flood to sea from Tha Chin River mainly and some part of the east. On November 28 the Department drained 556,360 cubic meters of water were drained to the sea; from October 29 to November 28, 2011, more than 18 million cubic meters were drained. International agencies The Thai government has so far received over USD $2 million in donations, including from other countries. The United States has said it is sending 26 helicopters to help the relief effort and rescue operation. The Thai Red Cross, with support from the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC), continues to deliver aid to affected people, including 211,084 relief kits and 2,377,128 bottles of water. Volunteers and staff have been active in 36 provinces, and have carried out some distributions in the flood affected northern suburbs of Bangkok. 16 Red Cross flat bottom boats have been active in six provinces, working alongside authorities to evacuate at risk communities. Three water purification trucks have also been deployed to two provinces. Three mobile health units, made up of a medical doctor, pharmacist and a nurse have been active in two provinces, using a flat bottom boat to reach isolated communities. (Source: IFRC) UNICEF is providing more than 300,000 water, hygiene and sanitation items, including bars of soap, chlorine drops for water purification, alcohol hand-wash gel and garbage bags, to flood-affected families in order to help prevent the spread of communicable diseases. The supplies are being delivered to the affected families via the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH). UNICEF has budgeted 37 million baht (US$1.2 million) to provide emergency relief and post-flood assistance to affected children and families in the areas of health, child protection, water supply and sanitation, hygiene promotion and education. (Source: UNICEF) 2
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has received a second US$ 500,000 contribution from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) that will enable it to double deliveries of essential relief equipment to the Thai authorities. In the past two weeks IOM has already delivered USAID-funded equipment including 15 aluminium, plastic and inflatable rescue boats with outboard engines, 140 pumps, 60 generators and 300 water treatment filters to the Thai Department of Disaster Preparedness and Mitigation (DDPM). (Source: IOM) World Vision has distributed survival kits and relief items such as blankets, dried food and mosquito kits to 50,000 people. It has also set up six child friendly spaces in four flood-affected provinces. Plan Thailand has launched a 3-month relief program focused on distributing non-food items for children, establishing breastfeeding stations and setting up child friendly spaces with a budget of $335,953. 2.2. CWS-Asia/Pacific and partners CWS-Asia/Pacific and other ACT forum members in Thailand are working closely with the Church of Christ in Thailand (CCT) Thailand s largest Christian association to provide an emergency response, whilst utilizing the experience and expertise of other partner agencies already based in Thailand. CWS has committed $95,000 to CCT s flood rehabilitation project, which falls under CWS-Asia/Pacific and ACT Alliance s appeal (see below). The CCT has formed an Emergency Relief Committee (ERC). The Committee is developing plans and a budget for emergency relief and rehabilitation. The Committee also coordinates with local authorities and related church-based organizations. CCT Relief Committee members, presbyteries leaders (from presbyteries 6th, 7th, 11th, 12th), and Korean mission partners based in Bangkok (PCK, KGAM and MITC) met at the CCT Building. The meeting reviewed the emergency and humanitarian assistance programs that have been implemented since the floods began in the North of Thailand last October. It was reported that over 20 of CCT s member church buildings are inundated and that church members have been evacuated. Some important decisions were made, including: the appointment of a permanent undersecretary to the General Secretary for mass communication; the appointment of three people to develop a proposal for fundraising, namely: Elder Chusak Wuttiwaropas, Mr. Uthid Siri-apapong and Dr. Prawate Khid-arn; and the preparation of 10,000 bags of emergency and humanitarian assistance containing rice, dry food, drinking water and primary health aid kits. CCT s Social Development and Service Unit (SDSU) has collected in-kind donations from member churches around the country, including rice, dry foodstuffs, and vegetables including pumpkins. All in-kind donations were distributed to flooded area by SDSU. Pick-up trucks brought about 6 tons of rice, dry foodstuffs and vegetables to evacuation centers in two places in Phetchaboon province. 40 evacuees from Bangkok s Saimai district Bangkok were given shelter at the pastor s house and 187 people of the Prang minority (originally from China) were evacuated to Prang Church in Nakornpratom province. Trucks carrying about 21 tons of rice, dry food, vegetables and water were sent to Bangkok. 12 churches that were flooded in Bangkok came to receive supplies and the churches distributed these supplies to their neighbors. One church with Burmese migrant students and workers also received supplies help from CCT. 3
3. CWS-ASIA/PACIFIC S EMERGENCY APPEAL ACT forum members in Thailand, including CWS-Asia/Pacific, Diakonia, Dan Church Aid, and Norwegian Church Aid met with CCT in Chiang Mai on October 14 to explore the possibilities of supporting the relief effort through the ACT Alliance. On October 28, ACT launched an appeal, led by CWS-Asia/Pacific, for the emergency distribution of food and non-food items. The appeal seeks USD$ 301,769 to meet its goals. To date, CWS-Asia/Pacific has received (including pledges) USD $99,749.19 (USD $50,000 from Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, CAD $20,000 from United Church of Canada, USD $20,000 from United Methodist Committee on Relief, and USD $10,000 from Disciples of Christ). Activities are now being prioritized for this partial coverage of the appeal. 3.1. Objectives To provide immediate relief and support the recovery of affected communities in flood affected communities in Thailand. 3.2. Target beneficiaries Priority will be given to families most affected by the floods, and those who are not receiving government assistance in evacuation centers, especially families living far away from such centers. Target provinces are: Chiang Mai, Chainat, Uthaithani, Phatumthani, and Ayutthaya Provinces. Around 22,400 households will be covered by the assistance. Specifically, cooked food distribution will benefit 18,800 households in Chainat, Ayutthaya, and Phatumthani Provinces. Survival packs will benefit 2,500 households in Uthaithani, Chainat, Ayutthaya, and Bangkok Provinces. 500 households will benefit from shelter assistance, and livelihood assistance will benefit 600 households in Uthaithani and Chainat Provinces. 3.3. Proposed assistance CWS-Asia/Pacific is partnering with CCT s Social Development and Service Unit (SDSU) to implement an emergency response. Relief items to be distributed will include: 4
Cooked food to be distributed twice a day. Food will be prepared by the local church member close to Tacre district and CCT student center canteen in Bangkok, as well as Bangkok Christian Guest house with volunteers producing over 500 ready-made food boxes every day. In total, 800 food boxes will be delivered to Manorom in Chainat, 3,000 boxes to be delivered to Ayutthaya, and 15,000 boxes to be delivered to Rangsit and Phatumthani. Survival packs (including rice, instant noodles, can fish, milk powder for babies, cracker, drinking water, body soap, body powder, toothpaste, tissue, and essential medicines for headaches and injuries) to be provided for flood affected population in Chiang Mai, Chinat, Uthaithani, and Ayuthayya Provinces of Thailand. 2,500 packs to be distributed at Uthaithani, Chainat, Ayutthaya and Bangkok. Shelter to be repaired for 500 families where live on boat or boat house community and fisherman community where live on shore at Uthaithani and Chainat. These shelters are mainly made with bamboo, used as temporary shelters and some as permanent shelters in target areas. Such shelters are constructed either on the river, or river shore. For communities without access to evacuation centers, such shelters are critical to their survival. Livelihood improvement will help at least 500 fishermen at Chainat and Uthaithani who lost their fishing equipments to have equipment to start fishing and start raising fish again and 150 housewives who has been daily food seller who lost their equipment can start selling food, snakes, and dessert again. Through this assistance, fishermen will be able to obtain fishing equipments including nets and fish bite, and the women will be able to acquire cooking equipments to be sold on small shop stands on the street for gaining daily income. 3.4. Implementation and co-ordination CCT s SDSU will be the implementing partner of CWS-Asia/Pacific in the response. SDSU will ensure that relief items are distributed as per selection criteria, records are properly maintained, and assistance is based on the minimum standards as set by Sphere Project. CCT works in close coordination with local authorities throughout the implementation so that geographical and beneficiary targets are transparent with the government s relevant bodies and to avoid any duplication of assistance with other NGOs. CWS-Asia/Pacific will take the lead monitoring role, including field monitoring, ensuring quality as per the Sphere standards, and financial accountability. It will also be responsible for meeting the response s reporting requirements. CWS-Asia/Pacific participates in UN OCHA coordination meetings that take place 1-2 times a month in Bangkok. These meetings are used to coordinate the response with UN agencies and NGOs in Thailand, as well as to discuss possible advocacy issues from the humanitarian community to the central departments of Royal Thai Government. Communication and coordination among ACT forum members in Thailand continues, particularly with regard to the CWS/ACT appeal. CCT continues to coordinate on the ground with local authorities, with its members in the country and with ACT Forum in Thailand, through CWS-Asia/ Pacific s Regional Office in Bangkok. 5
TO DONATE: CWS-Asia/Pacific Account name: Church World Service US dollar account number: 001-0-079704-0 Bank name: Standard Chartered Bank Branch: Bangkok Main Office Swift code: SCBLTHBX ACT Alliance Account name: ACT - Action by Churches Together US dollar account number: 240-432629.60A IBAN No: CH46 0024 0240 4326 2960A Euro bank account number: 240-432629.50Z IBAN No: CH84 0024 0240 4326 2950Z Account address: UBS AG, 8, rue du Rhône, P.O. Box 2600, 1211 Geneva 4, SWITZERLAND Swift code: UBSWCHZH80A Please inform ACT Regional Program Officer Sudhanshu S. Singh (details below) of all pledges, and contributions. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: CWS-Asia/Pacific Takeshi Komino Head of Emergencies CWS Asia Pacific takeshi@cwspa.org.pk Mobile phone +66 849 109 563 ACT Alliance Sudhanshu S. Singh Regional Program Officer ACT Alliance sss@actalliance.org Mobile phone +41 79 2852916 6