Storm Pabuk latest: Tourists advised to avoid southern Thailand as downpours and gales sweep in

More than 6,100 people forced to flee and forecasters advise ships to stay ashore

(AFP)

Rain, wind and surging seawater from a tropical storm have buffeted coastal villages and popular tourist resorts on southern Thailand, knocking down trees and utility poles, and flooding roads.

Holidaymakers were advised to avoid the area’s east coast as tropical storm Pabuk brought 5m-high waves and winds of up to 46mph.

One person was reported dead and another missing after a fishing boat with a crew of six capsized in high waves.

Airlines and boat operators suspended operations, beaches were closed and tourists were forced to change travel plans.

More than 6,100 people across four provinces had been forced to flee in advance, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation said.

The Foreign Office has advised Britons against all but essential travel to provinces on the Thai-Malaysia border that are expected to be hit by more torrential rain and strong winds.

The Meteorological Department said it had recorded winds of 40mph by the late afternoon, down from 47 mph when the storm hit land shortly after midday.

There had been concerns that Pabuk would be the worst storm to hit Thailand since 1989, when Typhoon Gay killed more than 400 people. But by nightfall it appeared less damage had been caused than was feared.

However, the Meteorological Department continued to warn of strong winds and waves of 3m-5m high in the Gulf of Thailand and 2m-3m in the Andaman Sea.

It advised all ships to stay ashore tomorrow, warning of possible storm surges on the Gulf coast.

Forecasters have also warned of possible flash flooding in certain areas.

“We can expect heavy rain and downpours, flooding and flash floods in the area throughout the night,” department chief Phuwieng Prakhammintara said.

Evacuation efforts were especially intense in Nakhon Si Thammarat province, about 480 miles south of Bangkok, where authorities sent lorries through flooded streets with downed power lines, urging people in danger zones to leave.

“You cannot stay here. It’s too dangerous,” they repeated from loudspeakers on vehicles.

This is the height of the foreign visitor season in Thailand, as many tourists head to southeast Asia to catch some winter sun.

Britons make over one million trips to the country every year to visit popular islands such as Koh Phangnan, Koh Samui and Koh Tao.

Katie Preston, 23, and Liam Bland, 29, from Hartlepool, said they were stranded on the island of Koh Phangan after they were allowed to take the last boat out from the mainland before services were stopped.

The couple, who arrived in Thailand on Boxing Day for a three-week holiday, criticised the lack of information they had received.

“We hadn’t heard about any storm and none of the staff we spoke to at Samui airport or at the boats mentioned it so we didn’t know it was going to happen,” Ms Preston said.