Storm Pabuk: One person dead as Thailand's worst storm in decades makes landfall

Thai locals clear the shoreline as Tropical Storm Pabuk makes landfall in Pak Phanang in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat (AP)

Thailand's first tropical storm in 30 years left one person dead as it uprooted trees and brought down power lines with winds of up to 50mph.

Thousands of tourists were left stranded when airports and ferry services were shut down before Pabuk made landfall in Pak Phanang in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat at 12.45pm local time on Friday (5.45am GMT).

A fisherman drowned when his boat capsized off the coast and officials have warned of torrential downpours, landslides, flash floods and coastal waves up to five metres high.

It was feared the storm, which affected tourist hotspots including Koh Samui, Koh Tao and Koh Phangan, could be the worst since Typhoon Gay left 400 dead in 1989.

Key Points

• Pabuk makes landfall with winds up to 50mph
• Fisherman drowns after boat capsizes in high waves
• Thousands of tourists left stranded on holiday islands
• Flights cancelled and ferry services suspended

[4 January 2019 11:31 · Peter Stubley]

The conditions on Koh Samui appear to have calmed down in the last hour.

[4 January 2019 11:38 · Peter Stubley]

David Schofield, 30, a concert pianist from Cheshire, has also criticised the lack of information from his hotel and tour operators.

He is staying at the Bangsak Merlin Resort on the western side of Thailand in the province of Phang Nga, one of the 15 provinces (out of 76) due to be affected by the storm.

Mr Schofield said: "I've resorted to gathering my own information through apps as we have had zero information from the hotel and TUI our tour operator.

"I am hoping the lack of information is that they hope that the storm will dissipate before reaching our side."

[4 January 2019 11:47 · Peter Stubley]

Bangkok Airways has announced that its flights to and from Koh Samui will restart on Saturday, 5 January Bangkok, with extra routes added to cope with extra demand.

However it warns that flights are "subject to change due to weather conditions".

All today's flights were cancelled due to the storm.

[4 January 2019 12:09 · Peter Stubley]

On Koh Phangan the power and internet was down temporarily during the storm but conditions have since improved.

[4 January 2019 12:35 · Peter Stubley]

Vicky Castle and Jamie Rose from Kent are stuck on the island district of Koh Lanta on the west coast of southern Thailand after the ferry services were shut.

They decided to move out of their bamboo shack and ride out the storm in an apartment block.

Ms Castle told Kent Live: "All the locals are pretty chilled about it and just shrug when we ask if they're worried. We were staying in a totally rickety bamboo shack but we quickly hotfooted it to the nearest brick building we could find.

"We've now come to a nearby bar resort and half the tourists are on phones looking worried. The others are totally chilled and don't seem to know what's going on."

[4 January 2019 12:49 · Peter Stubley]

The UK Foreign Office currently advises against "all but essential travel" to three provinces in Thailand, all of them on the border with Malaysia.

Its advice relating to Tropical Storm Pabuk reads: "Tropical Storm Pabuk made landfall on the southern coast of Thailand at 12:45 local time on 4 January 2019. This is affecting boat sailings and flights in affected areas, which may include Surat Thani (Koh Samui, Koh Pha Ngan and Koh Tao), Chumporn, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phuket, Krabi, Trang, Ranong, Phang Nga, Satun and Song Khla, as well as Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat. You should check your travel plans with transport providers before leaving your hotel or home, follow instructions from local authorities and monitor weather warnings from the Thai Meteorological Department. If you need to contact local emergency services, call 1155 (tourist police) or 1669 (emergency medical services)."

[4 January 2019 12:58 · Peter Stubley]

A beach scene in Koh Samui.

[4 January 2019 13:17 · Peter Stubley]

Tourists have been evacuated from islands on the west coast of southern Thailand in preparation for tropical storm Pabuk.

The authorities on Phuket have prepared shelters at 38 locations capable of holding 22,000 people, according to the Bangkok Post.

[4 January 2019 13:52 · Peter Stubley]

Another 500 tourists stuck on Koh Phi Phi were due to be evacuated with the help of the Thai Navy ship Hua Hin, according to reports.

Vice Admiral Sittiporn Maskasem, Commander of the Third Area Command, told The Daily Phuket: “Royal Thai Navy boat Tor 991 returned from Koh Racha with 60 tourists safely on board and arrived at the Navy base at 3:45pm.

“Meanwhile, there are 500 other tourists stuck on Phi Phi Island. The Navy ship Hua Hin together with a big tour boat will pick them up. They are to arrive at the Deep Sea Port at 8pm tonight.”

[4 January 2019 14:30 · Peter Stubley]

There no reports of major damage by nightfall as Tropical Storm Pabuk hit Thailand at the height of the tourist season, according to the Associated Press.

Beaches were closed, but even with the bad weather approaching, tourists on the popular island of Koh Samui continued to enjoy the entertainment offered at bars and restaurants.

One British tourist stuck on Koh Samui took to Twitter to sum up the conditions as "not ideal for a beach holiday but not too bad."