Thai PM expresses concern for blizzard

BANGKOK—Thailand’s outgoing Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont on Friday expressed deep concern for the continuous blizzard which has affected millions of people in some parts of China.
Surayud told Xinhua at the prime minister’s residence in Bangkok that he was worried when he learned that some parts of China have been hit by heavy rain and snow, and he was moved how the Chinese government and people joined efforts to fight the disaster. “I was particularly touched by the scenes from TV about how the Chinese government and people strived together to fight the disaster, particularly the reports that Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao went to the snow-hit areas to express his concern in person,” said Surayud.
Surayud said although Thailand never experienced a disaster of this kind, the Thai people’s compassion for the affected Chinese people is deep and real, as the two peoples have been closely related like brothers. He noted that Thais were particularly concerned with the disaster facing the Chinese people in a time when Chinese descendants in Thailand are embracing the celebrations of the upcoming Chinese New Year on Feb. 7, while many Chinese people were stranded and prevented from getting their hometown in the most important Chinese traditional festival.
He also said he believed that the Chinese government will lead the people in joint efforts to defeat all obstacles brought by the disaster to see the economy and the people’s life in affected areas return to normal track as soon as possible. Bad weather also forced 380 planes to be diverted and delayed 5,550 flights, the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC) said. However, airlines still carried 3.17 million passengers from the nation’s 52 major airports between Jan. 23 and29, up 11.8 percent from a year earlier, by flying larger planes. Snow and freezing rain have also caused deaths, housing collapses, crop and livestock destruction, power blackouts, and road and rail problems.—Xinhua