Shocking pictures of 50,000 dead chickens that drowned in floods at a farm in the central province of Ang Thong yesterday reveal a glimpse into the incomprehensive damage that relentless flooding continues to cause to farmers’ livelihoods in Thailand.
Much of central Thailand is underwater after the Chao Phraya river overflowed again. Almost 20,000 households in Sing Buri province were impacted by floods this morning and the river’s water level is still rising.
The owner of Sangwien Farm in Chaiyo district, 41 year old Panu Yanuwat, said water started flooding into the farm at 3am on Sunday. He said that every single chicken in all five chicken coops – totalling more than 50,000 – all died.
Panu said the chickens were almost fully grown and estimated the total damage to amount to 4 to 5 million baht.
The farmer transported the dead chickens to a road one kilometre away by boat. He said he didn’t want to risk local people’s health by letting chicken carcasses rot in the water as they could spread diseases.
After gradually removing all 50,000 dead chickens from the water to dry land, he sold the carcasses for 4 baht per kilogram to merchants who will grind them into food for fish and crocodiles.
In September, 140,000 chickens died in a flood at a poultry farm in Klaeng district, Rayong province, eastern Thailand. The owner of the poultry farm Kanman estimated the total damages to be no less than 10 million baht.
Kanman sold the chicken carcasses to a catfish farmer to use as fish food.
The flood situation is especially bad in the northeastern province of Ubon Ratchathani where the water level just won’t recede.
In the central province of Ayutthaya, hungry monkeys are wading through floods and invading people’s homes in search of food.
More rain and flooding can be expected in Thailand over the next few days, especially in the north and south.
Winter in Thailand will officially start on the last Sunday of October. Hopefully, the onset of winter will finally put a stop to the heavy rainfall and flash flooding that has ravaged every region of Thailand over the past few months.