Temple becomes a temporary shelter for Thai flood victims

A temple, situated along the west bank of the Chao Phraya River is now being used as a temporary shelter for flood victims.According to the abbot, the third floor of the lecture hall was requisitioned when the rising tide of the Gulf of Thailand peaked on October 28. The temple, which can accommodate 5,000 people, has 84 people living there presently.The spacious shelter is quiet during the daytime as residents, who live nearby, go back to check up on their houses. Despite the harsh living conditions in the shelter, everyone seems upbeat and tries to keep the holy temple clean. Each day the temple will report to the local government and flood-relief committee about their demands and transport water and food from nearby distribution center.A 53 year-old local woman, together with six other family members live in the shelter. According to her, she has been living in the shelter for seven days and the local government has provided them water and food. She is getting used to the situation as she cant attend to everything upon her immediate evacuation from the flood.“If I didn’t come here, I would have nowhere to live; I don’t know where to go, I can’t go to other prefectures. The shelter is near my house, if the water level descends, I will go home to have a look,” she said.