As Thailand continues to sweat, the Public Health Ministry has said that 34 people have died in less than two months from heat exhaustion and the high temperatures will continue for at least another week.
Heat exhaustion killed 34 people between early March and April 22, according to ministry figures released on Saturday.
The Meteorological Department expects the rainy season to start on May 15.
Echoing the same advice from last month when Thailand experienced its longest heatwave in 65 years, Dr Sophon Mekthon, the ministry’s permanent secretary, advised people to stay indoors and to not exercise for long periods to prevent heat exhaustion.
If you do participate in an outdoor activity, drink one liter of water every hour, even if you’re not thirsty, he said.
The current El Nino effect, which began last year, has been one of the strongest ever and has contributed to the the unusually hot weather.
Forecasters are expecting the equally forceful La Nina to follow and bring more rain than usual in the middle of the year.
The weather bureau said on Saturday that extremely hot conditions will persist until Monday in the northern, northeastern, eastern and central regions.
Temperatures could rise to 42 degrees Celsius in some areas before summer storms and strong winds arrive on Tuesday and last until Friday in the upper part of the country, reported Chiangrai Times.
Sukhothai was the hottest province on Friday at 43.6 degrees Celsius, slightly ahead of Nakhon Sawan, at 43.5 and Uttaradit at 43, the department said.
The hottest day ever recorded in Thailand was 44.4 degrees Celsius on April 27, 1960, in the northern province of Uttaradit.
