Firms struggle to deal with flood damage

Businesses are monitoring the severe floods in the North and Northeast as several areas continue to experience heavy rains.
TCP Group subsidiary Durbell Co Ltd, a distribution and warehouse company, said most of the company’s dealers that are affected by the floods are located near rivers.
Arjaree Suwangool, director of corporate affairs and communications at TCP Group, said the company has rolled out flood relief measures and is helping affected stores to relocate their stocks to dry Durbell warehouses.
Moreover, the company has pledged to accept returned TCP products from stores damaged by floods.
She said the company would extend its credit terms and provide a special discount for stores damaged by the floods.
In terms of logistics, the company is adjusting its routes to accessible roads, said Ms Arjaree.
If major roads remain accessible, business will be carried out as usual, she said.
“If a road is blocked, as happened in Chiang Rai’s Mae Sai district, the company will temporary pause operations there, monitoring the situation,” said Ms Arjaree.
Tops grocery stores, operated by Central Food Retail Co, said the company has an operations team monitoring the flooding in the North.
The company said Tops outlets in that region have not been damaged by the floods.
However, Central Food Retail rolled out a financial aid programme and provided disaster relief bags to staff members who have been affected by the floods.
Thai Samsung Electronics Co Ltd has launched a repair service for electrical appliances as part of its flood relief effort. The service does not charge for labour and the company offers a discount on spare parts for its electrical appliances.
The service is available in five provinces: Chiang Rai, Phayao, Nan, Phrae and Sukhothai.
Last week Chatchai Tuongratanaphan, vice-president of the Thai Retailers Association, said the association estimated the flood damage in the retail sector at more than 1 billion baht.
The group urged the government to roll out relief schemes to help retail operators affected by the floods, offering a debt moratorium, corporate tax exemption, extension to the tax filing deadline, and reducing employers’ social security contribution rate.
Furthermore, the government should prioritise sustainable water management by coming up with long-term plans to mitigate future disasters, said the association.