BANGKOK – Bangkok braced itself to be the country’s hottest area on Thursday, with a heat index of 50.2 deg C, according to the Thai Meteorological Department.

The Thai capital’s south-eastern Bang Na district topped the forecast five hottest places in the country as hot season gripped Thailand.

The second-hottest was Chonburi’s Laem Chabang at 49.4 deg C, followed by Phuket (47.9 deg C), Si Sa Ket (41.5 deg C) and Phetchabun (40.6 deg C).

The heat index is how hot something feels like to the human body.

People who spend time outside in temperatures between 41 deg C and 54 deg C are at risk of developing muscle cramp and heatstroke, the department said.

The department uses a four-level classification to assess the heat index:

Surveillance level (Green): 27 deg C to 32 deg C;
Warning level (Yellow): 32 deg C to 41 deg C;
Dangerous level (Orange): 41 deg C to 54C deg C; and
Very dangerous level (Red): Over 54 deg C.

The department has also issued a severe weather warning for the upper regions of Thailand, forecasting isolated thunderstorms, strong wind and hailstorms from Thursday to Sunday.

Summer storms will affect locals in the lower north-east and eastern provinces, it said.

The storms would develop in the north and central regions, including Bangkok, over the weekend.

The department advised people in storm-hit areas to avoid open ground, large trees, and unstable constructions. Farmers should beware of possible damage to crops and livestock, it added.

The dangers of heatstroke during Thailand’s hot season were underlined last week when politician-tycoon Chonsawat Asavahame, 54, died of the condition.

Heatstroke occurs when the body’s temperature rises above 40 deg C.

“The body cannot even sweat at this point because blood flow to the skin stops, making it feel cold and clammy,” the BBC said.

Other symptoms include confusion, fatigue, slurred speech, loss of consciousness, and seizures.

Without timely help, heatstroke can prove fatal.

Sufferers should be wiped down with a cold wet cloth to cool their bodies. They should also drink plenty of water to rehydrate. THE NATION/ASIA NEWS NETWORK