Heat wave to hit Thailand during Songkran festival

Bangkok, April 13: Thailand's weather forecaster has warned that the temperature will be over 40 degrees Celsius during the water-splashing Songkran festival that begins on Wednesday.

A large number of visitors from across the world are expected to visit Thailand during the festival, Xinhua news agency reported.

According to a statement posted by Thai Meteorological Department, the weather in the Thai capital Bangkok would be hot to very hot with haze during the day throughout the festival.

The highest temperature recorded in the country was 44.5 degrees Celsius in the northern province of Uttaradit in 1960, but the temperature in the Sukhothai province in recent days has already shot to 44 degrees Celsius, nearing the record set.

Weather forecasters have asked people not staying in the sun for too long given the risk of a potentially fatal heat stroke.

IANS