WANNAPA KHAOPA
THE NATION November 23, 2011 10:47 am

These booklets will be handed out to public by the end of this month.

“Everybody can repair his home. We don’t want people to start rushing to buy building materials and hiring workmen. It is not a good idea because it will cause a shortage of materials and workmen and will also drive up the prices,” said Sunchai Khanan, director of the Nai Chang Dee Academy.

Instead, he said, people could follow these 10 suggestions listed in the SCG booklets:

- Prepare rubber or cloth gloves, plastic boots, face masks and circuit-testing devices.

- Call the authorities to check whether electricity has been cut in their areas and stay away from all electrical outlets that were flooded. People should wait until their homes have dried out, and if they can’t wait, then an electrician should accompany them.

- Check and clean flooded water-supply equipment, with the exception of pumps, which should be handled by electricians.

- Clean and unclog sanitaryware.

- Do not use the front door if it is swollen, because repairing it might end up costing more. Enter the house using another entrance. The front door can then be eased open from the inside with a chisel, though a second lock may have to be used.

- Clean tile floors and try not to walk around on wet parquet floors until they are dried out. Do not pull out parquet tiles to dry them.

- Keep all doors and windows open to air the house and then wipe down the walls using toilet cleaner, ammonia or alcohol to kill germs.

- Inspect fences and electric posts near the house to see if they are at the risk of collapsing.

- Beware of snakes and other venomous animals when checking damaged furniture.

- Sandbags can be emptied over rotting grass.

SCG has five teams of experts who can offer advice and even provide training to groups of 20-30 for free. Call (02) 586 2433 to make an appointment from today onwards.

People seeking one-on-one advice can call (02) 586 2222, during office hours from Monday to Friday, starting from December 1 onwards.