BANGKOK, Dec 6 (Reuters) - Floods in Thailand have killed 14 people and badly affected southern holiday islands as the country heads into the December-January high season for tourism, authorities said on Tuesday.

A low pressure system has brought heavy rain to parts of the south including the islands of Samui and Pha Ngan in the Gulf of Thailand, and floods have also severed the rail link to the south and Malaysia beyond.

Tourism has been a rare bright spot for an economy that has struggled to gain traction since the army seized power in a bloodless coup in 2014 to end months of political unrest.

The death on Oct. 13 of long-reigning King Bhumibol Adulyadej plunged the country into grief and also raised questions about tourist arrivals though authorities say the country is open for business despite a year of mourning.

“There has been heavier rain than usual which has caused drainage problems,” Nongyao Jirundom of the state Tourism Authority of Thailand on Samui island told Reuters.

“Swimming is out of the question.”

The National Disaster Warning Centre said 14 Thai people had been killed in various accidents caused by the weather in different parts of the south.

Southbound trains have been halted in the town of Thung Song in Nakhon Si Thammarat province because of flooding.

Nakhon Si Thammarat has had 447 mm of precipitation in the past 7 days, 380 mm more than the average for this time of year, according to Thomson Reuters data.

December marks the beginning of the dry season when tourists descend on palm fringed beaches to celebrate the Christmas and New Year holidays.

Despite the mourning period for the late king, authorities are bullish about the outlook for tourism, which accounts for 10 percent of gross domestic product.

The tourism ministry expects a record 32.4 million arrivals this year.

Widespread floods in 2011 killed more than 900 people and caused major disruption to industry, cutting economic growth that year to just 0.1 percent. (Reporting by Amy Sawitta Lefevre and Panarat Thepgumpanat; Editing by Robert Birsel)</s>Floods in Thailand have killed 14 people and badly affected southern holiday islands as thecountry heads into the December-January high season for tourism,authorities said on Tuesday.

A low pressure system has brought heavy rain to parts of thesouth including the islands of Samui and Pha Ngan in the Gulf of Thailand, and floods have also severed the rail link to the south and Malaysia beyond.

Tourism has been a rare bright spot for an economy that hasstruggled to gain traction since the army seized power in a bloodless coup in 2014 to end months of political unrest.

The death on Oct. 13 of long-reigning King BhumibolAdulyadej plunged the country into grief and also raised questions about tourist arrivals though authorities say thecountry is open for business despite a year of mourning.

“There has been heavier rain than usual which has causeddrainage problems,” Nongyao Jirundom of the state TourismAuthority of Thailand on Samui island told Reuters.

“Swimming is out of the question.”

The National Disaster Warning Centre said 14 Thai people hadbeen killed in various accidents caused by the weather indifferent parts of the south.

Southbound trains have been halted in the town of Thung Songin Nakhon Si Thammarat province because of flooding.

Nakhon Si Thammarat has had 447 mm of precipitation in thepast 7 days, 380 mm more than the average for this time of year,according to Thomson Reuters data.

December marks the beginning of the dry season when touristsdescend on palm fringed beaches to celebrate the Christmas andNew Year holidays.

Despite the mourning period for the late king, authoritiesare bullish about the outlook for tourism, which accounts for 10 percent of gross domestic product.

Widespread floods in 2011 killed more than 900 people andcaused major disruption to industry, cutting economic growththat year to just 0.1 percent.</s>BANGKOK — Severe flooding due to heavy rain in southern Thailand has killed 14 people, including five students, the interior ministry said Tuesday.

Six days of floods have affected 582,345 people in 11 of Thailand's 76 provinces, the ministry said in a statement. One person is reportedly missing, while three others suffered injuries.

Trains have also been halted in one province off the Gulf of Thailand as the rails there were submerged under rising floodwaters.

Southern Thailand is a popular destination for visitors due to its scenic islands and beaches, and the floods are expected to put a dent in the area's tourist industry, with the high season running from November to February.

However, the waters are receding, with three of the 11 provinces now off the list of flooded provinces. A fourth province is expected to be declared clear as well, an official at the interior ministry said.

But Thailand's Meteorological Department forecasts more heavy rains next week for southern Thailand.</s>BANGKOK: Major tourist islands in the Gulf of Thailand were on Monday declared areas of disaster caused by severe flooding and heavy rains.

Koh Samui and Koh Pa-ngan islands off Surat Thani province were declared disaster areas caused by flooding and heavy rainfalls among many others throughout southern Thailand.

Surat Thani provincial governor Uaychai Inthanak announced that 16 out of a total of 19 districts of Surat Thani were declared disaster areas, including Koh Samui district and Koh Pa-ngan district.

A large number of travelers, Thai and foreign, have visited the tourist islands in spite of heavy downpours over the last several days. Those included many Thai weekenders who visited Koh Samui and Koh Pa-ngan islands over the three-day-long holiday from Friday until Monday.

The provincial authorities were taking measures to help flood victims including those on the flooded islands. Small vessels were strongly warned to not go out to sea for the time being. PNA/Xinhua</s>Bangkok, Thailand | AFP |.Days of torrential rain and flooding have killed at least 14 people in southern Thailand, with authorities declaring much of the region a disaster zone, the government said on Tuesday.

Heavy rains have lashed the central part of Thailand's south for much of the last week, including the popular tourist draws of Krabi, Koh Samui and Koh Pha-ngan, affecting some flights and ferry services.

"582,343 people from 88 districts are affected and 14 have people have been killed," the interior ministry said in an update.

Three people have been injured, the statement added, with 11 southern provinces declared disaster zones, a process that frees up more emergency government aid and resources.

At least three people are known to be missing.

In Saiburi district, Pattani province, rescuers on Tuesday were searching a swollen river for two missing boys who were swept away in a flash flood as anxious relatives looked on, an AFP photographer at the scene said.

Railway services have also been suspended south of Nakhon Si Thammarat province after floodwaters covered the train line there.

The rains are unusually heavy for this time of year, with most of Thailand usually experiencing a cooler, dry period from early November -- part of a three month long peak tourist season that is crucial to the economy.

Thailand's Meteorological Department has forecast continued downpours across the region for the next few days.</s>BANGKOK — Thailand's government will not back down from prosecuting news outlets that publish "illegal" content, the defense minister said Wednesday, after the BBC's bureau in Bangkok came under scrutiny for an article about the country's new king.

The British broadcaster's Thai-language service, a relative newcomer, caused a stir when it published an article on King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun's personal life as crown prince. It included details of three marriages that ended in divorce and other material that cannot be published in the Thai news media.

Thailand has strict lese majeste laws against insulting the monarchy, which carries a penalty of three to 15 years in prison.

"Whatever is illegal will be processed accordingly, no exceptions," Defense Minister Prawit Wongsuwan told reporters.

In the days after the article was published Dec. 2, the day after Vajiralongkorn ascended the throne, the British Broadcasting Corp.'s office in Thailand received multiple visits from the Thai army and police. BBC shut the office this week but continues to broadcast and publish on its website, although the link to the article about Vajiralongkorn is now blocked in Thailand.

"Officials were just doing their jobs when they searched this news agency," Prawit said.

The article sparked outrage among Thai royalists. Social media groups, such as the Facebook group "V for Thailand," have been vigorously criticizing the BBC, and posted the BBC's Bangkok phone number on their Facebook page, encouraging their followers to call and harass people who work there.

Thai police arrested a student on Saturday for sharing the BBC article, releasing him on bail the next day. It was the first arrest under lese majeste law since Vajiralongkorn became king.

It appeared to be the first lese majeste case involving material produced by a respected mainstream media outlet, although previous cases have involved content from several foreign tabloids. Mainstream media have had stories about the Thai monarchy censored, by blocking their websites and the voluntary stopping of distribution of editions of magazines and newspapers in Thailand, including The Economist and The International New York Times.

Critics of the lese majeste law, known as Article 112, say it is used to silence political dissidents. The military regime that took power in a 2014 coup has especially cracked down on commentary on the internet.</s>I say this in memory of Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand, also known as King Rama IX. He passed away almost two months ago and was the longest active reigning monarch in the world, almost six full years more than Queen Elizabeth II. His birthday is Dec. 5 and that's the reason it's Father's Day in Thailand. He was truly a remarkable man and what he did for the country of Thailand, especially its people, is inspiring and very impressive. He was a diplomat, in the truest sense of the word. Also, he was an American citizen since he was born in the United States.
Heavy flooding kills 14 people in Thailand and badly affects the islands of Samui and Pha Ngan in the Gulf of Thailand. It has also severed the rail link to southern Thailand and Malaysia.