Thai flood damage estimated at $42 billion

Flood damage in Thailand is estimated at more than $42 billion, including losses in the production sector, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said Thursday. Yingluck said the government is working with factories to restart production lines as soon as possible, the Bangkok Post reported. Sompong Tancharoenpol, vice chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries, said flood damage to more than 10,000 small- and medium-sized enterprises in eight provinces is estimated at more than $26 billion. The flooding, which started in July, is the worst the country has seen in 50 years, officials have said.