BANGKOK, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Department of Internal Trade at Thai Ministry of Commerce has been preparing caravans filled with essential consumer goods including rice, eggs, cooking oil, canned fish, instant noodle and basic construction tools for victims affected by tropical storm Pabuk in southern part of the country.

Commerce Minister Sontirat Sontijirawong made the announcement late Saturday after Pabuk claimed three lives and forced thands to flee home.

Meanwhile, the Government Housing Bank (GHB) has offered people whose houses were damaged by Pabuk a fund of 1 billion baht (31,280,500 U.S. dollars).

He said people could seek additional loans or new loans from the bank to build new houses if their houses are destroyed by the natural disaster.

The Thai Meteorological Department said it is highly unusual for tropical storms to make landfall in Thailand.

The last time a tropical storm made landfall in Thailand was in 1962 when tropical storm Harriet hit 12 provinces and claimed 900 lives.

According to the Meteorological Department, no previous tropical cyclone had struck Thailand in January, February or March in records since 1951.