Following his return from Rangoon, Mr Samak said Burma was confident that it could deal with problems in the aftermath of the disaster.

‘‘They told me they are confident that they can deal with the problems. There is no outbreak of diseases and no shortage of food.

‘‘They do not want anyone to intervene or teach them [what to do],’’ he said.

The prime minister left for Burma yesterday after United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-moon asked him to coordinate with foreign relief efforts.

Mr Samak, who met his Burmese counterpart Thein Sein for two and a half hours, said he was taken to shelter centres and saw donated items, especially those donated by the Thai royal family.

He said the Burmese prime minister expressed gratitude to Thailand, which was the first country to send relief aid, and asked Mr Samak to relay what he saw to the international community.

Mr Samak said Burma asked for small water pumps, ploughing machines and small fibreglass boats.

He said the items, which would be transported via Tak province, should be ready to be dispatched to Burma in three to four days. According to Mr Samak, Burma reported about 31,000 deaths and 29,000 missing people. Among the dead, 1,191 were reported in Rangoon.

His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn had instructed that a medical team be sent to help cyclone victims, Public Health Minister Chaiya Sasomsap said.

The team, which includes surgeons and psychiatrists, will be working in Burma for about two weeks.

Public health permanent secretary Prat Boonyawongvirote said he and a group of senior health officials will go to Burma tomorrow and the medical unit will follow on Saturday.

He said his delegation will be assessing medical needs there.