Yingluck To Meet Governors Of Nine Flood-Ravaged Provinces

[Lite Beer]

WET SEASON WOES

Yingluck to meet governors of nine flood-ravaged provinces

By The Nation on Sunday

Distribution of aid to worst-affected to be reviewed amid concern over lack of budget for victims

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra will this afternoon chair a meeting with the nine governors of Sukhothai, Phichit, Ang Thong, Chai Nat, Nakhon Sawan, Ubon Ratchathani, Sing Buri, Phitsanulok and Ayutthaya to receive updates from each province on plans to prevent flooding and schedules to distribute assistance funds

The premier yesterday morning chaired a meeting of 37 concerned agencies at Government House to tackle floods, stressing teamwork and an integrated approach like "one-stop service" to solve problems systematically, with plans for long-term preventive measures. She also urged a speeding-up of financial assistance for flood victims.

After the meeting Yingluck told reporters that she was concerned about the nine - out of 44 provinces affected by the flood - that remain submerged and in need of solutions before flood measures will be expanded to the other 35 affected provinces. As for Phitsanulok's Bang Rakam, which the government had set as a flood-tackling model but where flood victims now suffered from food shortages, Yingluck said she already asked the provincial authority to report about the areas that didn't receive assistance yet for urgent aid and to quickly drain floodwater from the affected areas.

Asked about the government spokesperson Thitima Chaisaeng's comment that the central budget had only Bt1 billion left, while they needed at least Bt5 billion for flood victims' aid, Yingluck admitted the budget remained "very little" and she was consulting with the Bureau of the Budget for solutions. She also affirmed that the previous government's Bt5,000-per-family assistance money policy would be reviewed due to the limited budget.

There were six flood-hit provinces that asked for bigger budgets beyond each governor's authority to spend Bt50 million for disaster: Mae Hong Son asked for Bt120 million, Mukdahan Bt80 million, Tak Bt100 million, Phrae Bt200 million, Sukhothai Bt200 million and Uttaradit Bt150 million.

Meanwhile, permanent secretary for Interior Wichien Chavalit said the flood-victim-assisting budget request would be tabled at Tuesday's Cabinet meeting and the Cabinet might ask agencies to spend leftover budget to ease the flood problems first.

A provisional budget of Bt6.7 million will be prepared to help ease immediate problems and the ministry will ask the cabinet to consider increasing the assistance fund from Bt5,000 to Bt5,500 per family. About one million families in 37 provinces were entitled to the Bt5,500-per-family assistance money, he said. The procedure should be done within 30 days.

As many temples were flooded - including 51 temples in Ayutthaya - the Department of Religious Affairs sent supplies to monks and set up a centre to raise donations (for details, call 0-2422-8793-4).

In Phitsanulok, HRH Princess Bajra Kitiyabha yesterday had provincial governor Preecha Reungjan deliver two flat-bottomed boats to the Bang Rakham district chief to assist flood-hit residents, while some residents of the district's tambon Chumsaeng Songkhram turned the crisis into an opportunity by making fermented fish for sale, which reportedly generated around Bt100,000 income totally.

In Sing Buri's In Buri district, floodwater from the Chao Phraya River forced 18 schools to temporarily close.

Ayutthaya MP Kuakul Danchaiwijit yesterday inspected the construction of two flood-preventing weirs at Khlong Ban Ma and Khlong Kamung bridges respectively, as they should be complete in a week. One-metre-high earthen dikes were being built along U-thong Road, which runs along the Chao Phraya, which is now 30cm below the road surface. The dikes should complete in one to two days.

In Maha Sarakham, while Mueang district was declared a disaster zone as 70 homes and 200 rai of rice fields were submerged, authorities urged residents at risk in Mueang, Chiang Yeun, Kosum Phisai and Kantharawichai to move belongings to higher grounds.

In Mae Hong Son, landslide at the Chiang Mai-Mae Hong Son Highway's kilometre marker number 175-176 near Ban Nong Haeng in Khun Yuam district paralysed the traffic there before the authorities managed to open one lane for motorists to pass through in the evening. Three Karen villages in tambon Mueang Pon were also marooned by landslide covering a 50-metre section of their rugged road since Thursday and officials were now clearing the way and sending some food to help affected residents.

-- The Nation 2011-09-04

[OzMick]

The Minister of the Interior announces he will ask for flood assistance to be increased from B5000 to B5,500. The flood victims are happy(er).

At the same time the PM announces that the cupboard is almost bare and the B5000 will have to be reviewed. I don't think she meant upward.

Announcing increased payments and immediately reneging is not a way to win hearts and minds. Perhaps they should try extending the cabinet meetings long enough to discuss the country's problems.