Focus shifts from fighting raging torrent to saving lives: PM

The Nation

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Wednesday conceded it was futile to fight the raging torrent, saying her government's top priority was to save lives before property.

"My top priority is to ensure safety - aiming to save the people's lives first and the property second because we can not save both at the same time," she said.

Yingluck said she instructed the provincial authorities to prepare contingency plans for evacuation.

"From my aerial survey of flooded areas, I saw a large number of people still trapped in the inundation," she said.

She said the authorities should try to save dry zones from being flooded but dikes should not be erected to stop the water because it was impossible to do so.

"At the Hitech Industrial Park, two-meter high concrete wall could not rein in the water," she said in reference to the inundation in Bang Pa-in, Ayutthaya.

Commenting on the flood prevention in Bangkok, she said 1.7 million sandbags had been used to fortify existing barriers.

The sandbags were unreliable, however, because of their fast deterioration, she said, adding that some people would remove them to ease the inundation in their areas.

The additional dikes to protect the capital should be in place by tomorrow, she said, admitting there was to guarantee to deter the floods.

"There are so many factors beyond control but we will do our best," she said.

She also called on vendors not to horde and increase the prices of essential goods.

-- The Nation 2011-10-12

Snip: "There are so many factors beyond control but we will do our best," she said."

Then why aren't you warning the public to prepare for the worst? Instruct the public to stockpile food and water, elevate their belongings, park their cars in parking garages, be ready to cut their main breakers, and prepare massive shelters for those who may not have habitable homes soon.

Snip: "There are so many factors beyond control but we will do our best," she said."

Then why aren't you warning the public to prepare for the worst? Instruct the public to stockpile food and water, elevate their belongings, park their cars in parking garages, be ready to cut their main breakers, and prepare massive shelters for those who may not have habitable homes soon.

If you watch the news and read the newspapers, they are. And have been for a few days now.

No, she - the Prime Minister herself - has not. She has not made any direct statements to the public telling the residents of Bangkok - or anywhere else - to prepare for water coming into their homes. She refuses to even declare a state of emergency while thousands of people in Central Thailand have no dry bed to sleep on and thousands of factories have been destroyed.

No, she - the Prime Minister herself - has not. She has not made any direct statements to the public telling the residents of Bangkok - or anywhere else - to prepare for water coming into their homes. She refuses to even declare a state of emergency while thousands of people in Central Thailand have no dry bed to sleep on and thousands of factories have been destroyed.

Because her brother has not told her what to do, he is on holiday right now with his 16 yr old girlfriend, give him a break, he cannot keep on top of Thai politics all the time.. A man needs a break.. and it is only water... not money...!

No, she - the Prime Minister herself - has not. She has not made any direct statements to the public telling the residents of Bangkok - or anywhere else - to prepare for water coming into their homes. She refuses to even declare a state of emergency while thousands of people in Central Thailand have no dry bed to sleep on and thousands of factories have been destroyed.

Because her brother has not told her what to do, he is on holiday right now with his 16 yr old girlfriend, give him a break, he cannot keep on top of Thai politics all the time.. A man needs a break.. and it is only water... not money...!

You'll be hearing from him soon enough when he uncovers his 400 Billion Bt plan to end flooding. Heads he wins, Tails Thailand loses.