PM Yingluck Assures Public That Govt Will Devote Full Effort To Tackling Flood Problem

[webfact]

PM assures public that government will devote full effort to tackling flood problem

BANGKOK, Oct 15 -- Prime Minsiter Yingluck Shinawatra on Saturday reassured the public that the government would do its utmost to tackle the flood problem and it was prepared to take care of flood victims.

Ms Yingluck addressed the nation on her weekly programme "Yingluck Government Meets the Public" via National Broadcasting Television (NBT), Channel 11 and Radio Thailand stating that 56 provinces were affected by the flood and among them, 10 provinces were badly hit: Nakhon Sawan, Ayutthaya, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Lop Buri, Ang Thong, Sing Buri, Chai Nat, Uthai Thani, and Chachoengsao.

The most critical situations were Nakhon Sawan, Ayutthaya and Pathum Thani.

She said the government was trying to drain floodwater into the sea as quickly as possible while important areas and strategic locations would be protected, including business areas, industrial estates, airports, flood victim shelters, major cities in provinces and inner Bangkok.

The government's Flood Relief Operations Centre has assigned the armed forces, police and relevant agencies to cooperate in addressing the flood problem.

"The government has drained floodwater into the sea with three channels, in the Chao Phraya River, fleet of ships will push water to the sea; on the eastern side of Bangkok, flood water would be diverted from Nakhon Nayok and Bang Pakong Rivers, also dredged seven main canals in which three canals have been completed and could facilitate the water flow. On the western side of Bangkok, the water would be drained into Tha Chin River but because of the winding of river, shortcut would be dug to speed up the drainage," she said.

As for Bangkok protection, she said, the government has built three rows of flood prevention dykes with reinforcements and more height having been added. One additional row between Klong Rapeepat and Pratunam Pra-in for 24 kilometers was expected to be completed soon.

At Ban Phrao water sluice gate, which had ruptured, Ms Yingluck said repair work was expected to be finished today but she asked for cooperation from residents not to dismantle the dyke, and asserted that the government would give its full effort to help the flood victims.

The government had received more than Bt400 million in donations which would later distributed to help all the victims, she said.

The premier said that many foreign countries - China, Japan, South Korea, Laos, Israel, Denmark and the United States - has offered assistance particularly the US which proposed to send 28 helicopters to help search for victims, perform evacuations and transport heavy equipment.

She urged the public to have confidence in the government and asked them to join them in fighting the problem and overcoming the difficulty together. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-10-15

[webfact]

Prime Minister Yingluck reassures effectiveness of measures to deal with upcoming floods

BANGKOK, 15 October 2011 (NNT) - Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra this morning revealed steps to protect Bangkok and other economic centers of the country from floods in which, she said, both existing and new canals to be dredged will be used to accelerate the speed of floodwater into the sea.

Speaking in her weekly radio and TV address, Ms Yingluck said floodwater would be pushed to the sea through major waterways including the Chao Phraya River and many old and new canals on the eastern and western sides of the river. On the east, seven new canals are being urgently dredged to divert floodwater to the sea via Nakhon Nayok Province. On the western side of the Chao Phraya, shortcuts will be dredged linking several existing canals such as Maha Sawat and Maha Chai, to shorten the distance of the river flow and accelerate the flow to the Gulf of Thailand.

Touching on Bangkok, the Prime Minister affirmed that the capital should be safe with the three floodwalls already built in nearby Pathum Thani and Nakhon Pathom provinces and in Rangsit area north of Bangkok. Moreover, a 24-km long flood dyke is being built along Raphiphat Canal to Pratunam Phra-in floodgate, to assure flood prevention efficiency.

The Prime Minister reassured that the eastern part of Bangkok would be dry with the help of the existing flood dykes built under royal initiatives. However, additional dykes have also been built to ensure the effectiveness of prevention measures.

-- NNT 2011-10-15

[thaikahuna]

There is nothing that ANY politician in ANY country can say to its residents at a time like this that can allay the fears and concerns of those affected.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

"The government has drained floodwater into the sea with three channels, in the Chao Phraya River, fleet of ships will push water to the sea;..."

Ohh boy....still talking that sh....

Edited October 16, 2011 by metisdead
Do not modify someone else's post in your quoted reply, either with font or color changes.

[EyesWideOpen]

Too late.......

[ETatBKK]

I think NO ONE in the LOS and wants to see the big flood. it is not about reassuring and reassuring and devoting. it is about how to LEAD in the crisis, and how to manage the government operation effectively. in last couple of weeks and days, we don't see these 'how to' happening yet. would these qualities in place before the water arriving ?

[lazygourmet]

[Buchholz]

Too late.......

Indeed. Just as the weeks-old threads on the floods and other threads on the public's lack of confidence in this government's actions...

demonstrate, that she now struggles to justify their past inaction is ringing hollow.

That she's still propagating that nonsense of ships' propellers sending the water level down in Chao Phraya river shows the desperation in her attempts to "assure the public."

.

[Skywalker69]

Too late.......

Sad....but true.

[djlest]

well i think its a big SCAM to distract the public from the fact that many promises made during the elections are not gonna be possible

Bangkok wont flood - its all just scare tactics...and a great way of getting the public to go on mass spending spree and clearing supermarket shelves...

Also a fantastic way of asking other countries for relief funds, as if the trafficking one wasnt enough already...

They have a lot of power over what dams can be emptied and when - with a little tweaking they can flood the entire country - or keep the water flowing evenly down towards the sea

They have purposely collected tons of water from the north and left the central regions closed, so that now when the water flows south it causes massive flood plains, yet ironically stops at ayuthaya...

Funny how every goverment i've witnessed as soon as they get into power, Thailand floods and everyone gets distracted

And the excuses for not completing her promises will be blamed on the fact that - Oh the floods changed everything!

Lets see what spin she turns this into... with some good old taksinomic puppeteering...

No better way to rule a country than fear and natural man made dissasters...

[Lite Beer]

PM offers assurances on 'worst floods in history'

The Nation on Sunday

Boats seek to push water along Chao Phraya into sea

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra assured the public yesterday that the government was doing its best to tackle the country's "worst flood disaster in history" and to help people affected.

In her weekly radio programme, Yingluck said that of 56 flood-affected provinces, 10 were hard-hit: Nakhon Sawan, Ayutthaya, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi, Lop Buri, Ang Thong, Sing Buri, Chai Nat, Uthai Thani and Chachoengsao.

Officials were trying to drain floodwater into the sea as fast as possible, Yingluck said, adding that she had instructed related agencies to prevent floodwater from getting into strategic and major economic locations such as business districts, industrial estates, airports, flood shelters, major provincial cities and inner Bangkok.

Because the Chao Phraya River is the best channel for draining floodwater, some 800 boats were set to help push water through Khlong Lat Pho to the sea, and 216 water pumps had been installed along the Chao Phraya, she said.

On the eastern side of the capital, three major canals had been dredged, and work was underway on four more.

On the western side, where floodwater is flowing through the Tha Chin River, the river's winding character made it necessary to dig shortcuts to speed up the drainage, while 171 water pumps and 100 water-pushing boats were in place, Yingluck said.

To protect Bangkok, three levees had been reinforced and heightened, she said. An additional 24km-long levee was being constructed between Klong Rapeepat and Pratunam Pra-in and would be completed soon, she said.

Repairs to Pathum Thani's Ban Phrao sluice gate were expected to be finished later yesterday, Yingluck said, asking residents to cooperate by not dismantling the floodwalls and assuring them the government would do its best to help flood victims.

She said rescue teams would evacuate affected people to shelters, while other teams had been set up to assist people in the shelters. The government was trying to drain floodwater out to sea and would rehabilitate flood-hit areas as soon as possible.

The government's Flood Relief Operations Command had received over Bt400 million in donations, which would be distributed to all flood victims, while foreign countries - such as China, Japan, South Korea, Laos, Israel, Denmark and the United States - had offered assistance, Yingluck said. The US offered to send 26 helicopters in one week to perform evacuations and transport heavy equipment, she said.

Urging the public to have confidence in the government's proposed systematic long-term solutions to flooding, she invited members of the public to join in tackling the problem and help the country overcome the difficulties together.

Yingluck will today preside over a ceremony to launch an effort to have boats on the Chao Phraya push water out to sea, while similar efforts would be launched simultaneously on the Tha Chin and Bang Pakong rivers.

Yingluck chaired a meeting with military and Interior Ministry officials to discuss search and rescue missions for stranded flood victims. She asked that Air Force helicopters be used to search for stranded victims, and that the Interior Ministry use household census data to identify which people were at shelters and which remained in flooded areas.

Yingluck also instructed provincial governors to educate residents about the installation of floodwalls in order to gain their cooperation.

At Don Mueang Airport, Yingluck presided over the launch of a 200-strong health volunteer caravan with relief bags and medical supplies to assist flood victims at shelters in Ayutthaya, Lop Buri, Sing Buri, Pathum Thani and Angthong. The volunteers would also visit people stranded in flooded homes, with green flags being placed at houses with patients in severe need.

And at Don Mueang Military Air Base, US Ambassador to Thailand Kristie Kenney late yesterday afternoon welcomed the delivery of 18,000 sandbags by a 10-strong team travelling on a C130 plane from a US base off Okinawa in Japan. The team will assess the flood situation in preparation for further assistance from the US.

-- The Nation 2011-10-16

[nicky1982]

This is why woman should not be pms or presidents as they all lack the backbone when the shit it the fan as you can see her cry her heart out on the heilcoopter .. :jap:

Edited October 16, 2011 by nicky1982

[Buchholz]

PM offers assurances on 'worst floods in history'

Realizing that Plodprasop is the Science Minister, but is there any scientific basis for Yingluck's claim? .... or is it just theatrics to attempt to lessen the criticisms of her?

Is this truly the "worst flood in history"?

.

[mca]

This is why woman should not be pms or presidents as they all lack the backbone when the shit it the fan as you can see her cry her heart out on the heilcoopter .. :jap:

Your post is a prime example of why some people shouldn't have access to an internet connection.

[whybother]

This is why woman should not be pms or presidents as they all lack the backbone when the shit it the fan as you can see her cry her heart out on the heilcoopter .. :jap:

It turns out that she wasn't crying.

She just didn't bring her reading glasses so had to squint to see something in her hands.

[maidu]

In the next ten years, we'll see several more claims of "The Worst Flood in History" affecting Bkk.

Awhile after that, sections of Bkk will be under year-round standing water. Concurrently, we'll see 'Worst Drought in History" headlines as we did 15 months ago.

Someone asked about how Thaksin can get his fingers in the dike (so to speak). While sitting in his trendy restaurant on the other side of the world, he proposed a multi-tens-of-billions baht program to pump water from central Thailand to Issan. Figures, a rich man thinks that shoveling mega money at a problem will solve it. The heck with reason and science. I wonder who will be in charge of those mega billion contracts and selling materials for such a boondoggle project? Hint: politicians in high places and their shadowy benefactor/controller.

Just so you know, I'm not all cynicism and derision - there are reasonable, scientifically sound, and relatively low cost ways of avoiding the cycles of 'Worst Flood in History" and "Worst Drought in History" cycle we're getting nearly every year here in Thailand: Two suggestions:

A. farmers ease off rice, and plant crops which have more value, more nutrition, and soak up more moisture.

B. Slow down the manic trend of covering Thailand's fields and forests with cement and asphalt - thereby enabling nature to soak up some of this excess water.

[scotbeve]

PM offers assurances on 'worst floods in history'

Realizing that Plodprasop is the Science Minister, but is there any scientific basis for Yingluck's claim? .... or is it just theatrics to attempt to lessen the criticisms of her?

Is this truly the "worst flood in history"?

.

I haven't seen any flood this bad in 30 years Bucholz.... And for you sir????

[Buchholz]

PM offers assurances on 'worst floods in history'

Realizing that Plodprasop is the Science Minister, but is there any scientific basis for Yingluck's claim? .... or is it just theatrics to attempt to lessen the criticisms of her?

Is this truly the "worst flood in history"?

I haven't seen any flood this bad in 30 years Bucholz.... And for you sir????

Rather than depending on subjective and inaccurate visual assessments, I'd prefer to see some specific hard scientific data... perhaps the Science Minister can produce these?

.

[landofthefree]

This is why woman should not be pms or presidents as they all lack the backbone when the shit it the fan as you can see her cry her heart out on the heilcoopter .. :jap:

Your post is a prime example of why some people shouldn't have access to an internet connection.

:D

[scotbeve]

PM offers assurances on 'worst floods in history'

Realizing that Plodprasop is the Science Minister, but is there any scientific basis for Yingluck's claim? .... or is it just theatrics to attempt to lessen the criticisms of her?

Is this truly the "worst flood in history"?

I haven't seen any flood this bad in 30 years Bucholz.... And for you sir????

Rather than depending on subjective and inaccurate visual assessments, I'd prefer to see some specific hard scientific data... perhaps the Science Minister can produce these?

.

Fair enough statement.... but don't you think you're being a bit too quick on the draw to flame someone's "visual assessments" rather than to believe a pencil-neck-trying-to-save-face-official?

[Buchholz]

Realizing that Plodprasop is the Science Minister, but is there any scientific basis for Yingluck's claim? .... or is it just theatrics to attempt to lessen the criticisms of her?

Is this truly the "worst flood in history"?

I haven't seen any flood this bad in 30 years Bucholz.... And for you sir????

Rather than depending on subjective and inaccurate visual assessments, I'd prefer to see some specific hard scientific data... perhaps the Science Minister can produce these?

Fair enough statement.... but don't you think you're being a bit too quick on the draw to flame someone's "visual assessments" rather than to believe a pencil-neck-trying-to-save-face-official?

Not intending to "flame" anyone, but Yingluck's statement is such a definitive and declarative claim, that it would be nice to have actual data that backs that up, otherwise she's being overly dramatic and unscientific... which in the face of her Science Minister's abysmal boat scheme, doesn't help her.

I can be anecdotal and say that personally, no, this isn't the most rain we've had in our area, but I realize that may not be the case in other areas and obviously the damage has been severe.

I was simply questioning the veracity of her claim. It should be fairly easy, even given the ineptitude of her Science Minister, to provide the specific data that validates it.

I enjoyed the Freddie Blassie reference (he was a real classic), but the "official" in need of saving face is Yingluck. She is the one who made the claim and though I don't admire the woman, I wouldn't call her Freddie's famous line, "a pencil-neck geek."

.

[verywierd]

The Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System (GDACS) of the UN says on their website :"This flood has severity class 2 (i.e. this is an extreme event with an estimated recurrence interval greater than 100 years)."

[elcent]

The ElNino year will be lasting six months or so into 2012 - was and is not a secret or something new. It's anything else than over.

Get together with the Dutch. They have experience with issues like this and they have it under control. At least you can prevent this to happen in the future.

The North Sea Protection Wall in the Netherlands with it's attached taming of rivers and canals are considered as one of the modern seven world wonders.

Furthermore, after the flood is over there will be lots of troubles with diseases. As every year, hundreds of people die in the North and NE of infections that is transmitted by rats' urine etc..

A period of really hard grilling is also on the screen. It can and probably will get hot like never before, at least in some areas.

In meanwhile the shelves in many department stores and convenience stores are empty.

Let real flood experts tackle the flooding issues and the politicians the shortage of food supply.

Two days ago I saw a big sign at BigC where they apologized over the shortage of many items. The list seem to get bigger by the day.

Political statements to real hard and natural facts won't do any good either.

[BuckarooBanzai]

This is why woman should not be pms or presidents as they all lack the backbone when the shit it the fan as you can see her cry her heart out on the heilcoopter .. :jap:

Your post is a prime example of why some people shouldn't have access to an internet connection.

:D

[Buchholz]

The Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System (GDACS) of the UN says on their website :"This flood has severity class 2 (i.e. this is an extreme event with an estimated recurrence interval greater than 100 years)."

Yingluck's organization should promptly inform the UN then so that this "worst flood in history" is at least assigned a severity class 1...

otherwise it seems like she's playing it up with inaccurate jargon in an effort to possibly garner patience with her administration's shortcomings.

Still, given the broad description, the entire history of this land does fall into an "interval greater than 100 years."

[Buchholz]

Rather than worst in history, apparently earlier flooding was just as bad as it is now...

Thai Capital Bangkok Spared as Worst Floods in 50 Years Recede

Oct. 17 (Bloomberg) -- Thailand’s capital Bangkok was spared from the nation’s worst floods in more than five decades after water levels receded in provinces north of the capital and barriers protecting the city of 9.7 million people held.

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-10-16/thai-capital-bangkok-spared-as-worst-floods-in-50-years-recede.html

[metisdead]

Some nonsense posts have been removed.

[MaxYakov]

The Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System (GDACS) of the UN says on their website :"This flood has severity class 2 (i.e. this is an extreme event with an estimated recurrence interval greater than 100 years)."

Yingluck's organization should promptly inform the UN then so that this "worst flood in history" is at least assigned a severity class 1...

otherwise it seems like she's playing it up with inaccurate jargon in an effort to possibly garner patience with her administration's shortcomings.

Still, given the broad description, the entire history of this land does fall into an "interval greater than 100 years."

Good point, but it appears that class 2 is more severe than class 1. Here's a (what appears to be the applicable) flood severity description from the Darthmouth Flood Observatory:

Global Archive of Large Flood Events - Notes[/i]']

Severity Class - Assessment is on 1-2 scale. These floods are then divided into three classes. Class 1: large flood events: significant damage to structures or agriculture; fatalities; and/or 1-2 decades-long reported interval since the last similar event. Class 1.5: very large events: with a greater than 2 decades but less than 100 year estimated recurrence interval, and/or a local recurrence interval of at 1-2 decades and affecting a large geographic region (> 5000 sq. km). Class 2: Extreme events: with an estimated recurrence interval greater than 100 years.

All this is all very academic when, in all probability, Yingluck Shinawatra has a view of history that does not predate 21 June 1967.

[MaxYakov]

And at Don Mueang Military Air Base, US Ambassador to Thailand Kristie Kenney late yesterday afternoon welcomed the delivery of 18,000 sandbags by a 10-strong team travelling on a C130 plane from a US base off Okinawa in Japan. The team will assess the flood situation in preparation for further assistance from the US.

According to Yingluck, this one C-130 Hercules has somehow morphed into twenty-eight E-2 Hawkeyes???

Prime Minister Yingluck earlier announced that the United States promised to send 28 Hawk Eye aircraft to Thailand to help in the survey and evacuation of flood-hit people and in the removal of affected industrial equipment.

http://thainews.prd....id=255410170001

!!Boring!!

I find it interesting that the U.S. Navy would send such a huge percentage of tactical early-warning aircraft from their inventory.

I also find it interesting that the only one saying they would is Yingluck.

.

Doubtlessly, something was lost in translation and it was helicopters. I should think it would be difficult to rescue flood victims with E-2 Hawkeyes (if that is what they were referring to). It is interesting to speculate, though, how many flood rescuees could lie on that big radome. Shades of 'The Flight of the Phoenix'.

[SAffer]

This is why woman should not be pms or presidents as they all lack the backbone when the shit it the fan as you can see her cry her heart out on the heilcoopter .. :jap:

Your post is a prime example of why some people shouldn't have access to an internet connection.

I liked Thatcher.