Thai PM Appeals For Unity Amid Flood Crisis

[webfact]

Thai PM appeals for unity amid flood crisis

by Boonradom Chitradon

BANGKOK, October 19, 2011 (AFP) - Thailand's premier urged the kingdom's rival political factions Wednesday to work together to tackle the worst floods in decades, as the opposition called on her to declare a state of emergency.

"Today I will frankly tell you the truth. I have left no stone unturned in this crisis but I cannot solve it alone. I need cooperation from all sides," a teary-eyed Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra told reporters.

"Let's set aside politics. We must work to restore people's morale," added the sister of fugitive former leader Thaksin Shinawatra.

Yingluck, a political novice who has been in office for barely two months, has been criticised for a lack of clear information on the disaster, which has killed more than 300 people around the country.

"It's a crisis of leadership," said Pavin Chachavalpongpun, a former Thai diplomat and expert at the Institute for Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore.

"Yingluck has been very slow in responding to the crisis. At the beginning there was no integrated policy, many different ministers said different things, causing a lot of panic," he added.

The premier also faces a dilemma over whether to block the floods to protect Bangkok, the country's economic and political heartland, or release more water upriver to ease the burden on hard-hit central areas.

The opposition Democrats are calling on the government to declare emergency rule, as they themselves did when in power to deal with political unrest in the capital last year, leaving dozens dead in a military crackdown.

"The situation is getting worse and seems to be out of control because people have panicked and destroyed dykes, so if government imposes emergency law it would help control people," said Democrat spokesman Sakoltee Pattiyakul.

The laws would give the authorities the power to forcibly evacuate people or ban them from certain roads or other places. The government has said the decree is not necessary and would hurt investor confidence.

Pavin said the opposition was at fault too for proposing the emergency rule.

"What on earth for? When you declare an emergency decree you give power to the military," he said.

Authorities in the low-lying capital have been racing to reinforce barriers with sandbags in an attempt to protect the city of 12 million people.

Bangkok governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra -- a Democrat -- warned that seven districts in northern and eastern Bangkok were at risk of inundation because of a broken dyke.

He advised residents in those areas to unplug electrical appliances, move belongings to higher ground and study the city's evacuation plan, saying they had 24 hours to prepare for possible flooding.

Three months of heavy monsoon rains have damaged the homes and livelihoods of millions of people, mostly in northern and central Thailand, and have forced tens of thousands to seek refuge in shelters.

Currently about one third of Thailand's provinces are affected by the floods, which are several metres deep in places.

An adviser to the country's National Disaster Warning Centre, Admiral Kohlak Charoenruk, said the floods should be allowed to flow through Bangkok.

"If government keeps blocking water it will cause epidemic diseases and a humanitarian disaster. The government needs to release water into the sea as soon as possible," he told AFP.

Commerce Minister Kittirat Na-Ranong said more than half a million people have been left without work after many factories were inundated, but he was optimistic that foreign investors would not abandon Thailand.

Most of Thailand main tourist attractions -- including the southern islands -- as well as Bangkok's main airport have so far been unaffected.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2011-10-19

[zydeco]

'"Today I will frankly tell you the truth. I have left no stone unturned in this crisis but I cannot solve it alone. I need cooperation from all sides," a teary-eyed Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra told reporters.'

---------

As of today, perhaps. But she should have started turning them over weeks ago.

[webfact]

PM: Flood Crisis out of Govt's Control

The prime minister admits the flood situation has spun out of her government's control given the water volume is extremely larger than in past years.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said the flood situation has already worsened beyond the government's control as the volume of floodwater is larger than that in previous years and she is only a part of the system in charge of resolving the problem.

Yingluck admitted related agencies must work more systematically and cooperation from all parties is needed to tackle the current crisis.

The prime minister maintained the information given by the Flood Relief Operations Center is accurate and extensive, but the comments made by relevant parties may be different so the center will provide information in the form of an official statement.

Yingluck said she is not sure if Bangkok's Don Muang District will be submerged under one to two meters deep water as suggested by Science and Technology Minister Plodprasop Surasawadee while adding she is unable to determine which areas of the capital will be inundated.

She remarked the drainage gates of canals 1 to 6 in Pathum Thani's Rangsit District are opened now to help ease the floods in their vicinities.

She pledged the government will do its utmost to protect inner Bangkok from flooding.

Meanwhile, Secretary General of the United Nations Ban Ki Moon called the prime minister to discuss aid for Thailand's flood crisis.

-- Tan Network 2011-10-19

[arkom]

When was did they have it under control?

[zydeco]

Translation: "I give up."

[serenitynow]

The prime minister admits the flood situation has spun out of her government's control

So it's every man, woman, child and granny for themselves, eh? It seems the Thai people somehow already knew that. I'm guessing Yingluck has never read the biographies of any great leaders throughout history.

Edited October 19, 2011 by serenitynow

[webfact]

Sudarat urges PM to urgently change flood management plan

Former Thai Rak Thai executive Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan Wednesday urged Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to urgently change flood water management plan.

Sudarat said if the government adhered to the original plan to drive floodwaters to the sea via canals, floodwaters would soon inundate the Victory Monument.

She said the crisis prompted her to step in to provide advice.

She said the floodwaters would have to be pushed out through Nakhon Nayok and Chachoengsao. Parts of Bangkok would also need to share the floodwaters or else, the water would be three to four metres high.

Sudarat said it was wrong measure to block water with flood barriers because the water keep accumulating and water pressure also rose.

-- The Nation 2011-10-19

[serenitynow]

But what about Suphanburi?

If Nick Nostitz wants a good story he ought to do some digging on why Suphanburi has been spared to the detriment of other locales.

[CanadaBro]

That honesty is reassuring!

[Crushdepth]

There's a plan?

[gl555]

Teary eyed? We need our leader to be strong or at least pretend to be strong. It's bad enough her government is incompetent but now we have to see her cry too. Way to reassure your frightened people.

[Buchholz]

Former Thai Rak Thai executive Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan

She said the crisis prompted her to step in to provide advice.

Discouraging to learn that the former Bird Flu Cover-Up Minister is stepping into the fray.

Will she be advising on how best to cover-up the ineffective flood control measures of the current administration?

[Payboy]

Today I will frankly tell you the truth.

As good a day to start as any before it.

[Buchholz]

But what about Suphanburi?

If Nick Nostitz wants a good story he ought to do some digging on why Suphanburi has been spared to the detriment of other locales.

Are his Red Shirts involved?

[MunterHunter]

Its not her fault, bless her... Hollywood told her it would be 2012 when the world ended, she wasn't prepared for this!

[ricardofel]

Today she is telling the "truth"....guess it's been nothing but lies for the past 3 weeks.

[SunDaRi]

I hope she realise that as the PM, that statement will send people into panic. Not responsible, someone else should say ot - not her.

[biplanebluey]

There's a plan?

Ah----- Blackadder-----I have a plan------ OH please no !!!!!!!

[biplanebluey]

Today she is telling the "truth"....guess it's been nothing but lies for the past 3 weeks.

HoooRRRAAAYYYY -----At last we have an honest politician------------REALLY ?

[bhakta]

What can we say? Is there anyone on Earth who would be able to fight Mother Nature when she chooses to take her revenge?

[Thormaturge]

There's a plan?

Yes but nobody has a printed copy because the printers are flooded so they all work on what they think it probably is.

[Maipenrai007]

The Plan is No Plan!!

The only way out of this is to drink your way out!

[siampolee]

But what about Suphanburi?

All flood defenses paid for as a result of the abandonment of the Bangkok flood relief scheme by the then Prime Minister and the funds diverted to his own little fiefdom. Thus he became a, " big man."

Throughout this seemingly versatile career, however, Banharn has been involved in numerous corruption scandals one of which diminished the concordance in his administration and caused him to resign. Many Thais call him all sorts of pejorative names, such as "Mr. ATM", portraying him as a politician who dispenses dirty money under the table to anyone who needs it. His short-lived yet highly inept administration is also believed to have paved the way for the economic crisis of 1997.

Edited October 19, 2011 by siampolee

[Orgathai]

'"Today I will frankly tell you the truth. I have left no stone unturned in this crisis but I cannot solve it alone. I need cooperation from all sides," a teary-eyed Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra told reporters.'

---------

As of today, perhaps. But she should have started turning them over weeks ago.

do not blame her, blame the last 20 years of bad governement: earthen dikes???

are they still living in the stone age??

Gee

[Thormaturge]

Former Thai Rak Thai executive Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan

She said the crisis prompted her to step in to provide advice.

Discouraging to learn that the former Bird Flu Cover-Up Minister is stepping into the fray.

Will she be advising on how best to cover-up the ineffective flood control measures of the current administration?

Pray tell me how the previous administration had better flood control measures....

[biplanebluey]

Teary eyed? We need our leader to be strong or at least pretend to be strong. It's bad enough her government is incompetent but now we have to see her cry too. Way to reassure your frightened people.

I have only been here just over 4 years,but I have lost count how many times our polititions have driven me to near tears----but I must add that a lot of them have also had me in tears of laughter ---Dougal

[ETatBKK]

simple : NO COMMENT !

[biplanebluey]

'"Today I will frankly tell you the truth. I have left no stone unturned in this crisis but I cannot solve it alone. I need cooperation from all sides," a teary-eyed Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra told reporters.'

---------

As of today, perhaps. But she should have started turning them over weeks ago.

quote----''Today I will frankly tell you the truth''----- Man that must have hurt !!--------------Dougal

[londonthai]

they should engage the army, with their equipment and manpower, from the very beginning. They have hundreds of thousands doing nothing, but highly organised, structure. Generals are probably waiting to be bribed off to offer some help.

[serenitynow]

they should engage the army, with their equipment and manpower, from the very beginning. They have hundreds of thousands doing nothing, but highly organised, structure. Generals are probably waiting to be bribed off to offer some help.

You got the first half right but not your conclusion. The Army was begging the PM to declare a SOE so they might more widely deploy their assets to mitigate the flood and provide relief to those afeected. The PM demurred and instead used smaller units and put them under the comtrol of incompetent politicians, with the result being what you see now.