Thai PM Appeals For Unity Amid Flood Crisis

[otherstuff1957]

I was watching TV a few minutes ago and they had their usual "English Minute". Today's words were "knee deep" - with an appropriate picture, " waist deep" - with an appropriate picture, and "chest deep" - with an appropriate picture....

I was waiting to see "over her head" - with a picture of the PM, but they must have resisted the temptation!

Edited October 19, 2011 by otherstuff1957

[Seewolf]

It's not the first Year they have flood problems , so why there was no better flood management the years before as it was known Thailand has big problems , peoples should not blame the actual PM only [, this is my opinion, actions together may lead to less damages, but looking for , who is guilty doen't help too much.

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

[RichardinBKK]

Dear Thai Visa Peanut Gallery,

Thank you for not letting me down. Not 1% of this is useful information. You whine like babies about the lack of information available, sit in front of a staggering war chest of technology, and have created zero maps, zero information about evacuation routes and zero historical perspective about what to expect if Bangkok floods.

Sit back, throw down a pint, and keep those cards and letters coming! Useless to the point of laughable!

[MaxYakov]

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.

She shouldn't be there!!! She is not a politician!!!! and the people (in the North of the country are STUPID for putting her there in the first place I don't mind saying)!!! Please stop snivelling Yingluck and go back to the day job (whoops!!! I forgot, this IS her day job)!!

They should let the Governor of Bangkok (an educated Democrat) take over and co-ordinate the efforts properly instead of entrusting the handing of the disaster to a bunch of Pheu Thai imbeciles that haven't got a clue about what they are doing or needs to be done!!!!

Plain and simple - dissolve the government and have another election to see if PT supporters are happy about the 2 months effort that this government has put in. Its not for trying, granted, but TRYING is simply not good enough, is it!!!

When you have ministers coming out with statements like "they don't know what they are doing" - "Oh yes I do now", "I've just remembered", "get Thaksin back into Thailand and don't worry about the other foreign affairs as thats just a side show and a waste of my time and energy"!!!.

Any Thaksin/red brigade sympathisers should admit their stupidity in sticking up for this lost cause - don't try defending them to me as NOTHING you say will be registered by my brain as being believable or sensible - unless you have changed your tune, seen the light and come to your senses that is!!!:jap:

Interested to see your response to this - please keep it polite though!!

Dissolve the government and have another election? Good Luck with that! The Water Deities are getting the rap for this.

[SICHONSTEVE]

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.

What a silly reply, prime ministers tearing up in the face of adversity shows that they are people, and for one I am surprised as to why other people haven't had a few tears for what has happened. I sure have and I am a 44 year old man. Much to say that I have cried at the sheer loss of property, many of the peoples lives will have changed forever, and although not always much, many of these people have lost everything they have. Again, it is another show of the long term mismanagement of a country that can and used to be in a much better shape than it is now.

There is nothing wrong with feeling the way many people are feeling at the moment. If you need to have a cry, you can rest on my shoulder, I am right there with you.

Now, please excuse me I am fortifying our flood prevention at our home, all the while the neighbours are laughing at the foreigner and his actions around the house. Wonder if I will have the last laugh if and when the area floods.

"There is nothing wrong with feeling the way many people are feeling at the moment. If you need to have a cry, you can rest on my shoulder, I am right there with you".

YOU are the silly one - this is absolutely rubbish!!! If you are the prime minister then you must set an example by being able to lead in adversity and not go running to the tissue box whenever something goes wrong.

She chose to put herself in this position, did she not?? She accepted the responsibility of governing the country, did she not??? It has nothing to do with the government "changing the goalposts" in order to ease her brother back into the country (simply another Thai national), does it not???

If putting herself through all of this hell (for which she clearly cannot cope with the pressure or responsibility) was for the sole reason of getting Thaksin back into Thailand then it would be a bit more understandable (although not acceptable) - but she has stated "that this was not a priority for her government" so she must accept the blame and get on with it!!!! No sympathy from me Yingluck, you have brought this upon yourself and must suffer the consequences, no matter how much you don't want to!!!!:jap:.

Edited October 19, 2011 by SICHONSTEVE

[Colin Yai]

open the rivers, help the water to go, don't block the water but make it leave, ask the army to use bombs and explosives to open ways in the ground if necessary and MOVE !!!!!!!

Well, now I know why it is impossible to get a WP to be in charge.

Who says a WP is in charge?

[Seewolf]

It's well known the volume is larger then the previous years, but why they trying to blame the actual Governement only as the previous years there was not a better flood management visible , remember that. Work together would be better than looking for, who is guilty.

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.

As the volum

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

[vediovis]

open the rivers, help the water to go, don't block the water but make it leave, ask the army to use bombs and explosives to open ways in the ground if necessary and MOVE !!!!!!!

Well, now I know why it is impossible to get a WP to be in charge.

Who says a WP is in charge?

Guys, the water has to leave. You can't block it. The idea to help the rivers to excrete it using boats was good, but obviously it was not enough.

If they open the way and enlarge some canals and rivers, the water will leave faster. It can sound a bit extreme, but the situation is extreme.

Someone in the government should study a map and talk with some geologist to see where it is possible to help the water to go. And quickly.

[jrclassic]

'"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

It is about decision making and authority to implement a plan of action, this is what the current government clearly lacks. Ie leadership. Where is the deputy PM who was all so vocal and clearly a leader in clsoing down illegal casions before the floods? Sure we have had more rain in critcal areas than usual, however the management plan and controlled release of the dam water is an irrigation management issuethat occurs every year, and whoever oversees this area (I suspect there was intervention from a political minister as part of an election promise)? On another note Thai politics is very complicated and after 6yrs I stil have no idea! Although one thing for sure is that a few ppl will sadly benefit from the floods!

[Tanaka]

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.

The deployment of the army did not need a SOE to start so that is not the issue. But the total incompetence, lack of oversight, and total lack of cooperation between authorities is.

[Colin Yai]

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.

What a silly reply, prime ministers tearing up in the face of adversity shows that they are people, and for one I am surprised as to why other people haven't had a few tears for what has happened. I sure have and I am a 44 year old man. Much to say that I have cried at the sheer loss of property, many of the peoples lives will have changed forever, and although not always much, many of these people have lost everything they have. Again, it is another show of the long term mismanagement of a country that can and used to be in a much better shape than it is now.

There is nothing wrong with feeling the way many people are feeling at the moment. If you need to have a cry, you can rest on my shoulder, I am right there with you.

Now, please excuse me I am fortifying our flood prevention at our home, all the while the neighbours are laughing at the foreigner and his actions around the house. Wonder if I will have the last laugh if and when the area floods.

"There is nothing wrong with feeling the way many people are feeling at the moment. If you need to have a cry, you can rest on my shoulder, I am right there with you".

YOU are the silly one - this is absolutely rubbish!!! If you are the prime minister then you must set an example by being able to lead in adversity and not go running to the tissue box whenever something goes wrong.

She chose to put herself in this position, did she not?? She accepted the responsibility of governing the country, did she not??? It has nothing to do with the government "changing the goalposts" in order to ease her brother back into the country (simply another Thai national), does it not???

If putting herself through all of this hell (for which she clearly cannot cope with the pressure or responsibility) was for the sole reason of getting Thaksin back into Thailand then it would be a bit more understandable (although not acceptable) - but she has stated "that this was not a priority for her government" so she must accept the blame and get on with it!!!! No sympathy from me Yingluck, you have brought this upon yourself and must suffer the consequences, no matter how much you don't want to!!!!:jap:.

Of course Steve I can comprehend everything you write and agree 100%(almost) with your musings ,but let us try and be fair and in many ways realistic, this position she now hold,s was not of her own choosing was it? but her brothers who uses people like you and I use Kleenex to further his own megalomania lust for more wealth and power ,no doubt she is now regretting the moment that she agreed to be as putty in his hands. Edited October 19, 2011 by Colin Yai

[smedly]

this government was always going to be a disaster, no direct leadership leading to confusion, I feel sorry for Yingluck, I doubt she had any idea what kindoff trouble her brother was getting her into - now it is all too clear, she hasn't got control never had control and neither does her brother which makes for a very confusing and dangerous situation as various factions compete for power.

I personally think it's getting very close to the big reset button, how many roads must we walk before we realise we are lost

Leave governing a country to people that are here and are capable.

[sausageandmash]

She should take a few lessons from Margaret Thatcher on how to be a strong female PM.

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.

[RichardinBKK]

HEADLINE!

Hey Peanut Gallery! Here is a concept you may want to wrap your head around. "Sometimes bad things just happen."

Sometimes it rains so hard, that everything floods.

Unless you believe that a politician is a God who can part the waters...really...just shut up.

This is already bad enough without your constant whining, sniping and complaining like little girls who didn't get a pretty new ribbon for their golden locks.

The only reason I keep coming back to this sad little forum is on the outside chance someone will have helpful information.

No chance...right?

[Willeyeam]

I wish the press/media would stop blaming Yingluck for all of this flooding problem. It is not her fault, she is a very pretty lady and should be left alone! Have you seen how long it takes for a Thai woman to get her hair set, and her make up on?

The entire flooding has been brought on by Suthep and his wicked black magic, he is Satan, he is the devil!

Why did they not commandeer Sondhi to stem the flood? They could have used his big fat ass and big fat gut to prevent the flooding in Navanakorn. At least the fat bastard would have done something useful for the country for once in his life! If there were any leaks, they could have stuck Chamlong Srimuangs' head up his fat ass prevent the seepage!

If they had got Prayuth to stand with his big mouth open just past the Bhumibon Dam, he could have surely swallowed the overflow in one mouthful!

Edited October 19, 2011 by Willeyeam

[starguard69]

A government can stipulate what, when, and how their powers (temp) be given and taken back by the PM. It is not rocket science. So tell the military what you want and have them do it. seems simple enough...

Oh wait. I forgot there is a great debate about what type and color of paper to use to write the orders.

[pastitche]

She should take a few lessons from Margaret Thatcher on how to be a strong female PM.

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.

That will be the Thatcher who left Downing Street in tears?

[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.

What a silly reply, prime ministers tearing up in the face of adversity shows that they are people, and for one I am surprised as to why other people haven't had a few tears for what has happened. I sure have and I am a 44 year old man. Much to say that I have cried at the sheer loss of property, many of the peoples lives will have changed forever, and although not always much, many of these people have lost everything they have. Again, it is another show of the long term mismanagement of a country that can and used to be in a much better shape than it is now.

There is nothing wrong with feeling the way many people are feeling at the moment. If you need to have a cry, you can rest on my shoulder, I am right there with you.

Now, please excuse me I am fortifying our flood prevention at our home, all the while the neighbours are laughing at the foreigner and his actions around the house. Wonder if I will have the last laugh if and when the area floods.

You don't know much about leadership do you? It's okay, you're in good company. Apparently, neither does Yingluk.

[SICHONSTEVE]

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.

What a silly reply, prime ministers tearing up in the face of adversity shows that they are people, and for one I am surprised as to why other people haven't had a few tears for what has happened. I sure have and I am a 44 year old man. Much to say that I have cried at the sheer loss of property, many of the peoples lives will have changed forever, and although not always much, many of these people have lost everything they have. Again, it is another show of the long term mismanagement of a country that can and used to be in a much better shape than it is now.

There is nothing wrong with feeling the way many people are feeling at the moment. If you need to have a cry, you can rest on my shoulder, I am right there with you.

Now, please excuse me I am fortifying our flood prevention at our home, all the while the neighbours are laughing at the foreigner and his actions around the house. Wonder if I will have the last laugh if and when the area floods.

"There is nothing wrong with feeling the way many people are feeling at the moment. If you need to have a cry, you can rest on my shoulder, I am right there with you".

YOU are the silly one - this is absolutely rubbish!!! If you are the prime minister then you must set an example by being able to lead in adversity and not go running to the tissue box whenever something goes wrong.

She chose to put herself in this position, did she not?? She accepted the responsibility of governing the country, did she not??? It has nothing to do with the government "changing the goalposts" in order to ease her brother back into the country (simply another Thai national), does it not???

If putting herself through all of this hell (for which she clearly cannot cope with the pressure or responsibility) was for the sole reason of getting Thaksin back into Thailand then it would be a bit more understandable (although not acceptable) - but she has stated "that this was not a priority for her government" so she must accept the blame and get on with it!!!! No sympathy from me Yingluck, you have brought this upon yourself and must suffer the consequences, no matter how much you don't want to!!!!:jap:.

Of course Steve I can comprehend everything you write and agree 100%(almost) with your musings ,but let us try and be fair and in many ways realistic, this position she now hold,s was not of her own choosing was it? but her brothers who uses people like you and I use Kleenex to further his own monomaniacal lust for more wealth and power ,no doubt she is now regretting the moment that she agreed to be as putty in his hands.

I agree with your retort as well, with the exception of one thing. If your older brother told you to go and club somebody over the head, would you??? Surely you would look at all the impications of doing so first and then make a decision as to whether you would do as he commands.

Before you tell me that this comparison is way out of kilter to her accepting to be number one on Pheu Thai's electoral list then look a little bit deeper!!!

We ALL know her reason for accepting this job - Thaksin's situation WAS ALWAYS atop her agenda despite her "lies" to this effect.

Governing her country (with no previous knowledge or experience of politics) was always going to be a huge undertaking - wouldn't you agree?? It was engineered by Thaksin alone as he thinks about nothing other than himself and I bet he didn't even consider his "baby sis" might have a problem coping with the pressure and responsibility of making such important decisions whose actions would affect millions of her "cousins"!!!

Don't you now think that she has been a fool to listen to a convicted fugitive ( despite him being her blood brother).

I think that this justifies my stance on curbing my sympathy's towards her plight as she "made her bed, so she must lie in it" lets hope the water hasn't made the bed covers wet, although I somehow doubt that she has been so unfortunate as so many other desperate souls - primarily as a result of her, and her disaster co-ordinators abject incompetence it must be accepted.

By the way, I was struggling to remember "Kleenex" - maybe they don't sell them in Thailand and my memory is failing me now!!!.

I know that I am leaving myself open with this admission but think I have covered myself now by taking away your ammunition .

Edited October 19, 2011 by SICHONSTEVE

[Buchholz]

"There is nothing wrong with feeling the way many people are feeling at the moment. If you need to have a cry, you can rest on my shoulder, I am right there with you".

YOU are the silly one - this is absolutely rubbish!!! If you are the prime minister then you must set an example by being able to lead in adversity and not go running to the tissue box whenever something goes wrong.

She chose to put herself in this position, did she not?? She accepted the responsibility of governing the country, did she not??? It has nothing to do with the government "changing the goalposts" in order to ease her brother back into the country (simply another Thai national), does it not???

If putting herself through all of this hell (for which she clearly cannot cope with the pressure or responsibility) was for the sole reason of getting Thaksin back into Thailand then it would be a bit more understandable (although not acceptable) - but she has stated "that this was not a priority for her government" so she must accept the blame and get on with it!!!! No sympathy from me Yingluck, you have brought this upon yourself and must suffer the consequences, no matter how much you don't want to!!!!:jap:.

Of course Steve I can comprehend everything you write and agree 100%(almost) with your musings ,but let us try and be fair and in many ways realistic, this position she now hold,s was not of her own choosing was it? but her brothers who uses people like you and I use Kleenex to further his own monomaniacal lust for more wealth and power ,no doubt she is now regretting the moment that she agreed to be as putty in his hands.

She didn't seem to have any regrets when it came time for taking nearly one billion baht as her share of the Shin sale.

Nor did she have any regrets when she was placed several times as the figure-head boss of his companies.

Hard to have much sympathy for this middle-age billionairess when she readily accepts the rewards for being in the Shinawatra clan, but breaks down whenever responsibility and accountability are encountered.

.

Edited October 19, 2011 by Buchholz

[animatic]

Let's nominate Nutawhat and Jatuporn as co-leaders of the National Unity Committeee, they have so much experience bringing people closer together.

[Spalpeen]

With the flooding running out of control, where are all those Thai Academics when you need them?

[noahvail]

With the flooding running out of control, where are all those Thai Academics when you need them?

Bailing...

[jayboy]

That will be the Thatcher who left Downing Street in tears?

Or Churchill who was frequently in tears.

Frankly there is a disturbed element on this forum who despite the national crisis is consumed by hatred and bile.They demean themselves and I don't think for a moment it reflects the mood of the country at large, even among the government's opponents.Obviously sensible and constructive critical comments on how the authorities are dealing (or not dealing) with the crisis are welcome, but this psychotic stream of hate is repelling.I think the best thing is to ignore them.

[piete121]

Me thinks 'the plan' is working perfectly. I can see the hero mounting his steed in Dubai - he will be here to take control and make sure everyone is dry and rich in no more than 3 days!!

My sympathies to the families of those lost but I can see this group of politicians being willing to sacrifice anyone, except themselves of course, to get the master plan finished and to that end I honestly think they would flood everywhere but Bangkok!! Maybe even Bangkok as long as the airport is still open - got to get the steed of the plane somehow!!

On another small point, the first Female PM of Thailand with her first big crisis and she gets teary eyed? Sorry but old Mrs T in the UK would have had Mike Tyson's b*lls if she had ever been in the ring with him. I wonder what happened when things went t*ts up at AIS?

[siampolee]

Frankly there is a disturbed element on this forum who despite the national crisis is consumed by hatred and bile.They demean themselves and I don't think for a moment it reflects the mood of the country at large, even among the government's opponents.Obviously sensible and constructive critical comments on how the authorities are dealing (or not dealing) with the crisis are welcome, but this psychotic stream of hate is repelling.I think the best thing is to ignore them.

Plainly you were looking in the mirror when you composed the above passage Narcissus?

[softgeorge]

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.

What a silly reply, prime ministers tearing up in the face of adversity shows that they are people, and for one I am surprised as to why other people haven't had a few tears for what has happened. I sure have and I am a 44 year old man. Much to say that I have cried at the sheer loss of property, many of the peoples lives will have changed forever, and although not always much, many of these people have lost everything they have. Again, it is another show of the long term mismanagement of a country that can and used to be in a much better shape than it is now.

There is nothing wrong with feeling the way many people are feeling at the moment. If you need to have a cry, you can rest on my shoulder, I am right there with you.

Now, please excuse me I am fortifying our flood prevention at our home, all the while the neighbours are laughing at the foreigner and his actions around the house. Wonder if I will have the last laugh if and when the area floods.

You don't know much about leadership do you? It's okay, you're in good company. Apparently, neither does Yingluk.

Well give me Yingluk over Julia Gillard and day. Julia has already flushed Australia down the toilet and washed her hands.Yingluk is a 1,000 times better Prime Minister and Thailand should be thank she is not like Gillard.

[hanuman1]

That will be the Thatcher who left Downing Street in tears?

Or Churchill who was frequently in tears.

Frankly there is a disturbed element on this forum who despite the national crisis is consumed by hatred and bile.They demean themselves and I don't think for a moment it reflects the mood of the country at large, even among the government's opponents.Obviously sensible and constructive critical comments on how the authorities are dealing (or not dealing) with the crisis are welcome, but this psychotic stream of hate is repelling.I think the best thing is to ignore them.

Agreed, but to be fair some of them have incurred some kind of personal loss either directly or indirectly as a result of Thaksin/reds/PTP and have no other chance at recompense or revenge other than endlessly savaging them here.

[metisdead]

An inflammatory post was deleted, subsequent replies to that post were deleted also.

[serenitynow]

What's wrong with pointing out this governments inadequacies!!!! I don't see that it makes us sick - if you ARE a red supporter then I have to question "who's not OK in the head".:jap:. If you ARE NOT a red supporter then what are you carping on about????.

You do not have to be a red supporter to disagree with a lot of the nonsense some come out with on here. Some of us do not support anyside and as such are not blinded and consumed by hatred of anything red.. Sitting on the fence some of us can see things a lot clearer,

What oftentimes goes forgotten is that the majority of people who berate this government and all it's prior manifestations broadly support the aims of the underpriveleged and those who might identify themselves as Red Shirts. They're the salt of the earth for the most part and many many do not get well served by government. Where we differ is down to who can affect change that can sustainably lift these people up and future generations too. It is the Thaksin cabal we rail against and I can forgive even some of the more recent arrivals here that don't get that. As their perspective fills out I expect they will.