Maybe the Science Minister has investments in rowboats, rubber boots, sand bags, and other things useful doing floods....a person has to protect their investments.

Its the lost Japanese gold from WW2! They've kept that find very quiet.

Seriously, can anyone explain how this complete arse got to be the Science Minister?

It took years & lots of practice, remember the 'exotic-meat buffet' proposal, at Chiang Mai Night-Safari ?

Exactly. He must know someone.

Hum, a poo-yai from Chiang Mai, now who could that possibly be ... ?

It's probably the best advice possible. As we have seen, there is very little that can be done should we experience a big flood like last year. At the end of the day, a few places got lucky, and a few sq. kilometers were prevented from flooding, but in spite of all the effort, most places got hit and hit fairly hard.

I lived in a flood prone area for many years. The advice was about the same. "This is what we expect; this is when we expect it. Move to higher ground."

Run for the hills!!! Oops, no hills...

It's probably the best advice possible. As we have seen, there is very little that can be done should we experience a big flood like last year. At the end of the day, a few places got lucky, and a few sq. kilometers were prevented from flooding, but in spite of all the effort, most places got hit and hit fairly hard.

I lived in a flood prone area for many years. The advice was about the same. "This is what we expect; this is when we expect it. Move to higher ground."

No, no. Not too much higher ground around here--or where I lived, but they did give you a pretty good idea of how far you had to go to be out of harms way and about how long you had to stay there.

Personally, I kind of like the hills around Khao Yai.

Off-topic posts deleted.

Run Away!! Run Away!! (Monty Python)

Well it did have big teeth last time..... (the escaped crocs)

You made me pee my Armour!

Seriously, can anyone explain how this complete arse got to be the Science Minister?

Probably the same way he got to be the richest Minister in the cabinet.

No, not competency, try again....

\

Let me think......He has a boatload of money from god knows where. All positions in Thailand that allow you a good position at the feeding trough are bought. Ergo he must have bought the position. Now that makes perfect sense as to why a person who so often engages his mouth before his brain , can end up holding a high ranking position for which I believe he holds no qualifications for what so ever. I love this place !!!!!!!

Right now there are fortune tellers scaring the population with predictions of 5 to 7 metre floods next year, any chance of putting a gag on these people?

What do you call 100 fortune tellers at the bottom of Bhumipol Dam? A good start......

That is pretty too high. The odd is less than 1/10000. Think about dealing with 15-20 billions of water that might fall in 7-14 days effectively, assuming they come towards the end of the monsoon. Then 99.5% chance that you are in control over the floods.

Didn't he say he was going to find, like, eleventy-jillion cubic meters of catchment area, like YESTERDAY (and he did say he would find it yesterday- I don't know where he lost it, though).

Still awaiting the announcement. Suphanburi's on board, so that's nice.

Didn't he say he was going to find, like, eleventy-jillion cubic meters of catchment area, like YESTERDAY (and he did say he would find it yesterday- I don't know where he lost it, though).

Perhaps don't populate flood prone areas if so concerned about the reality of dealing with such matters. Devastating floods still occur in US every year and they occur all over the world. Sometimes, packing and getting out is only option. Why criticize if you are getting advance warning and complain for the sake of complaining. Sounds like dude is doing his job as a met. He stated if gets to a given level in X, then evacuate Y.

Edited February 20, 201214 yr by ttelise

[just wanted to put a pre-edit on my post, as ttelise above altered his/her post after I posted- ttelise's original post was asking 'You have been given a timeline for another flood; why criticise?' That's why my post starts with answering that question].

Um, because there are things that COULD be done to make things better, that probably WON'T be? And this guy should have already been canned- not just for the infamous propeller relief project, but for causing a panic when he unnecessarily advised an area of Bangkok to evacuate- major credibility issues for him personally, never mind the government.

Perhaps don't populate flood prone areas if so concerned about the reality of dealing with such matters. Devastating floods still occur in US every year and they occur all over the world. Sometimes, packing and getting out is only option. Why criticize if you are getting advance warning and complain for the sake of complaining. Sounds like dude is doing his job as a met. He stated if gets to a given level in X, then evacuate Y.

That would be a good idea - don't populate 30% of Thailand.

What is the evacuation plan? 10 million Bangkok residents. Where would/should they go? Will they need transportation, food, water, clothing, shelter? The sick and elderly, the hospitalised, those in prison, etc. Just down tools and head for Khao Yai en masse? Is that realistic? Is that practical? Is that the best he can come up with for a plan? Even FROC got flooded out last time. Quite underwhelming.

Perhaps don't populate flood prone areas if so concerned about the reality of dealing with such matters. Devastating floods still occur in US every year and they occur all over the world. Sometimes, packing and getting out is only option. Why criticize if you are getting advance warning and complain for the sake of complaining. Sounds like dude is doing his job as a met. He stated if gets to a given level in X, then evacuate Y.

Edited February 20, 201214 yr by Reasonableman

Um, because there are things that COULD be done to make things better, that probably WON'T be? And this guy should have already been canned- not just for the infamous propeller relief project, but for causing a panic when he unnecessarily advised an area of Bangkok to evacuate- major credibility issues for him personally, never mind the government.

Good to have some background -- i always get all these guys confused.

Safe Flood Plan, issue free protection, issue a rubber dinghy to all citizenry.

What is the evacuation plan? 10 million Bangkok residents. Where would/should they go? Will they need transportation, food, water, clothing, shelter? The sick and elderly, the hospitalised, those in prison, etc. Just down tools and head for Khao Yai en masse? Is that realistic? Is that practical? Is that the best he can come up with for a plan? Even FROC got flooded out last time. Quite underwhelming.

Perhaps don't populate flood prone areas if so concerned about the reality of dealing with such matters. Devastating floods still occur in US every year and they occur all over the world. Sometimes, packing and getting out is only option. Why criticize if you are getting advance warning and complain for the sake of complaining. Sounds like dude is doing his job as a met. He stated if gets to a given level in X, then evacuate Y.

You get the FROC out of Bangkok.

Seriously, can anyone explain how this complete arse got to be the Science Minister?

Yes, but you would get sued.

Sounds like a plan, but frocked if I know how you'd bring it off with this A-Team.

What is the evacuation plan? 10 million Bangkok residents. Where would/should they go? Will they need transportation, food, water, clothing, shelter? The sick and elderly, the hospitalised, those in prison, etc. Just down tools and head for Khao Yai en masse? Is that realistic? Is that practical? Is that the best he can come up with for a plan? Even FROC got flooded out last time. Quite underwhelming.

Perhaps don't populate flood prone areas if so concerned about the reality of dealing with such matters. Devastating floods still occur in US every year and they occur all over the world. Sometimes, packing and getting out is only option. Why criticize if you are getting advance warning and complain for the sake of complaining. Sounds like dude is doing his job as a met. He stated if gets to a given level in X, then evacuate Y.

You get the FROC out of Bangkok.

The annual TVF April 1st joke is going to have to be awesome to beat this bunch of cretins.

This guy may be a doofus but it doesn't help the news or translator chose to use the word "flee" instead of "evacuate" or that they headline reads he is advising people to flee but the story says he is advising them to prepare if the water hits a certain point.

This guy may be a doofus but it doesn't help the news or translator chose to use the word "flee" instead of "evacuate" or that they headline reads he is advising people to flee but the story says he is advising them to prepare if the water hits a certain point.

My god, that is splitting hairs to the nTh degree, flee or evacuate, what is the difference?

I'll tell you what the difference is......... none.

And this is the pinnacle of leadership here, rue the day that more than 50% of the population come to realise that they are being lead by a bunch of mindless jerks in suits.... it can't come too soon for me.

Edited February 20, 201214 yr by Thaddeus

Quite so.

Flee means to run away, while evacuate has more to do with soiling your jocks when some panic-merchant shouts "Flood! Flood! Flood!"

This guy may be a doofus but it doesn't help the news or translator chose to use the word "flee" instead of "evacuate" or that they headline reads he is advising people to flee but the story says he is advising them to prepare if the water hits a certain point.

My god, that is splitting hairs to the nTh degree, flee or evacuate, what is the difference?

I'll tell you what the difference is......... none.

And this is the pinnacle of leadership here, rue the day that more than 50% of the population come to realise that they are being lead by a bunch of mindless jerks in suits.... it can't come too soon for me.

Haha, you guys sound like a bunch of grumpy ole men. Be positive and be happy. Dude didn't say leave yet. He said if x happens and be prepared. Sometimes that all you can do.

Floods suck for sure and sometimes there us nothing you can do to completely alleviate the possibility, especially if, and as someone mentioned, 30 percent of Thailand us in a flood plane. If true then what do you expect?

Drove down from the north today. The river at Kampengpet was quite full and when driving through Ayuttaya seemed bits of water around. Also Sukhothai province, et al still has plenty of water and general greenness. Thus there is still alot of water around; this time of the year it should be dry.

Conclusion: when the rains do come there will be alot of residual water still around meaning flooding again. Other conclusion: government needs to get its act together before its too late. We are in dry season now and in a couple of months rainy season could start (post Songkran). Look to some serious loss of face when rainy season comes, flooding starts and chaos reins again.

Which brings me back to last year. When it rained heavily for 3 months and there was no water flowing to Bangkok, I thought it was strange. I mean where did all the rain go? Well it arrived some time later and then we had the chaos that we know about. So while I was wondering where all the rain water went, something could have been done? I mean if I was thinking about it, what about the Thais with thousands of years experience of floods?

Edited February 20, 201214 yr by MaiChai

Great movies!

Haha, you guys sound like a bunch of grumpy ole men. Be positive and be happy. Dude didn't say leave yet. He said if x happens and be prepared. Sometimes that all you can do.

Floods suck for sure and sometimes there us nothing you can do to completely alleviate the possibility, especially if, and as someone mentioned, 30 percent of Thailand us in a flood plane. If true then what do you expect?

350 billion baht buys you a warning to

'Run For The Hills When You See The Water Coming".

Must be based on good science from the good minister;

He's floated some Thais and they don't float long enough,

so make them move.

Seriously, can anyone explain how this complete arse got to be the Science Minister?

Now please pay attention, I'm only saying this once. According to PM Yingluck her cabinet was selected with criteria 'knowledge', 'capabilities' and 'possibilities'. The minor reshuffle had 'suitability', but the Science Minister was not replaced.

I hope this makes it clear and obvious [sic] why Minister Plodprasop is there and still there

Edited February 20, 201214 yr by rubl