Flood Fears: Thai Govt To Host Forum On Strategy

[webfact]

FLOOD FEARS

Govt to host forum on strategy

Piyanart Srivalo,

Pongphon Sarnsamak

The Nation

Three-day event will be held at Central Lat Phrao on August 30

BANGKOK: -- The government will for the first time hold a big event to explain to the public how it has been working to prevent a repeat of last year's disastrous floods.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra will also organise a press conference to tell the media about the flood-prevention measures her government has put in place this year.

Concerns about the government's flood and water management will be addressed by experts and relevant authorities during the three-day event starting on August 30 at Central Plaza Lat Phrao.

"We will answer all questions about what the government has done during the past year and what we will do in future," Science and Technology Minister Plodprasob Surassawadee said yesterday. He is the chairman of the Water and Flood Management Committee. Exhibition booths and academic forums will aim to educate the public about flooding and water management worldwide. There will also be a focus on irrigation and flood management by the Royal Projects and related agencies.

Volunteer organisations will have booths to raise public awareness about their contributions.

Students will be invited to the quiz zone, where they'll try their hand at questions about floods and water. If they answer correctly, they'll win various prizes, such as a bottle of water.

Maps of the "monkey cheek" water-retention areas, floodways, inundation zones and flood-risk areas will be also shown. And there will be a display of the latest water-forecasting technology.

The academic forums during the event will be broadcast on the Internet and radio.

"If you have questions about how to fix your damaged home from floods, the water clinic will help you to resolve problems," Plodprasob said.

The minister has asked water experts to join the forum to give recommendations and their ideas on flood management to him.

Since last year's flood crisis, the government has been criticised over months-long delays in construction of flood-prevention infrastructure, with worries arising that the projects won't be completed in time to prevent flooding this year. There are also complaints that the government has been unclear in explaining its flood-prevention plans.

The Cabinet on Tuesday appointed Deputy Transport Minister Chatchart Sitthiphan as spokesperson for the Flood and Water Management Committee. He's tasked with informing the public and the media about the progress of the construction projects and plans. All work related to flood prevention, such as floodwalls, dredging canals, repairing water gates and raising road surfaces to act as barriers is to be complete by the end of this month.

-- The Nation 2012-08-17

[MaxLee]

FLOOD FEARS

Govt to host forum on strategy

.....

Students will be invited to the quiz zone, where they'll try their hand at questions about floods and water. If they answer correctly, they'll win various prizes, such as a bottle of water.

-- The Nation 2012-08-17

What a joke, man.... I'm sorry but this is ridiculous,… the same government swines who let millions of Thai people suffer under their corrupt flawed water mismanagement scheme, really bave the guts to insult a child's intelligence?? How dare they??? That's not even a funny joke... But continue with the discussions, please...

Edited August 16, 2012 by MaxLee

[culicine]

The river level at Pak Kret is quite low now and has been for some months. It can handle a low more water flow now. So why not release more water early in the season?? It seems they are focusing on how to manage eventual floods, like it is out of their hands, but in fact the government controls how much water is retained in the dams.

[cup-O-coffee]

Have they even done anything thus far to have anything to show for their efforts? With Kai-Tak on its way - and gone just before this takes place - there will certainly be enough troubled spots to highlight during the discussions, if this storm does what they predict: cause heavy flooding.

[h90]

The river level at Pak Kret is quite low now and has been for some months. It can handle a low more water flow now. So why not release more water early in the season?? It seems they are focusing on how to manage eventual floods, like it is out of their hands, but in fact the government controls how much water is retained in the dams.

it was the same last year...they didn't release the water unless too late. If there is additional a bit more rain, we have what we had last year.

[Pseudolus]

""We will answer all questions about what the government has done during the past year and what we will do in future,"

Correction. They will answer all questions that they feel they should be asked with out implicating themselves.

Questions that should be answered;

1) What percentage of the amount invested in flood management schemes he been syphoned away through graft?

2) What assurances can you make that graft money will not impact the quality of construction and materials?

3) Which companies are winning the tenders? What prior success rate / experience do they have? How are you relate to them? close family? distant family? Friends of family?

4) The design used - what brand of cigarette packet when they drawn up upon and how many days experience did the little HiSo boy who drafted them have?

5) Will the Japanese car makers still enjoy their monopoly granting tax breaks when they all leave Thailand?

etc..

However....the questions they will answer are:

1) So how's it all going then - good?

2) It's fair to say that the public do not need to know any real details because they will never understand. Is that right?

3) How much compensation will you promise (promise, not actually pay though) to those who have their lives wiped out?

That should do it.

Edited August 17, 2012 by Pseudolus

[Rionoir]

Didn't that woman already "guarantee" there would be NO flooding this year? I'm so confused...

[rbrooks]

If they answer correctly, they'll win various prizes, such as a bottle of water. They have to be joking to even advertise such a ridiculous prize for the students. I guess they ran out of funds for this big event due to the huge amount of funds already spent on their other projects.

[MaxLee]

If they answer correctly, they'll win various prizes, such as a bottle of water. They have to be joking to even advertise such a ridiculous prize for the students. I guess they ran out of funds for this big event due to the huge amount of funds already spent on their other projects.

That's why I'm telling you, the Yingluck government thinks that the international business community and today's students were born yesterday.

What face is further to lose? You can't hide the truth forever from the rest of the Thai population. They'd just be kidding themselves when this government takes too much pride and likes to keep people's intelligence insulted.

High Status Thai politicians have lost face already several times.

Why didn't the government do anything yet???

Can anybody recall those reconciliation wars inside parliament where politicians beat the sh**** out of each other???

Or the porn picture in parliament that caused a parliamental scandal for weeks???

No Yingluck and her goons have to save face at all costs and keep us in the dark for as long as possible.

Edited August 17, 2012 by MaxLee