Yingluck Pressures Bangkok Administration For Answers: Floods

[webfact]

BANGKOK FLOODS

PM pressures BMA for answers

JEERAPONG PRASERTPONKRANG,

JUTARAT THIPNUMPA

THE NATION

A birds-eye view of flooded rice fields in Ayutthaya yesterday. By Nation/Uthorn Sriphantha

Effectiveness of giant drainage tunnels questioned

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday turned up the heat on the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) over its failure to prevent the capital from downpour-induced flooding.

Several areas of Bangkok have suffered prolonged flooding repeatedly after heavy rainfall in the past few days.

Yingluck said the BMA should know best about the capacity of its giant drainage tunnels.

When last year's flood crisis affected vast areas of the country including the capital, Bangkok Governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra accused the Yingluck government of mistakes in water management that led to a huge volume of run-off inundating Bangkok. Sukhumbhand insists that the capital's drainage system is efficient enough to deal with rainwater, but not run-off. He has also repeatedly boasted of the efficiency and capacity of Bangkok's giant drainage tunnels.

But the recent flooding in the capital has raised questions as to just how efficient these tunnels are.

"We have never known the actual capacity of the tunnels," said Yingluck, adding that the BMA should provide the answer.

Deputy Bangkok governor Teerachon Manomaiphibul explained that, while average rainfall level for the capital was 125 millimetres per month, the level had reached 400 millimetres in the past four days alone. "With the giant water-drainage tunnels, we can drain all the rainwater within a few hours. Without them, it could have taken days," he said.

He said the capital's water-drainage system was designed to deal with levels of up to 60 millimetres of rainfall at one time.

Fellow deputy governor Vallop Suwandee said the rainfall level in Bangkok on Tuesday was well over 100 millimetres and thus 29 spots in the capital experienced temporary flooding.

"But at many of these spots, including the Royal Plaza, all floodwater was gone in less than an hour," he said.

He said such efficiency was achieved because water gates, pump stations and water-drainage tunnels in the capital were working well.

"Canal-dredging operations are already 97-per-cent complete," Vallop added.

Working for the Water and Flood Management Commission (WFMC), Hydro and Agro Infomatics Institute director Royol Chitdon said the WFMC was now working closely with the BMA on a plan to deploy boats to speed up the flow in Bangkok's canals and ease downpour-induced flooding.

According to Public Health Minister Witthaya Buranasiri, Bangkok has not been named among the country's 13 flood disaster-hit zones.

National Disaster Warning Centre director Somsak Khaosuwan, meanwhile, said locals in Trat and Chanthaburi must be on the alert for possible landslides after heavy rain.

The Office of the National Water and Flood Management Policy will today announce the list of companies whose plans for the Bt350-billion nationwide sustainable water-management and flood-prevention system have passed the first submission round. Suwattana Jitladakorn of the Engineering Institute of Thailand's subcommittee on water sources |complained that Bangkok's flood problems were not being tackled at their root. He said the focus was on canal dredging rather than drainage pipes.

"From the engineering perspective, water-drainage pipes are the key for fast drainage," he said.

Suwattana voiced his fear that a large volume of sand may have leaked from sandbag floodwalls last year and clogged the capital's water-drainage pipes.

"So, it's necessary that we clear the partially clogged pipes road by road," he said.

Yingluck said the government had assigned the Corrections Department to deploy prison inmates to clear clogged pipes.

"We will carry out operations in privately owned plots, too, if their owners agree," she said.

-- The Nation 2012-09-20

[jerrysteve]

Better Yingluck PRESSURE and turn up the HEAT on the seasonal weather patterns...take the clouds to court; what an idiot.

The government had months and months and months and years to prepare a uniform plan of action.

LETEM TAKE the climate and the seasonal weather patterns to the United Nations!

Edited September 19, 2012 by jerrysteve

[MaxLee]

let the usual political blame game slugfest begin. And btw, the real rainy season is JUST getting started.

[Moruya]

After the government has been made to look impotent in water management once again in Sukhotai, Ayutthaya, Pathum Thani etc. They attempt to drag the BMA into their failings

[ginjag]

Better Yingluck PRESSURE and turn up the HEAT on the seasonal weather patterns...take the clouds to court; what an idiot.

The government had months and months and months and years to prepare a uniform plan of action.

LETEM TAKE the climate and the seasonal weather patterns to the United Nations!

The P.M. always questions others far too late, This is a Thai trend. She actually should be questioning herself about her control of all situations, Ministers under her should be dealing with any given situation, and report to her on progress. If the said P.M. finds out from other persons that would prove she hasn't got her ministers working properly. They should be given inactive posts.

Thailand---this IS the monsoon season, there will be torrential downpours at any given moment. ONE year on and "we are getting an awful lot of rain" the silly sods.

If the same thing happens again this year, the country will be bankrupt in having to pay out monies for flood damage. D.M. airport BKK Air Asia will be a little dissappointed, Ayuttaya area- car and electronics to name a few. A decent government should NOW be running about like blue arsed flies in panic at the lack planning.

Water is overflowing everywhere and it's only September for heavens sake. The entire goverment should flee the scene-(IF THEY CANNOT DEAL WITH THE SITU PROPERLY)

[MunterHunter]

Why doesn't the public pressure the Yingluck administration for answers over the Sukhotai, Ayutthaya, Pathum Thani floods?

She would have to turn up and do her job in order for that to happen

[asiawatcher]

The Govt has made the promises so why now blame the BMA? This PM is looking more and more like the puppet we know she is - I bet she took direct 'political' instruction from Dubai on this on how to 'pass-the-buck'. Noted also the people IN the Govt are not making any statements at this point simply because the money spent has not been able to justify the costs. That may open a can of worms.

[Thai at Heart]

Clean the drains and deploy boats. That's it?

[ginjag]

The Govt has made the promises so why now blame the BMA? This PM is looking more and more like the puppet we know she is - I bet she took direct 'political' instruction from Dubai on this on how to 'pass-the-buck'. Noted also the people IN the Govt are not making any statements at this point simply because the money spent has not been able to justify the costs. That may open a can of worms.

P.M. and her cabinet should be moved to inactive posts, This flood situ is disgusting to say the least, everything too late, monies down the drain, asking questions NOW and wanting answers ??? Ha Ha This is a country crying out for a good new leader, This lady has missed the BOAT-treading water-the captain must go down with the ship- her choice of cabinet says it all.

[MunterHunter]

P.M. and her cabinet should be moved to inactive posts,

I thought they already were...

[slapout]

The PM has showed her incompentance so many times since she took the helm, as have many of those associated with her, that a new party name may be forthcoming. "The mentally challenged" party.

Some are born this way, some contract childhood deseases, others adult deases, some subject their bodies to mind altering substances, and some due to advanced age mental digression. It would appear we have some real canidates who can experience every group.

[philw]

The Prime Minister makes a reasonable comment, the BMA give an intelligent and truthful reply and the TVF "experts" are onto her like a rat pack in a sewer.

Love it.

[MunterHunter]

The Prime Minister makes a reasonable comment, the BMA give an intelligent and truthful reply and the TVF "experts" are onto her like a rat pack in a sewer.

Love it.

Shes used to hanging out with rats... both her brother and her political party should feel right at home in the sewer

[philw]

The Prime Minister makes a reasonable comment, the BMA give an intelligent and truthful reply and the TVF "experts" are onto her like a rat pack in a sewer.

Love it.

Shes used to hanging out with rats... both her brother and her political party should feel right at home in the sewer

Would you say that to their faces ???

[MunterHunter]

Would you say that to their faces ???

Yep

[ginjag]

The Prime Minister makes a reasonable comment, the BMA give an intelligent and truthful reply and the TVF "experts" are onto her like a rat pack in a sewer.

Love it.

A reasonable comment-are you on something, were getting past reason here the situ is dire--how can you condone the Government for a second disaster ?? come on you see the light surely, independents can see it, you are making excuses for the P.M. They have missmanaged again, too late now -Near for asking questions-she has had field trips -and has seen before. All perfume -fashoin and no real leadership.

[tinfoilhat]

The Prime Minister makes a reasonable comment, the BMA give an intelligent and truthful reply and the TVF "experts" are onto her like a rat pack in a sewer.

Love it.

Shes used to hanging out with rats... both her brother and her political party should feel right at home in the sewer

Would you say that to their faces ???

if i thought it would serve any purpose, i would love to tell Thaksin i think he is a piece of shit to his face.

Alas, bickering with sociopaths often times proves futile

[noob7]

P.M. and her cabinet should be moved to inactive posts,

I thought they already were...

I thought exactly the same!

[OZEMADE]

The Prime Minister makes a reasonable comment, the BMA give an intelligent and truthful reply and the TVF "experts" are onto her like a rat pack in a sewer.

Love it.

A reasonable comment-are you on something, were getting past reason here the situ is dire--how can you condone the Government for a second disaster ?? come on you see the light surely, independents can see it, you are making excuses for the P.M. They have missmanaged again, too late now -Near for asking questions-she has had field trips -and has seen before. All perfume -fashoin and no real leadership.

I dont remember the Prime Minister of OZ getting the blame when Brisbane got washed off the map. However after an investigation into the city flooding and people losing their lives and livelyhood, the finger was squarely pointed at the Queensland Gov which showed the incompetence of the local Queensland Government and they, the Premier of Qld and his Labour Gov paid the price at the election.

[noob7]

Would you say that to their faces ???

Yep

In Thai?

[ManOnTheRoad]

I thought last year yingluck goverment said there will be no flood in bangkok in 2012 ? am i right ? and why is this happening now ?

[ratcatcher]

The Prime Minister makes a reasonable comment, the BMA give an intelligent and truthful reply and the TVF "experts" are onto her like a rat pack in a sewer.

Love it.

Shes used to hanging out with rats... both her brother and her political party should feel right at home in the sewer

Would you say that to their faces ???

if i thought it would serve any purpose, i would love to tell Thaksin i think he is a piece of shit to his face.

Alas, bickering with sociopaths often times proves futile

In your case, bickering with Thaksin could prove fatal as well.

[OZEMADE]

I thought last year yingluck goverment said there will be no flood in bangkok in 2012 ? am i right ? and why is this happening now ?

It's happening now, because the Governor of Bangkok did not do his job and clear the canals and drains of rubbish, (his area of responsability). He is trying to get out of the S**t by stating that it is not his job and that it is the job of the BMA.

[whybother]

I thought last year yingluck goverment said there will be no flood in bangkok in 2012 ? am i right ? and why is this happening now ?

It's happening now, because the Governor of Bangkok did not do his job and clear the canals and drains of rubbish, (his area of responsability). He is trying to get out of the S**t by stating that it is not his job and that it is the job of the BMA.

Actually, what he's saying is that the systems worked properly. There was a lot of rain. There was local flooding. The flooding cleared quickly.

[Nickymaster]

Says the lady who never gives any answers to anybody.

[tinfoilhat]

Shes used to hanging out with rats... both her brother and her political party should feel right at home in the sewer

Would you say that to their faces ???

if i thought it would serve any purpose, i would love to tell Thaksin i think he is a piece of shit to his face.

Alas, bickering with sociopaths often times proves futile

In your case, bickering with Thaksin could prove fatal as well.

Aye, there is that.

[Mosha]

BMA to Yingluck. "You were the one who said it wouldn't flood."

[Pimay1]

The Prime Minister makes a reasonable comment, the BMA give an intelligent and truthful reply and the TVF "experts" are onto her like a rat pack in a sewer.

Love it.

A reasonable comment-are you on something, were getting past reason here the situ is dire--how can you condone the Government for a second disaster ?? come on you see the light surely, independents can see it, you are making excuses for the P.M. They have missmanaged again, too late now -Near for asking questions-she has had field trips -and has seen before. All perfume -fashoin and no real leadership.

But no denying she sure has nice boots for the photo ops. I used to watch "all in the family" TV show and there was Edith Bunker. Of course Jean Stapleton was only playing the part of the dingbat. There's no playing here with this one.

[LuckyLew]

The Govt has made the promises so why now blame the BMA? This PM is looking more and more like the puppet we know she is - I bet she took direct 'political' instruction from Dubai on this on how to 'pass-the-buck'. Noted also the people IN the Govt are not making any statements at this point simply because the money spent has not been able to justify the costs. That may open a can of worms.

Easy to answer

Gov't cannot accept blame, that would mean saying sorry and answering

questions regarding their total and utter failure. That equals losing face

and we cannot have that in Thailand

Easier to blame someone else when you are wring

They sure as heck will never ay sorry

[OZEMADE]

I thought last year yingluck goverment said there will be no flood in bangkok in 2012 ? am i right ? and why is this happening now ?

It's happening now, because the Governor of Bangkok did not do his job and clear the canals and drains of rubbish, (his area of responsability). He is trying to get out of the S**t by stating that it is not his job and that it is the job of the BMA.

Actually, what he's saying is that the systems worked properly. There was a lot of rain. There was local flooding. The flooding cleared quickly.

Well that’s not what was said in another paper, she stated along the lines that they the Government had done their duty in telling City Hall what they had to do. But the Government could not force City Hall to do it.

She also stated that she was going to get prisoners to clear the clogged drains; these I presume are the drains that City Hall failed to clear along with some canals around Bangkok.

I can’t see what else a Prime Minister can do except get out there and clear the blockages herself, which is not her job.