Tensions boil over at flood scheme hearing in Samut Songkhram

[webfact]

Tensions boil over at flood scheme hearing
The Nation

Samut Songkhram residents express anger at govt officials, leading to a premature end to the event

BANGKOK: -- A melee occurred at a public hearing yesterday in Samut Songkhram on the effects of the government's Bt350-billion flood-prevention and water-management programme, after a large number of protesting residents angrily pressured government officials in charge of the scheme.

This prompted a premature end to the event, before local vocational students attempted to prevent the officials from leaving the venue.

More than 10,000 residents in the province's Mae Klong area, where floodway structures under the programme would replace their homes and vast areas of farmland, attended the session to oppose the project.

Officials from the Water and Flood Management Commission had, however, expected only 800 to attend, with most of them allegedly having been prepared, for Bt800, to show their approval for the construction of the floodway structures.

The Mae Klong area, as the main sea outlet accommodating major rivers east of Bangkok flowing southward, is a key location for the structures, which are part of the flood-prevention and water-management scheme on the west side of the Chao Phraya.

Commission member Apichart Anukularmphai explained the importance of the Mae Klong area, and especially the difference between general floodway structures in other areas and a special structure called a flood-diversion channel, which he said would use less space and entail less land expropriation.

The opposing residents began attacking the floodway projects during a question-and-answer session, saying they would not tolerate the "neck-deep inundation" a so-called new river would bring, after already regularly suffering knee-deep flooding annually.

They also said the entire flood programme was a failure before it had even begun, and the government should not have brought suffering from one area to another - in this case, Mae Klong.

The residents, speaking long after the Q&A session, also accused the commission of bringing in 800 people to the hearing venue - Samut Songkhram Technical College in Muang district - to answer a questionnaire approving the project, in return for Bt800 allegedly promised to each of them.

Questionnaire fails

They said the questionnaire illegally failed to give details on the effects and negative aspects of the floodway structures.

Locals opposed to the structures began making a noise when Apichart and other commission members were unable to answer several questions posed to them.

Samut Songkhram Governor Chonchuen Bunyanusart and Surajit Chirawate, a provincial senator, who brought along 22,434 signatures of the opponents, proposed calling a vote as a final conclusion, which was supported by an overwhelming number of raised hands and led to a premature end to the public hearing and relevant events.

A group of vocational students belonging to the college later formed a human chain to prevent Aphichart and other commission members from leaving the compound, prompting about 50 policemen and 100 civil defence volunteers to escort the commission's motorcade.

A group of residents attempted to give the list of opponents' signatures to Apichart, but was stopped by the police from doing so. The confrontation ended when police negotiated with lecturers from the college, who convinced the students to cease their efforts. The motorcade then left the area.

The students later set off ping-pong bombs and lit firecrackers, reportedly out of anger because of the police intervention. There were no immediate details about when the next mandatory public hearing session in the province would be held.


-- The Nation 2013-11-23

[Tatsujin]

Finally, people standing up against things that they know are "wrong". Long may it continue.

[Bluespunk]

Oh dear, it's all going pear shaped for PT. Real people power, as opposed to their store bought red shirt brand, is something they can't control, as this meeting shows and they are bereft of ideas on how to turn the situation around. Money, they are starting to learn, can't buy you everything. The end for this corrupt, inept, intolerant, intellectually bankrupt govt looms. Justice awaits.

[Ricardo]

"A group of residents attempted to give the list of opponents' signatures to Apichart, but was stopped by the police from doing so."

Yay, yet again, for Red stiffling of Democracy !

These rolling-consultations aren't going too well, are they, uninvited non-paid-off local-people keep showing-up, and disagreeing with what DPM-Plodprasop has decided, will be happening to their areas.

Never mind, it's all perfectly democratic, and in the interests of the poor, perhaps more brain-washing will do the trick ?

Failing which, extend the B800-per-person aquiescence-bribe travel-expenses scheme !

"What do you mean, the government's cupboard is bare, look in the wardrobes instead !

Edited November 23, 2013 by Ricardo

[Thaddeus]

Officials from the Water and Flood Management Commission had, however, expected only 800 to attend, with most of them allegedly having been prepared, for Bt800, to show their approval for the construction of the floodway structures.

This B800 bribe payment was approved by who?

[Baerboxer]

Officials from the Water and Flood Management Commission had, however, expected only 800 to attend, with most of them allegedly having been prepared, for Bt800, to show their approval for the construction of the floodway structures.

This B800 bribe payment was approved by who?

This appears a blatant attempt at corruption. Maybe by someone who would benefit if the 350 million got "spent" ?

They should get Khun Tarit the super sleuth on the job. He'll probably find it was those awful Dems again, trying to make the government look bad!

[Baerboxer]

Plod has already said this will happen, whatever. Dr. T has promised his pals at K Water, who are probably getting pissed off about the delays.

The courts rules that public consultations and EIA must be held and completed. The fact the "officials" couldn't answer the questions posed shows how serious all this has been thought out.

In this instance, PTP's usual attempt at a pantomime hearing, with a few paid-off attendees has come very unstuck.

Of course, having held all the hearings, carried out the EIAs and therefore complied with the court's instructions, PTP will simply carry on regardless, as the always do. People's opinions count for diddly squat. EIA - not near their house or land so they don't give a shit.

Always good to see a government that respects the underlying principles of democracy in action

[Thait Spot]

How low can this government go?

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[waza]

Public consultation PTP style, ship in 800 people pay them 800baht each to approve a plan that has no substance, no impact statement and no details, then declare that everything is good. However, they never expected the real resident who will suffer the real outcomes to turn up on mass to oppose the corrupt plan. Its interesting to see that when confronted by democracy in action, the peoples party run from the people.

Edited November 23, 2013 by waza

[Arkady]

Thailand is starting to develop a whistle blower culture. Bad news for Mr Plod's personal income stream.

[Bagwan]

How low can this government go?

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

All of them have gold medals for limbo dancing.

[Bagwan]

Have PTP asked anybody to return the 800 baht bribe? I hope that thousands turn up at the next meeting, all with their palms open, snaffle the dosh - and then wreck the meeting.

[bigbamboo]

A statement has been released by Mr. L. E. Fant of the CM Night Safari Residents Association to the effect that if anyone is to be grilled over this it should be Doctor Dolittle Plodrasop himself, the man who prefers cooking wild animals to talking to them.

Edited November 23, 2013 by bigbamboo

[mikemac]

I knew it would happen one day, the people are over the Shin clan. They have finally realized Thaksin is not the good guy they once saw him as, he just used them to get to where he wanted to be, the Grand Poo-Bah of Thailand. And little sister is a fraud, an experienced shopper with no previous political standing.

[ratcatcher]

How low can this government go?

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

How low is a snake's belly?

[jdinasia]

This makes 2 disrupted meetings about the PTP's failures with flooding in a week. (The first was in Khon Kaen I believe --- the heart of Ted country.)

It appears as if, when the Dem's grill the government on the flooding and the rice pledging scheme -- there will be a very non=sympathetic audience across the country.

[siampolee]

ThaitSpot post # 8

How low can this government go?

They have now achieved the unenviable fame of '' Being able to walk under a snake without bending down and without touching the snakes belly..''

[mikemac]

How low can this government go?

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

How low is a snake's belly?

I believe they are willing to go even lower than that, to further their needs.

The evil despot who created this monster set the benchmark in 2010 in his paid-for "protests". Nothing more dangerous than a vengeful psychopath.

Edited November 23, 2013 by mikemac

[Emptyset]

How low can this government go?

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

This is actually pretty common, unfortunately. Having paid attendees is not just something this government invented. But I hope this ruckus shifts them away from thinking this is a good idea, and makes them instead think that that way of doing things is no longer tenable. This isn't the 1970s any longer*, when peasants would just quietly acquiesce because they have no other choice. If you're going to have a massive impact on the land and livelyhoods of local residents, at least let them have say.

Still, these specific hearings aside, are there any flood prevention measures that won't affect someone in a negative way? Does anyone have any solutions? People are demanding the government provide solutions to the annual flooding problem, but at the same time, they're always going to support the locals in their demands that the government can't build flood prevention infrastructure there? Seems to me that the govt can't win either way. I mean I have a lot of sympathy for locals affected, because these aren't just NIMBYs going on about windmills, they're people that may have to leave their homes and land. There's no easy solution here.

*This reminds me of an interesting Thai docudrama I once saw about a dam being built on the Mekong in the 1970s, Tongpan. It's about an ordinary villager and what happens to him because of the dam. IIRC, the students responsible for the film had to flee the country after the 76 Thammasat massacre and the film was banned by the authoritarian government that was installed post coup. But it was finally released in 06 and is now actually on Culture Ministry list of 25 films of 'national heritage'. It's here on youtube if anyone is interested (with Eng subs).

Edited November 23, 2013 by Emptyset

[bigbamboo]

How frustrating for the government that all these extra people show up when not invited and scuppered their plans. A bit like a Thai wedding. You invite a chosen number of guests and then their friends and relatives turn up too!

Edited November 23, 2013 by bigbamboo