Seven agencies assigned to tackle flood, drought problems

[Lite Beer]

Seven agencies assigned to tackle flood, drought problems
By Digital Content

BANGKOK, June 28 - As monsoon season has started in Thailand, the National Council for Peace and Order(NCPO) has ordered seven state agencies to tackle and solve flood and drought problems by the end of September, or the end of this fiscal 2014, said Gen Chatchai Sarikalya, deputy chief supervising economic affairs of NCPO, on Saturday.

The seven agencies included Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, Department of Royal Irrigation, Department of Groundwater Resources, Marine Department, Office of the National Water and Flood Management Policy, Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning.

Speaking to journalists after a meeting on water management, Gen Chatchai said budget allocated to the seven agencies towards water management for the fiscal 2014 still had Bt17 billion left.

The meeting decided that those agencies should be allowed to spend slightly more than Bt13 billion to tackle the problems during the remainder of fiscal 2014 while the rest of more than Bt3 billion would go towards new projects in fiscal 2015, he said.

Gen Chatchai said the military was prepared to provide assistance to those agencies and believed there should not be any problems.

Also, the meeting agreed to set up a water management committee as well as preparing a new budget for solving the issues for fiscal 2015, he said.

The state-run National Economic and Social Development Board would be responsible for appointing members of the committee while the NCPO would give approval within 10 days.

On the recent disappearance of a large amount of rice from a warehouse, bought from farmers by the previous government under the rice-pledging programme, Gen Chatchai said the rice inspection committee would perform its duty in its probe in a straightforward manner. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2014-06-28

[somo]

What a joke. "ordering" 7 agencies to agree and solve the problems of both flood and drought in Thailand in just 3 months and only 13 billion Baht (($400m) to pay out. Soon the business sector will be ordered to grow at at least 10%/annum - or else?

[UbonRatch]

Why on earth does it take 7 agencies to tackle 2 problems?

[tomyummer]

Floods in 2011 and only now there is a concern? Good luck.

Maybe just let Bangkok flood this time and spare everyone screwed last time. Was anyone held accountable for the over 700 flood related deaths of 2011/2012?

[surangw]

more uncles and mai noi's need jobs ?

[NongKhaiKid]

Way to go !

Seven agencies working at cross purposes and fighting for the biggest budget.

[xminator]

Another couple of months and they will order the sky to stop raining and water to flow uphill.

[Mentors]

The Junta solves everything...

[Chris Lawrence]

Why don't they dust off the 2007 water mitigation report for Bangkok done by the Thai expert? Save a lot of time and money?

The 2011 floods caused more loss to GDP then the rice pledging scheme and in a shorter period.

[noitom]

So the military isn't interested in creating efficiencies, but just managing the flow of funds in to the proper hands.

[Daniel Boon]

Humus ... increases the soil's ability to store water ...

[Teddy3943]

Two agencies working together where there are so much conflicting interests is difficult enough. Seven working together will be a disaster or at least slows down the progress to almost zero.

[robblok]

Why don't they dust off the 2007 water mitigation report for Bangkok done by the Thai expert? Save a lot of time and money?

The 2011 floods caused more loss to GDP then the rice pledging scheme and in a shorter period.

Not to mention i hated getting flooded

But seriously this should be done by experts not by people looking to get kickbacks.. now i know for sure that the water expert plobsadrop was a big fool. I hope that the get better people now.

I dont expect them to solve the problem, I bought neoprene waders after 2011 flooding as I dont trust it here anymore. We never ever flood but we did in 2011.

[Thai at Heart]

7 fiefdoms responsible for water in rivers,lakes and ponds.

Wow.

At least the pollution control department wasn't involved. I guess they are only needed AFTER it floods.

[Emster23]

With seven agencies much easier to pass the buck and the blame when nothing gets done.

[HappyinNE]

This is a large Camel. For those who don't know what a Camel is -- it is a horse designed by a committee.

[Robby nz]

So it would seem that 17 billion is left from the 2014 budget which means that 17 billion of the flood control work was not done as it should have been.

Only good thing about that is that the money is still there and accounted for so has not been corrupted away.

That 3 billion is to be kept as a start to next years work is also a good thing for then 3 billion less needs to be allocated in the 2015 budget.

All those who have been slagging off at the 7 agencies should think a bit.

What we have had is the 7 all working separately, doing their own little thing, probably without reference to each other.

This at the best would lead to doubling up and more than likely working at cross purposes where what one does stuffes up what another is trying to do.

So now they have been told to all get together and work together and come up with a comprehensive inclusive plan which will then be vetted.

All these 7 will have noted the heads that have rolled from high places and I would think be very keen that theirs is not next.

Do it without corruption 'or else'.