Spat over flood relief supplies
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Natthawut denies red shirts being favoured, says MPs not claiming credit for supplies
Pheu Thai MP Natthawut Saikua on Wednesday denied the allegation that the red shirts had control over the distribution of relief supplies for flood victims.
“It is not true that flood relief supplies are destined for flood areas dominated by the red shirts,” he said.
Natthawut said the red shirts had volunteered early on to help flood victims.
The red shirts had also contributed relief supplies, which were made available to all victims and not just the reds, he said.
He also denied that MPs were trying to claim credit by attaching their names and pictures to relief supplies even though the supplies had come from public contributions.
“If any MPs did that, they should not be working in the public service,” he said.
He said MPs had put their names in order to notify relevant parties about the supplies allocated and to indicate which supplies awaiting delivery to constituents.
He was reacting to remarks by Pheu Thai MP Chalong Riewraeng.
On Tuesday, Chalong voiced his frustration that as an MP from Nonthaburi and a non-red, he had to wait a long time for the Flood Relief Operations Centre to approve 500 relief bags for his constituents.
He said the red shirts could access about 5,000 relief bags per dispatch and that these would be delivered to a chosen location.
Democrat deputy spokesman Sakoltee Phattiyakul said the Pheu Thai Party made no credible rebuttal about favouritism towards the red shirts.
Sakoltee said it was ironic that the red shirts had campaigned about double standards but failed to practice what they preach.
