I ordered a delay in the release of water from dam : Theera

Meanwhile, on the second day of the 2012 budget debate yesterday, the opposition warned the government that people frustrated by its mismanagement of the flood crisis might start rioting. Citing a Facebook statement by Finance Minister Thirachai Phuvanatnaranubala, Democrat MP Nipit Intarasombat said the flood crisis would have been less severe if the number of rice harvests had been reduced from three to two this year, and the water released after the second.

Theera said storms had brought a lot of water in late June, with rain levels in the North over 50 per cent higher than usual. Therefore, the government had not wanted to release water, fearing it would cause more problems for farmers.

Within the minimum and maximum water levels allowed at the Bhumibol, Sirikit and Pasak Jolasit dams, specific decisions on when to release water needed to be made on a case-by-case basis, he said.

Weather forecasting had been problematic, Theera said, as the Meteorological Department can only forecast conditions one week in advance.

Besides the poor water management, opposition leaders also claimed that the funds allocated for flood recovery were inadequate. 

Democrat MP Wittaya Kaewparadai warned the government that people might take the law into their own hands, especially as many believe that politicians and state officials are lining their own pockets with donations.

After the 1995 floods, people in the South burned down the city hall because they believed the provincial governor was keeping donations to himself, he said, adding that he was concerned about the lack of transparency of the Bt120-billion rehabilitation plan. 

“The government should review its populist policies such as tax breaks for first car and home-buyers. People are now buying their first boats,” Wittaya said. 

Satit Wongnongtaey, another Democrat MP, also questioned the Bt355.19 billion that the government has earmarked for flood recovery and flood-prevention measures. 

“It seems to be a large amount compared to the total budget of Bt2.38 trillion, but details of the project point the other way,” he noted.

He pointed out that the actual spending plan for flood recovery was about Bt200 billion, comprising a central fund of Bt120 billion, provincial fund of Bt10 billion and an emergency fund of Bt68.7 billion.

 So far, the floods have affected 3 million families, killed 529 people, submerged 11 million rai of farmland and left about 700,000 workers temporarily jobless due to the inundation of seven industrial parks. He warned that more people would be out of jobs if the floods continued spreading into Bangkok and nearby provinces. 

He blamed the government for responding far too slowly to the huge volumes of water that were flowing into three dams to the north of Bangkok since August. 

Though the Cabinet discussed long-term flood prevention plans in early September, at a time when the North and Central regions were flooded, the ministers did little to consider solving the issue at hand. 

“On October 7, the government promised that Bangkok would not be inundated,” Satit said.