Premier orders housing estates dry by year-end

Yingluck said the government and Cabinet would follow His Majesty the King’s advice to find sustainable solutions to the country’s water problems. On Monday, His Majesty called on all parties to work together to resolve the flood problems and avoid conflict for the well-being of the people and national security, as he granted a grand public audience at the Chakri Maha Prasat Throne Hall on the auspicious occasion of his seventh-cycle birthday.

 

Yingluck instructed the Cabinet, especially Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Yongyuth Wichai-dit, to resolve flood problems in some 80-100 housing estates that were currently flooded so that the areas would be dry by the end of the year and people could return home during the New Year.

 

The prime minister said she had urged Justice Minister Pracha Promnok, in his capacity as Flood Relief Operations Centre (FROC) director, to find solutions to conflicts, as well as speedily offer rehabilitation measures to flood-affected people. If the officials could speedily drain flood water and provide remedial measures, she said, it would ease tensions between people. As for other conflicts, she said they should be solved gradually, maintaining the principle of being for the majority’s benefit and peace. 

 

In the afternoon, Yingluck presided over the SCWRM meeting. 

 

Committee secretary-general Arkhom Termpittayapaisit said plans were drawn up for the following six areas of operation: handling of urgent matters; information management; water-retention area management; development of specific areas; establishment of a long-term water-management administration; and budget allocation. 

 

The SCWRM assigned a sub-panel to deal with the rehabilitation of forests and water sources, chaired by Chiang Mai Governor Pannada Disa-kul, while SCWRM adviser Sumet Tantivejkul would serve as an adviser to the sub-panel, Arkhom said.

 

Committee member Arnon Sanit-wong na Ayutthaya said the panel discussed frameworks for the six operational plans and would host a conference in February to brainstorm with international experts. 

 

Two of the six subcommittees – the one handling urgent tasks and the one introducing a sustainable system for water-resources management – are primarily tasked with facilitating the SCWRM’s operations, said committee member Seri Suprathit. These two subcommittees would formulate operational plans within two weeks and submit them to the premier, Seri said, adding that their main tasks were to reduce the volume of flood water in Bangkok and neighbouring provinces, and to establish a clear mechanism with legal authority to control sluice gates. 

 

Government Spokeswoman Thiti-ma Chaisaeng said the King’s speech was handed out to Cabinet members yesterday, and that Yingluck had urged agencies to prudently spend the budget for the King’s birthday celebration at Sanam Luang, lessening some festive activities so that money left over could be used in solving flood problems. A special Cabinet meeting would be held this week, at which flood-affected governors would present details of flood problems. 

 

PM’s Office Ministry deputy spokesman Chalitrat Chantarubeksa said the Industry Ministry told the Cabinet meeting that four of the seven flood-hit industrial estates were dry and could operate at 30 per cent of capacity, while the Saha Rattana Nakorn, Bangkadi and Nava Nakorn estates were in the process of draining flood water and should resume production around December 15. 

 

Meanwhile, former Royal Irrigation Department (RID) chief Pramot Maiklad urged that the construction of a planned “floodway” be implemented as a national priority, as the project didn’t belong to any particular government but was a long-term plan on which everyone should cooperate for the country’s benefit. 

 

The RID was speedily draining flood water out of Nonthaburi, most parts of which were expected to return to normal in the middle this month, the department’s Water Situation Analysis Centre reported yesterday.