Experts threaten walkout on flood prevention schemes, source claims
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Sumet and others 'fear big spending project won't resolve water woes'
Sumet Tantivejkul and other water experts from royal projects got so uneasy about the government plan to spend massive funds on flood-prevention projects they considered quitting the water management committee set up to restore public confidence, a source said yesterday.
This follows a reported dispute during a meeting last Friday of the Strategic Committee for Water Resources Management.
The panel proposed a plan to spend Bt350 billion on water resource management in 18 major rivers in Thailand – with Bt300 billion earmarked for the Chao Phraya River in the Central plains.
Last Friday afternoon, the Strategic Committee for Reconstruction and Future Development, chaired by former finance minister Virabongsa Ramangkura, endorsed the plan, which was expected to be forwarded to Cabinet for approval at its weekly meeting today.
However, some members of the water committee – experts from royal projects – objected, as the plan would require massive funds of over Bt100 billion, a Government House source revealed.
They feared that state agencies would not spend the money effectively, and the flood problem would remain unsolved.
They were not convinced the plan would systematically solve water-related problems, namely flood and drought, as anticipated by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, the source said yesterday.
“Many committee members, such as Dr Sumet and Royol Chitradon, became very uneasy about the government plan to spend massive funds on water management projects.
“This caused them to consider resigning from the committee. They are expected to make their decision soon,” the source said.
Sumet is secretary-general of the Chaipattana Foundation under patronage of His Majesty the King. Royol is an independent flood expert and director of the Thai Integrated Water Resource Management project.
The source said the PM was aware of the problem and likely to phone Sumet to talk about it. He had declined to meet with the prime minister in person at the weekend to “clear any problem” about the matter, according to the source.
The prime minister said yesterday she was unaware of a dispute by members of the water management panel or speculation that some of its members were set to resign.
