Flood policy meeting looks at progress, tsunami warning
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Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Monday chaired a meeting of the National Water Resources and Flood Policy Committee to follow up her government's water management plan, its budget allocation for water projects and the locations designated as water r
Minister of Science and Technology Plodprasop Suraswadi, committee head, said the premier called a special meeting on the water management plan, particularly the progress of projects with budget allocations of Bt20 billion, Bt350 billion and Bt120 billion respectively.
According to Thai News Agency, the meeting discussed projects covering the eight measures to prevent floods, he said. Some need more clarification and fine-tuning, as some implementing agencies have not yet clearly determined the paths they will follow to completion.
He said the premier would revisit the projects soon to inspect and follow up water management plans upstream, midstream and downstream.
The meeting was also to discuss the sites for the three million rai of land designated as water retention areas and compensation for affected residents, he said.
The minister said that the earthquake warning system was also on the agenda although the tsunami warning system after the massive April 11 earthquake off Indonesia worked satisfactorily and resulted in effective evacuations in the Andaman region.
Residents of southern Thailand’s six Andaman coastal provinces ran from their homes and workplaces last Wednesday after a massive earthquake off Indonesia's western coast triggered a tsunami warning for countries across the Indian Ocean.
Thailand's National Disaster Warning Centre issued an evacuation order to residents in the six provinces - Ranong, Satun, Trang as well as the popular tourist destinations of Phuket, Krabi and Phang-Nga - shortly after the US Geological Survey announced that the 8.6-magnitude quake struck off Indonesia's Aceh province.
Minor improvements to the communication system were needed to make the system more effective, Plodprasop said.
