Officials warned not to block run-off

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra warned relevant authorities yesterday against blocking volumes of water on the shared borders of provinces.
Officials in many downstream provinces went to great lengths last year to keep run-off from the upper part of the country out of their areas. But they succumbed in the end to the massive volume of water that flowed down and caused great damage.
“I have noticed that authorities in different provinces are still working separately. But I would like to emphasise that they must coordinate [flood prevention work],” Yingluck said during a teleconference with the governors of Kampaeng Phet, Phitsanulok, Phichit, Nakhon Sawan, Uthai Thani, and Chainat.
She said that flood-prevention projects must also be implemented within deadlines.
“Stick to the schedule set out by the Water and Flood Management Committee (WFMC). All urgent projects must be completed by July. If necessary, seek help from the armed forces to prevent any delay,” Yingluck said.
Speaking in his capacity as head of the WFMC, Science Minister Plodprasob Surassawadee said dur?ing the conference the PM had expressed concern about the towns of Nakhon Sawan and Uthai Thani.
Yingluck visited Nakhon Sawan yesterday to follow up on the progress of flood-prevention work.
Her tour to many flood-prone provinces kicked off Monday in a bid to step up prevention efforts and boost public confidence in prepara?tions. Yesterday was her third day in riverside areas.
Although the country is still at the onset of the rainy season, flooding has already hit many provinces, including Sukhothai.
In Sukhothai town, a man was found drowned inside his flooded home. The victim was identified as Amnuay On-pom, 61.
The water level was only about 50 cm – so it is believed Amnuay may have slipped and knocked himself unconscious, or fainted, and was thus unable to get out of the water.
His elder sister, Chan Onpom, said her brother waded out of the flooded home on Tuesday to pick up the government-provided pension for the elderly and relief items for flood victims.
“In the evening, there was a thunderstorm. I didn’t know he would decide to brave the tough weather back,” Chan said.
In related news, Chai Pattana Foundation secretary general Sumet Tantivejkul told participants at a meeting of the Asian Network of Major Cities 21 (ANMC 21) that HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej had embraced mutual co-existence with nature as an approach in dealing with floods and water issues.
The conference, held by the Network for Crisis Management, began on Monday and will end in Bangkok tomorrow.
ANMC21 is an international net?work of Asian capitals and major cities that undertake joint projects on common tasks in regard to crisis management, the environment and industrial development. It seeks to boost prosperity and development in Asia. Member cities include Bangkok, Delhi, Hanoi, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, metropolitan Manila, Seoul, Singapore, Taipei, Tokyo, and Yangon.
Sumet was invited to the forum to deliver a special lecture on “His Majesty’s Water-Management Talent”. He said the King always emphasised the need to manage water volumes from upstream to midstream and downstream areas, and also to protect forestland. The much-revered monarch has also recommended the use of “monkey cheeks” (water-retention areas), check dams, the economic-forest concept and planting mangroves.