Flood plan pleases diplomats
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PM and key ministers demonstrate govt's preparedness at committee's exhibition; Yingluck outlines measures taken to prevent recurrence of last year's disaster
Foreign diplomats and water experts yesterday expressed confidence in the government’s flood-prevention measures for this year, saying the authorities appeared to be well prepared.
“I am very hopeful and a lot more confident, judging from the situation on the ground, that we will be able to face the floods even if they are of the same magnitude as last year,” Bangladeshi Ambassador Kazi Imtiaz Hossain said.
He spoke to The Nation after attending the Water Exhibition held by the National Water Resources and Flood Policy Committee yesterday.
Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and her ministers led a group of local and foreign journalists, as well as diplomats and potential investors, to a display of water-prevention measures at CentralPlaza Lat Phrao’s Bangkok Convention Hall. She spent an hour and a half explaining the measures to those present.
“I am very impressed with the depth of her knowledge. She took us around the exhibition, proving her personal commitment, which is very important to us,” Hossain said.
The exhibition, which was opened to members of the public later yesterday and will run until tomorrow, aims to show the government’s preparedness in handling floods this year. Multimedia displays show people the impact of climate change and what the government will be doing to prevent floods by providing real-time information of water levels and an early-warning system.
“The exhibition itself is very informative and boosts the confidence of not only foreign investors but also experts could see the very effective flood prevention and protection measures,” the Bangladeshi ambassador said.
He suggested that the government should consider long-term projects and the sustainability of flood-prevention measures by allowing the community to get involved in all flood or disaster-prevention plans.
Meanwhile, Switzerland’s ambassador to Thailand, Christine Schraner Burgener, said the exhibition showed the readiness of the government to handle the flood situation this year.
“This is a good exhibition on Thailand’s preparedness and building awareness,” she said.
She added that the government had heeded recommendations from experts not only in Thailand but also outside regarding its flood-prevention plan.
During the exhibition, Yingluck told the invitees that her government had prepared several measures to prevent floods such as forest restoration and plantation, creating water retention areas, dredging shallow canals, raising road surfaces, installing pumps and improving the early-warning system.
The government has also set up a single command centre to manage flood prevention and relief operations.
Additionally, it will spend more than Bt350 billion for long-term flood prevention, including large construction projects such as dams, floodways and flood-diversion systems.
The Nation’s reporters at the exhibition, however, found no information to explain to the public whether floods could inundate their houses. Also, the text size in the brochures distributed to the invitees was unreadable, as it was too small.
