Nothing will be done after the flood
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Say all we want about flood prevention projects - networks of underground tunnels, water highways, artificial rivers, dyke systems, even diverting floodwaters to the moon - but once everything is back to normal, all will be forgotten.
We live our lives one day at a time. If the roof leaks, we put buckets under the holes. If the holes get bigger, we fetch bathtubs. If the water overwhelms, we scoop it up with buckets and throw it out the door. When the downpours stop and the sky is clear, we rejoice, “Holy mackerel! We don’t need to fix the roof, after all!”
Thailand and floods are inseparable. If we want to blame anyone, we should blame every previous prime minister, not just PM Yingluck. Floods happen every year, but no government cares to initiate a long-term plan to deal with them. All it does is perfunctorily tour the flooded areas, handing out food and drinking water, posing for TV cameras, and promising compensation. The same routine: I came, I saw, I left.
And the next thing we know, droughts are everywhere.
Somsak Pola
Samut Prakarn
