Tributes to Lee overshadowed by Bangkok flood
MANY Thais shared their tributes or opinions related to the late Singaporean statesman Lee Kuan Yew, who died on Monday. Some compared Thailand with Singapore. However, social-media timelines became inundated with the flood issue after a short period of h
Initially, the pictures of a flooded supermarket on Sukhumvit Road were doctored and shared as dark humour.
The statement by Bangkok Governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra at a press conference on Wednesday led to huge reaction against him. He said his teams were too busy handling the drought, so they underestimated the chance of flooding and were hence under-prepared.
“We are [Bangkok is] a city of water and rain. It’s impossible not to have any [flood] risky spots. If you don’t want any flood, you must live on a mountain,” he was quoted as saying by the media.
Asked if Bangkok residents would have to face such flood problems if there was more rain like what we saw on Tuesday, the Bangkok governor said: “I am not an angel, so I cannot answer if we would see the picture like we did yesterday or not. If I were an angel, I would be happy to answer.”
On Twitter, @HippyIQbul wrote: Shit. Lime is expensive, the PM told me to grow it myself. Bangkok is flooded, the governor told me to live on the mountain. If I happen to lose my ID card, will I be exiled from the country?
@tarn_missblur wrote: Bangkok people don’t want [the governor] to be an angel, just an ordinary man doing his job as a governor, forecast and plan for protection, communicate with people without satire, solve problems.
@sulovebossss: Actually if he [the Bangkok governor] came out and apologised in a press conference that would be just fine. When he uses his emotion and satire, the result is as it is. His popularity is also low.
Nitipat Bhandhumchinda wrote on Facebook: In a city where the governor usually has a facial expression of getting fed up with the world and hardly say something, while the people just litter carelessly and always exercise their sharp tongue, I feel sorry for the responsible officers who work hard and barely get any praise but blame … I once saw when the officers cleaned up a canal, not only stunning, horrifying.
Thairath TV showed a picture of a road under water. The caption read: This picture was taken on an expressway, repeat, expressway.
Sataporn Pongpipatwattana wrote: We voted for [this Bangkok] governor, so that he drive us out to live on the mountains. Thank you. Wasa Sirinupongs posted a picture of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s advertisement at a bus stop boasting, “The Giant Tunnel system helps solve flood problems sustainably,” and wrote: “Among the forwarded pictures of the flood I received today, this is the Ace.”
Academic Pitch Pongsawat wrote that Bangkok was prone to flooding for geographic reasons. But lessons should be learned by studying the experiences of other countries, of how the problems can be dealt with. Moreover, a leader should also learn how to answer media questions.
Social-media sentiment went to other “issues” like Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s outburst at Channel 3’s coverage and scoop on Thai fishery labour in Indonesia, and another serious railway accident, which Thais (again) think happen too often. However, comments online came back to the flood problem after the media reported that Sukhumbhand said he was only joking when he had suggested living on a mountain on Wednesday.
Smitthi Muangwat wrote |satirically: ‘He is funny. Vote for him next time.’
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