Thaksin to PT: Don't bark at CTP

2011-10-05T01:38:00.000+07:00

Published: 4/10/2011 at 04:21 PM
Online news: Local News
Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has asked Pheu Thai MPs to stop complaining about problems over flooding because it could hurt relations with the coalition partner Chartthaipattana Party of Banharn Silpa-archa, government MP Payap Panket said on Tuesday.
Fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra (Photo POST TODAY)
Mr Payap, a Pheu Thai list MP, said Thaksin issued his instruction over the telephone after he and Suchart Lainamngern, the prime minister's deputy secretary-general, accused the Royal Irrigation Department (RID) of the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry of saving only Suphan Buri province from being flooded, while leaving nearby provinces to be inundated.
The Chartthaipattana Party, a member of the Pheu Thai-led coalition, is in charge of the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry.

Mr Banharn, chief adviser of Chartthaipattana, former prime minister and a banned politician, is the de facto leader of the party.

"Pol Col Thaksin said he understands well the problems with flooding in areas looked after by Pheu Thai MPs. He said he would rather talk over the problem with Mr Banharn himself.

"He is afraid relations between Pheu Thai and Chartthaipattana could be affect if we MPs are allowed to continue to voice our concerns," Mr Payap said.

Mr Payap said the main reason Suphan Buri had not been flooded is because too little water was discharged through the Polthep watergate across the Suphan Buri river, causing the water to back up and overflow into nearby Uthai Thani, Ang Thong and Chai Nat.

The RID should look into this matter to ensure fairness to all, he said.
Suphan Buri is Mr Banharn's longtime political stronghold.

Mr Payap admitted that some parts of Suphan Buri have been flooded, such as Doem Bang Nang Buat district which is in the electorate of Pheu Thai MP Saharat Kulsri.
Chartthaipattana Party chief adviser Banharn Silpa-archa (Photo by Apichart Jinakul)
Mr Suchart, a former Pheu Thai MP for Lop Buri, said he wondered why the RID said it could take as long as 15 days to repair the Bang Chom Sri watergate at tambon Chi Nam Rai in Buri district of Sing Buri province.

He said this watergate has long helped protected Lop Buri from flooding and it could divert some water into the Suphan Buri river to ease the problem.

But the watergate had collapsed and had not been repaired, and much of the water had flowed into Lop Buri, leaving much of Suphan Buri dry, he said.

On Monday, about 200 villagers from Lop Buri and Sing Buri, led by Mr Payap and Mr Suchart, submitted a letter to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra asking her to rush the repairs to the Bang Chom Sri watergate.

In the letter, the villagers said much of Chai Nat, Sing Buri, Ang Thong, Ayutthaya, Lop Buri and Saraburi had been inundated - partly because the RID did not discharge enough water through the Polthep watergate.

This prompted Somsak Prisnananthakul, a close aide of Mr Banharn, to come out to defend his boss.

Mr Somsak said Mr Banharn had nothing to do with the RID's water management.

He said Suphan Buri's Sam Chuk, Song Phi Nong and Si Prachan districts had also been flooded.

However, much of Suphan Buri had been kept dry because of its effective prevention measures, which had long been in place, Mr Somsak said.
Floods hit Chaiwatthanaram temple in Ayutthaya province on Oct 4, 2011. (Photo by Sunthorn Pongpao)
The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department said a total of 224 people were now confirmed dead and two other people were missing in the floods which have inundated several provinces for more than two months.

The floods still prevail in 178 districts of 25 provinces, affecting more than 2.4 million people, the department said.

The provinces are Chiang Mai, Sukhothai, Phichit, Pitsanulok, Nakhon Sawan, Uthai Thani, Chai Nat, Sing Buri, Ang Thong, Ayutthaya, Lopburi, Saraburi, Suphanburi, Nakhon Pathom, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi, Ubon Ratchathani, Khon Kaen, Yasothon, Roi Et, Si Sa Ket, Surin, Chachoengsao, Nakhon Nayok and Prachinburi.

The Ministry of Interior on Monday reported the death toll at 212.

The Disaster Monitoring Centre at the Interior Ministry issued a new warning for people in the North and Northeast to prepare for heavy rain caused by tropical storm Nalgae from Oct 6 to 8.

The centre’s director, interior permanent secretary Pranai Suwannarat, said tropical storm Nalgae would arrive in Vietnam on Wednesday, Oct 5, and this would cause more heavy rain in the North and the upper part of the Northeast from Thursday to Saturday.

Mr Pranai also warned that there would be widespread scattered rain with heavy falls in some areas in all regions, particularly the North, Northeast, Central Plains, East and the upper part of the South today and the over next few days.

He said people living in near hillsides and waterways in the six provinces of Tak, Sukhothai, Kampaengphet, Nakhon Sawan, Ranong and Phang Nga should prepare for heavy rain and possible flash floods.

Most highly at risk of flash flooding and landslides are the districts of Mae Ramad, Mae Sod, Tha Song Yang in Tak; Si Satchanalai district of Sukhothai; Khanu Voralauck Buri and klong Lan districts of Kampaengphet; Mae Peon and Mae Wong districts of Nakhon Sawan; Kra Buri and Kapur districts of Ranong; and Tai Muang, Kapong, Takua Thung and Takua Pa districts of Pang Nga, he said.

Ministers fan out to report on relief effort

2011-10-01T17:36:00.000+07:00

Published: 1/10/2011 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday ordered Pheu Thai ministers yesterday to travel upcountry and visit disaster-hit areas as losses from the worst floods in over a decade continue to mount.

The floods have claimed 188 lives and affected millions of people in two dozen provinces.

Mrs Yingluck, at a meeting of Pheu Thai ministers, ordered party leaders to fan out across the country and report the latest developments and relief efforts back through video conferences.

The premier also directed ministers to review economic trends and consider whether additional stimulus measures are needed given the prospects of slower global economic growth due to the European debt crisis.

Authorities have announced that a supplementary spending budget could be drafted to help finance stimulus programmes.

The Finance Ministry earlier this week cut its growth estimate for 2011 to 4% from an earlier target of 4.5% due to the impact of the global slowdown and domestic flooding. Growth next year is projected to pick up to 4.5%.

Kittiratt Na-Ranong, the commerce minister and deputy premier, said he would hold talks with the National Economic and Social Development Board to review the impact which the floods and the global crisis would have on the country's economy.

He welcomed Thursday's move by the German parliament to approve an expansion of a European bail-out fund set up to assist Greece and other debt-stricken nations.

"Even though economic indicators won't turn positive overnight, things should improve," Mr Kittiratt said, adding that the Commerce Ministry was confident of reaching its 15% export growth goal for this year.

The NESDB economic review will also consider the impact on domestic consumption of government policies such as plans to boost minimum wages and civil service salaries for university graduates, as well as the trend towards higher crop prices.

The government also wants to consider the potential impact of slowing export growth due to the global economic slowdown. With up to 70% of GDP driven by exports, authorities want to boost local consumption and investment to mitigate the risk on the economy from slower global growth.

credit : http://www.bangkokpost.com

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Thaksin to PT: Don't bark at CTP

Ministers fan out to report on relief effort