WMFC, BMA to meet tomorrow over sandbags

The Water and Flood Management Commission and Bangkok Metropolitan Administration will hold a meeting Friday to settle the sandbag row, Science and Technology Minister Plodprasop Suraswadi said on Thursday.

Mr Plodprasop was replying to a question in parliament directed to the prime minister by Democrat MP Thana Chirawinij about the government's overreaction to the sandbags the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration stuffed into drains on Srinakarin Road and other areas to redirect water flow.

Mr Thana said the BMA had laid sandbags at 18 spots to block water from flowing into flood-prone areas on many roads, including Ramkhamhaeng, Srinakarin, Rama 9 and Phetchaburi.

The MP asked why Mr Plodprasop, who is WFMC chairman, had not invited representatives of the city administration to explain instead of confusing the public by making accusations through the media and causing problems for the BMA, since MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra, the Bangkok governor, is also a WFMC member.

Mr Thana said this method of floodwater control was used worldwide and the WFMC knew this.

Mr Plodprasop rose to reply on behalf of the prime minister. He said he had no intention of confusing people but had to look into the BMA's actions and then order it to remove the sandbags after seeing that its action had affected the overall water drainage system.

An appointment had been made for the WFMC to meet with the BMA Friday at 2pm, as suggested by the prime minister and opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva, he said.

He would apologise to the BMA and follow its advice if it was proved there was a misunderstanding on his part, saying he did not comprehend the BMA's methods.

He did not think it was right to obstruct the water flow, or to construct monkey cheeks, in the middle of the city.

If he was proved correct, the BMA must remove the sandbags or he would take more positive action, Mr Plodprasop said.

Mr Abhisit, in an interview with a cable television channel, said both the WFMC and the BMA should not have made the issue political.

He urged the two sides to look into the technical aspects of the issue.

If they disagreed, they should stick to their respective authority, but should not cause problems for the people and state officials.

Mr Abhisit said the last time they met, Mr Plodprasop told him both sides should talk and solve problems together, but some Pheu Thai MPs tried to spread the news that the government and the BMA were in conflict for political gain.

Share your thoughts

Discussion 1 : 12/10/2012 at 01:47 AM
Discussion 6, let's not forget that the tigers came from the Sri Racha Tiger Zoo where they are mostly bottle fed by tourists! AND Thaksin said he committed no wrongdoing. Now, we can all guess what happened to those tigers as they were exported for 'commercial reasons.' I swear this tit-for-tat party bickering will never cease and nobody is benefiting but the politicians. Even the animals have to suffer over it.
Discussion 2 : 12/10/2012 at 12:15 AM
"saying he did not comprehend the BMA's methods." one only has to Google on Mr. Plodprasop Suraswadi's track record to see that he usually don't comprehend things. Exporting a hundred tigers was one of them, which landed him in trouble before.......... "in 2005 Plodrasop was accused by the National Counter Corruption Committee and later found guilty and fired from his last bureaucrat post in 2007 because of his illegal permission to allow a trade export of one hundred Bengal Tigers to China" Say no more, this is your "know it all" guy.
Discussion 3 : 11/10/2012 at 11:37 PM
Perhaps the BP can publish Mr. Plodprasop's CV. I am dying to know how a science minister can justify "water pushing machines". Now he also tries to destroy Bangkoks flood defences. The PTP always say the opposition should ask the farmers if they are not happy with the rice pledging scheme. How about the PTP follow their own advice, and ask the people of Bangkok, if they are happy with sandbags covering the drains - which as far as I can see, they are. Yes, sandbags may block the drains in case it rains in Bangkok, and cause some minor flooding. But currently Bangkokians are not worried about that, they are worried about the potential massive flooding coming to Bangkok from the north through the rivers and canals, and that is what the sandbags are there to prevent.
Discussion 4 : 11/10/2012 at 07:58 PM
Why don't they discuss stuffing Plodprasops mouth with sandbags. Now that would be something that would benefit the entire nation, PT and the Dems.
Discussion 5 : 11/10/2012 at 06:43 PM
sand bags more like handbags pathetic behaviour by the science minister whilst the country is unidated with flooding all around thailand,also the defence minister calling foul with the mobile phone ban whilst thai citizens are being murder in deep south ,talk about saving face,this regime is one big circus
Discussion 6 : 11/10/2012 at 06:29 PM
On this occasion, Mr Abhisit has said the right thing. He needs to follow it through, as does the Pheu Thai Minister and the Bangkok governor
Discussion 7 : 11/10/2012 at 06:01 PM
Mr Plodprasop said he did not understand BMA's methods. I'm sure you could fill out a lexicon with things he does not understand. Maybe Thailand should start placing people in the various positions according to their competencies instead of awarding people such positions based on party loyalty and family ties?

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