Sandbag controversy continues | Bangkok Post: learning

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Bangkok Post's editorial cartoonist Mor knows exactly what the problem is behind the sandbag controversary. Meanwhile Bangkok and government officials continue their very public disagreement.

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Bangkok Post editorial cartoonist Mor has no doubt as to the "big problem" behind the current row between City Hall and the government water management team.

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Pramote backs City Hall in sandbags row

Drain blocking a crisis response, says BMA

Supoj Wancharoen
Pradit Ruangdit

Water expert and former director-general of the Royal Irrigation Department Pramote Maiklad has backed the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) in the sandbags controversy.

The Water and Flood Management Commission (WFMC) and the BMA are locked in a dispute over the placement of sandbags in the city's drains.

One of the sandbags in the city drains in the Srinakarin Road area. THITI WANNAMONTHA

The WFMC said the sandbags disrupt water drainage, while the BMA claimed it is part of the city's flood prevention measures.

Mr Pramote, who discussed flood prevention with City Hall officials yesterday, said the WFMC did not understand the BMA's technique of using sandbags to block the drains.

The WFMC is a national agency and if it interferes too much in the BMA's flood prevention activities, the measures may not make any headway, Mr Pramote said.

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The commission must come up with broad strategies and allow other agencies to help implement them, he said.

"But the WFMC's strategies are still vague. It must think more clearly about this [issue]," said Mr Pramote, who earlier questioned WFMC chairman Plodprasop Suraswadi's water management knowledge.

Mr Plodprasop, who is also the Science and Technology Minister, yesterday issued an ultimatum to the BMA to remove all the sandbags stuffed in the city's drains within 15 days.

Mr Plodprasop said he had ordered the secretary of the WFMC to send a letter to the BMA asking City Hall to disclose other locations where it had blocked drains with sandbags other than along Srinakarin Road.

If the BMA fails to comply, the WFMC will send its own men to remove the sandbags, he said.

The BMA's technique of using sandbags to block the drains is not in line with the standard principles of drainage, he said.

The WFMC chairman said the law says clearly that the government has the power to take action for the benefit of the public.

Therefore, he is not worried about the BMA's threat to take its case to the Administrative Court if the sandbags it owns are removed by other agencies.

Bangkok governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra, however, argued that the BMA has the authority to run areas under its jurisdiction according to the BMA Act, and there is no need for City Hall to report the matter to the WFMC.

He insisted the sandbags had not blocked waterflow in the drains and that the technique has long been part of the BMA's flood prevention measures.

"If anyone wants to know the facts, they should ask the BMA, not remove the sandbags like this," MR Sukhumbhand said, referring to Pheu Thai Party spokesman Prompong Nopparit and his deputy Jirayu Huangsap, who lifted sandbags out of a sewer on Srinakarin Road on Sunday as part of their inspection of the BMA's dredging work.

Democrat spokesman Chavanond Intarakomalyasut said the Democrat Party will consider if the Pheu Thai MPs had interfered with the work of government officials, violating Section 266 of the constitution, when they removed the sandbags.

current – of the present time ปัจจุบัน
row – a serious disagreement about an issue between people, organisations or countries  การทะเลาะวิวาท
City Hall – a city government, in this case, the Bangkok city government  กรุงเทพมหานคร
back – to support ให้การสนับสนุน
drain – a pipe that carries away dirty water or other liquid waste ท่อระบายน้ำ
block – to stop someone/ something from moving through or along something else  ปิดกั้น, กีดขวาง
crisis – an urgent, difficult or dangerous situation  วิกฤตการณ์
response – a reaction to something that has happened or been said การตอบสนอง
Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) – the local government of Bangkok กรุงเทพมหานคร
Royal Irrigation Department – The Thai government department in charge of the country's irrigation system กรมชลประทาน
controversy – a strong disagreement, especially about a public policy or moral issue ความขัดแย้ง  ประเด็นข้อขัดแย้ง
commission – an official group of people who have been given responsibility to control something, or to find out about something, usually for the government  คณะกรรมการ, คณะกรรมาธิการ
dispute – a serious disagreement การโต้เถียง, ความขัดแย้ง
placement – the act of placing something somewhere การวาง
disrupt – to prevent something from continuing as usual or as expected ทำให้เสียกระบวน, ทำให้เสียระบบ, ทำให้สับสน
drainage – the process of taking away of water or other liquids from an area  การระบายน้ำ
claim – to say that something is true although it has not been proved and other people may not believe it อ้าง
measure – an action taken to solve a problem or stop a dangerous unpleasant situation มาตราการ
technique – a method of doing something using a special skill that you have developed เทคนิค,  กลวิธี (เฉพาะด้าน)
interfere – to deliberately become involved in a situation and try to influence the way that it develops, although you have no right to do this  แทรกแซง
headway – progress ความคืบหน้า
broad – general; not detailed  ทั่วๆ ไป, กว้าง, ไม่จำกัด
strategy– a plan or method for achieving something, especially over a long period of time ยุทธวิธี, แผนการ  
implement – to make something such as an idea, plan, system or law start to work and be used นำแผนหรือนโยบายมาปฏิบัติ, นำมาใช้
vague – not complete, accurate or fully formed อย่างไม่ชัดเจน
issue – a problem that needs to be considered ประเด็น
issue an ultimatatum – to make official statement that something must happen by a particular time or strong action would be taken ออกคำเตือน
remove – to take something away เอาออกจาก
stuffed – packed; full of something ใส่ไว้จนเต็ม
disclose – to give information to people เปิดเผย
location – where someone or something is ที่ตั้ง,ทำเล
comply – to obey a rule or law or do what someone asks you to do  ปฏิบัติตาม (กฎหมาย, ข้อเสนอ, etc.)
in line with – following a rule or system; also in accordance with and consistent with สอดคล้องกับ
standard – average or normal rather than having special or unusual features ซึ่งเป็นมาตรฐาน
principle – a basic idea or rule that explains or controls how something happens or works ทฤษฎี, ข้อปฏิบัติ, หลักปฏิบัติ
benefit – an advantage you get from a situation; a helpful or good effect, or something intended to help ผลประโยชน์
the public – people in general ประชาชน, สาธารณชน, มหาชน
threat – saying that you might do something bad or harmful, especially in order to make someone do something  การขู่เข็ญ การคุกคาม ทำให้กลัว
Administrative Court – the court which deals with disputes between the private sector and government agencies ศาลปกครอง
argue – to give reasons why you think that something is right/wrong, true/not true, etc, especially to persuade people that you are right ห้เหตุผล, อ้างเหตุผล
authority – power อำนาจ
jurisdiction – the authority that an official organisation has to make legal decisions about somebody/something เขตอำนาจตามกฎหมาย
Act – a law passed by a country’s government พ.ร.บ. พระราชบัญญัติ
insist – to keep saying very firmly that something is true ยืนกราน ยืนยัน
deputy – a person whose rank is immediately below that of the leader of an organisation รอง
lift – to move something to a higher position ยกขึ้น
sewer – an underground pipe or passage that carries sewage (liquid waste) ท่อน้ำเสีย, ท่อระบายน้ำ
inspection – the act of looking closely at something or someone and to check that everything is as it should be; examination การตรวจสอบอย่างละเอียด
dredge – to remove unwanted things from the bottom of a river, canal, lake, etc. using a sucking or other device ขุดลอก
consider – to give careful thought to something before making a decision พิจารณา
violate – to do something that is against a law, rule or agreement ฝ่าฝืน, ละเมิด
constitution – the set of laws and basic principles that a country in governed by รัฐธรรมนูญ

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