Anger hits boiling point

News > Local News

Disputes between victims and authorities intensify

Published: 25/11/2011 at 08:52 AM
Newspaper section: News

Angry protests over prolonged flooding spread throughout greater Bangkok yesterday as authorities tried to keep up with the flood management plan.

Residents in Bang Kae, Thawi Watthana and Taling Chan districts block part of the outbound Kanchanaphisek Road, demanding information about flood management plans after flood gates in three small canals on the Thon Buri side were opened to 1m before the agreed time and the water level in their communities rose by another 10-15cm. PATTANAPONG HIRUNARD

The disputes between authorities and flooded residents continued with the latest threat coming from people in Ram Intra area who threatened to close Ram Intra Road.

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: Writer: Post Reporters; Position: Reporters

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peterl
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Discussion 9 : 25/11/2011 at 06:20 PM9
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Enough is enough!

It is time for the authorities to clearly explain their flood water drainage plan and for the people living in floode communities or potentially flooded communities to exercise restraint and let them get on with it.
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Eric
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Discussion 8 : 25/11/2011 at 02:44 PM8
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Really understandable that residents fight for their communities to be dried. However the fact is grim with big mass of water in Nonthaburi and another 240 million m3 in the north still have to be drained out. The government must now decide to designate certain area as temporary water storage sites and pump to retain the water there. Government has to find low laying areas and acquire the land for this purpose and pay due compensation. Residents in these areas may also have second thoughts staying in these areas. If we don't do that, we may have to live in anxiety.
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englishbob
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Discussion 7 : 25/11/2011 at 01:31 PM7
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It's interesting how quickly this government is falling apart.
And the most interesting part is that no-one is helping them to do it. No coloured shirts, no armed mobs, no political scheming, just their own incompetence and double-dealing.
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banmebkk
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Discussion 6 : 25/11/2011 at 11:34 AM6
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@Disc 2 - Well said - but if you don't have your house flooded for a month or more with no electricity, you won't know how it feels. My house has been flooded for more than a month now and I can't go back yet - it is indeed very frustrating - especially for people with lower income that needs to rent houses and spend more on transportation. But I agree, blocking roads does not change the situation - people just need to wait patiently for the flood water to recede.
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crismango
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Discussion 5 : 25/11/2011 at 11:26 AM5
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Its ok to drain the floodwater just don't retain in my neighbourhood...

"Removing the flood walls can't ease the flood situation," Capt Somsak said. "On the contrary, it takes longer to drain the flood because the water spreads. "If the floodwater is contained, we can deploy water pumps and drain the water more efficiently." - it doesn't matter what officials say or do because no one believes in them and now everyone is an expert in water management and no-one is listening to any municipal or government official.
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moruya
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Discussion 4 : 25/11/2011 at 10:23 AM4
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The yellows got away with it. The reds got away with it. The flooded communities have already forced Yingluck to cave in on many occasions and so it will continue until somebody deals with it authoritatively or anarchy will be the winner and democracy will be dead.
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saltation
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Discussion 3 : 25/11/2011 at 09:02 AM3
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Unless and until the government announces fair and adequate compensation for all of those they have injured behind the BBB dam these types of protests will continue and get worse. Nobody objects to helping out in a crisis, but the residents on the wrong side of the dam wall are tired of being abused.

Somsak completely misses the point when he says water that is contained can be drained more effectively. Whether that is true or not, it unfairly burdens those whose houses you are using as storage for the putrid water. When a government makes a decision like that, they are required to compensate those they injure in the process.

When you abuse a population over an extended period of time, you can expect them to get angry and fight back. You don't have to be a genius to understand this.
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Ozman_Bkk
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Discussion 2 : 25/11/2011 at 08:15 AM2
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FINALLY the population is rising up against the incompetence of all concerned with trying to clear the floods from Thailand. It has taken a while as Thais are generally pretty easy going in the face of disasters. But this is dragging on for ever. They see some places remaining dry while in other places the water, now putrid, is up to waist level and beyond.

Mother Nature caused this disaster, it's true. But man certainly hasn't help. It is to be hoped that things can be worked out quickly before it gets worse than just shouting and road blocks.
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samurai
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Discussion 1 : 25/11/2011 at 08:11 AM1
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Thailand is heading for mob rule. Every stakeholder want a say and only theirs matter. An indecisive government does not help too.
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Anger hits boiling point | Bangkok Post: news