The administration of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has come under heavy criticism over its handling of the flood crisis in the four southern border provinces of Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat and Songkhla.
Comparisons have been drawn between the delayed response and insufficient support for flood victims in the South and the quicker and more effective management of flooding in the northern provinces in August.
The Bangkok Post spoke with political observers about the flood relief efforts and asked if there is a double standard in the government's flood response between the North and South.
They were asked to explain whether the government's handling of floods was due to politics, as the ruling Pheu Thai Party is known to have limited support in the South.
Setback for Pheu Thai
Sathit Wongnongtoey, a former Democrat MP from Trang, said resentment towards the ruling party among some southern residents is deep-rooted due to the Thaksin Shinawatra administration and his infamous remarks about prioritising provinces that supported his party.
Moreover, the Pheu Thai-led government's lack of attention to the southern region has been observed, and the prime minister's apparent lack of urgency in taking action has led some residents to believe the region is being neglected, he said.
Asked about the premier's remark that she had assigned her deputies to oversee flood management in the South, Mr Sathit criticised the prime minister and said she should be aware of public expectations and be ready to equally serve all citizens.
The former MP said the coalition government should take responsibility for the state of the country because it has not done enough to give people hope.
Mr Sathit said the government's popularity will be affected as it has been unable to deliver on its economic promises.
Sathit: Deliver economic promises
Nipit Intarasombat, a former Democrat MP from Phatthalung, said flood relief efforts are being carried out by state agencies involved, although the prime minister has yet to make a trip to the four southernmost border provinces to inspect the floods.
This has left the impression the government is not giving sufficient attention and care to the situation, he said, adding that even if the entire cabinet were to visit, they would not have the same morale-boosting effects as the prime minister's presence.
Due to the geography of the region, much of the floodwater in affected areas will have already subsided by the time the prime minister makes a visit and she will not be able to witness the full severity of the flooding, he said.
When asked if Ms Paetongtarn has no incentive to visit because Pheu Thai has limited support in the South, he said it is hard to believe the country's leader would neglect the South simply because it is not her party's political stronghold.
"I don't want to assume that she is neglecting the South simply for that reason. But the delay has cost her significant political goodwill," he said.
Mr Nipit also said he believes Ms Paetongtarn cares about the well-being of the southern people, but she and her close aides lack political experience, which may have led them to miscalculate the situation.
Asked if the Pheu Thai Party still has a chance to establish a stronghold in the South, Mr Nipit said it is unlikely to gain significant ground in the three southern border provinces of Pattani, Narathiwat and Yala due to several factors, including the recent flooding and the Tak Bai case in Narathiwat.
Nipit: PM cares about people
Political void
During last year's general election, the Pheu Thai Party did not capture a single seat in Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat and Songkhla.
Its coalition partner, the Prachachat Party, then led by Wan Muhamad Noor Matha, won all three seats in Yala.
In Pattani, where five seats were available, the Prachachat Party won three seats in Constituency 1, 3 and 5, while the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) and the Democrat Party won each in Constituency 2 and Constituency 4, respectively.
The five seats in Narathiwat were shared among the PPRP (Constituency 2 and 3), United Thai Nation (UTN) Party (Constituency 1), Bhumjaithai (Constituency 4) and Prachachat Party (Constituency 5).
The Democrat Party won the largest share of seats, six out nine, in Songkhla (Constituency 1, 3, 5, 6, 8 and 9) with the UTN winning in Constituency 2, the PPRP in Constituency 4 and the Bhumjaithai Party in Constituency 7.
Defending the government, Pheu Thai list-MP Chanin Rungthanakiat said the mobile cabinet meeting in Chiang Mai, which coincided when the South was hit by severe flooding, had been planned weeks in advance and could not be cancelled.
The prime minister, he said, decided not to inspect the flooding during its worst phase to avoid adding a burden to local officials who were focusing on relief operations.
Even so, several cabinet ministers were assigned to oversee the flood relief efforts, he noted.
Mr Chanin stressed the Pheu Thai Party is doing its best to refute the claim the party does not prioritise the southern region. Under the Srettha Thavisin administration, several projects in the South were given support, he said.
Chanin: Let local officials work
Symbolic gesture
Meanwhile, academics criticise the government for its lack of preparedness in terms of evacuation shelters and failure to decentralise power to enable local authorities to more effectively manage the flood crisis.
As a result, the public perceives that only the prime minister's visit and intervention can solve the issue, even if the prime minister's visit to the flood-ravaged area is more of a symbolic gesture rather than a direct solution to the problem.
Srisompob Jitpiromsri, a political scientist at Prince of Songkla University, Pattani campus, said that given the size of financial aid and recovery efforts by the Interior Ministry, the government's response in both the North and South is not much different.
The cabinet previously approved a change in the criteria for flood compensation payouts. Now, all affected households stand to receive a one-time payment of 9,000 baht.
Under the old criteria, households flooded for 30 days or less would receive 5,000 baht, while those inundated for more than 30 days but less than 60 received 7,000 baht. Households flooded for more than 60 days were the only ones given 9,000 baht.
Mr Srisompob said provincial authorities, the military, the private sector and various charity and rescue foundations have mobilised their resources to assist flood victims.
Media coverage has shown the struggles and plight of the flood-ravaged communities.
This has led to comparisons with the role of the government, particularly the prime minister whose visit would have eased tension and provided reassurance to those severely affected by the flooding, he said.
"Ms Paetongtarn's comments about her husband being a native of the southern region have not been particularly helpful.
"She shouldn't have said it at all under this situation. She should have talked about policies. When her comments are seen as out of place, the issue is dramatised," he said.
Early this month, the prime minister defended herself against social media criticism about allegedly neglecting flood-hit southern provinces while touring the northern region, emphasising that providing aid takes priority over making public appearances.
She responded that her family had connections to the South through her husband. "How could I neglect the South when my husband and his family are Southerners?"
Srisompob: Comments aren't helpful
Poor disaster management
Mr Srisompob said the issue of evacuation shelters has been a pain point for the southern region for a decade and despite having the resources, the government has yet to invest in permanent shelters for disaster relief.
"The government needs to rethink its approach to disaster management, especially in the southern region where flooding is exacerbated by rising sea tides," he said.
Nuttakorn Vititanon, a political scientist at Chiang Mai University, said the government needs to revamp its disaster warning and emergency response systems to ensure residents are fully informed about risks and adequately cared for.
"The flood came at night and no one evacuated in the dark. Moreover, there were no shelters for them. Telling people to evacuate... but to where? So, they stayed home," he said.
He was referring to recent flood situations in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai in August.
Mr Nuttakorn said the government appears to be avoiding confronting local communities and resorts that block water drainage and is instead trying to build flood barriers, which is not a sustainable solution.
He said the prime minister does not need to visit any flood-hit areas to make instructions if local authorities have the full power to manage the situation.
"But the governor doesn't and he can't instruct other agencies like the Department of Royal Irrigation. Remember when a floodgate was broken and the governor was blamed for not coordinating?
"The problem was solved after the prime minister's visit. As a result, people have become accustomed to the idea that if they want something fixed, the prime minister must intervene," Mr Nuttakorn said.
Nuttakorn: 'No shelters for them'