Thai Govt blasted for mishandling crisis, lack of planning

A flood-management expert yesterday criticised the government for mishandling relief operations and failing to carry out preventive measures before the flooding across the country reached a critical level.

Phornphilai Lertwicha, a Thailand Research Fund (TRF) researcher, said the heavy flooding in Nakhon Ratchasima, which is on a plateau in the Northeast, was a testimony to the government’s failures.

“Flooding on a plateau is a difficult occurrence by nature. This shows that the government has done nothing to prevent it,” she said.

She said some flood management and action plans had been carried out at the national level, “but during this government’s term, we have not witnessed any clear-cut action, despite annual flooding in Thailand. We never learn any lessons, and we let it happen, over and over.”

The Nation