Thai PM worried about waste water

BANGKOK, November 1 (TNA) - Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is confident that the flood crisis in Bangkok will be contained. However, she is worried about the problem of tainted water from stagnant flooding conditions, according to the Minister Attached to the Prime Minister’s Office, Dr. Surawit Khonsomboon. Dr. Surawit told reporters of the Prime Minister’s concern on Tuesday after a cabinet meeting. He said both Prime Minister Yingluck and Justice Minister Police General Pracha Promnog, who is Director of the flood relief operations centre (FROC), assured during the meeting that the flood situation will not worsen, and that inner Bangkok will be safe, as they plan to open Bangkok’s watergates to channel through runoffs from the north. Dr. Surawit added that due to concerns about waste water, the prime minister has ordered the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Ministry of Energy to jointly look into the issue, and ordered concerned agencies to quickly work on salvaging flood-hit industrial parks. Meanwhile, official reports as of Tuesday November 1 said 26 provinces, including Bangkok, remained inundated. Around 718,600 households, or some 2.12 million people, have been affected from flooding. At least 384 people have been killed and 2 people are still missing. (TNA)