Thai PM calls for five flood prevention measures

BANGKOK, June 9 (TNA) - Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra insisted Saturday that agencies concerned are to urgently implement five flood prevention plans, along with His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej's advice on the building of higher barriers along the Chao Phraya River to prevent any repeated massive flooding in this year’s monsoon season. Speaking during her weekly broadcast, Yingluck said that the five flood prevention programmes, including adjusting water levels stored at local dams, strengthening dykes, repairing watergates, installing more water pumps and dredging canals are to be urgently carried out by the concerned agencies. Yingluck also maintained that the outer side of barriers along the banks of the Chao Phraya River, especially in Bangkok’s three neighbouring provinces of Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi and Ayutthaya, are to be constructed to prevent overflows from the country's main river from damaging the provinces during the peak of the rainy season, as advised by His Majesty the King. According to the prime minister, she and senior government officials are scheduled to inspect progress of flood prevention measures in upstream, mid-stream and downstream inundation-prone provinces next week. The Thai premier, meanwhile, inspected water levels of the Chao Phraya River and barriers along the river banks, as well as flood prevention measures in Bangkok and surrounding areas this morning, amid updated reports that several provinces in the Thai North and South have now been hit by floods caused by heavy downpours lately. In response to ongoing protests lodged by people in several flood-hit areas late last year against official compensations which the victims have claimed unfair to them, Premier Yingluck clarified that the severity resulted from flood damages is different; so she has ordered the Ministry of Interior to adjust the financial assistance given to the flood victims and to also clearly explain to them. (TNA)