Thai PM satisfied with water management plans

BANGKOK, June 14 (TNA) - Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra says that she is satisfied with overall water management plans although some projects have been delayed. At a press conference with concerned ministers and Royol Chitradon, chairman of the government’s drainage committee, to conclude her flood prevention trip this week, Yingluck expressed her confidence that the water management plans will be complete on schedule, affirming that her government can better cope with flooding than it did last year. Yingluck insisted that she was satisfied with the implementation of flood prevention projects in flood-prone provinces as the tasks were generally progressing as planned. According to the Thai premier, the dredging of waterways in midstream and downstream provinces has been 60-70 per cent complete while the task in upstream areas has remained slow; so, provincial governors concerned have been instructed to have their flood prevention structures completed on schedule. The prime minister maintained that the construction of flood prevention structures in upstream provinces are to be finished within this month, in midstream provinces within next month and in downstream provinces within August 2012. The prime minister acknowledged this year’s drainage would be based on the principle of balance and concerned authorities would rely on factual information to ensure effective drainage. Besides, there is to be clear information on evacuation centers in all flood-prone areas. Premier Yingluck said her government has done the best to prevent floods although she cannot ensure that there will not be a flood this year, particularly in area near waterways, confirming, however, that her government can better cope with any flooding this year than last year. Meanwhile, Science and Technology Minister Plodprasop Suraswadi suggested that people should not be worried over flooding threats this year, as the Thai government has academic knowledge and real-time information and, thus, could predict flooding 3-4 days in advance. The minister assured that Bangkok would not face severe flooding this year, as it happened late last year, because local waterways have been dredged, noting that he will inspect flood prevention preparations of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration or BMA over the next few weeks. Royol assessed that flooding this year, if any, including that in Bangkok and surrounding provinces, would be better handled because problems had been solved and floodwater would be better drained through eastern and western suburbs of the capital, pointing out that if runoffs were not blocked, severe flooding would not reoccur in Bangkok. (TNA)