Phumtham” reveals that officials are rushing to help the people as much as possible, asking for sympathy and preparing to help restore after the water recedes, adjusting regulations to compensate faster and more.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, Mr. Phumtham Vejjayachai, said about the water situation in Chiang Rai Province that it is now gradually returning to normal. In Mae Sai District, the rain has stopped. Only some villages have soldiers gone in to help plug water leaks. There is no shortage of food. The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation and military units are taking care of everything. There is nothing to worry about. It is returning to normal. The mud is being dealt with. Many areas have been cleared of mud.
In Chiang Mai, there is no need to worry. The rain has stopped. Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department vehicles have been sent to transport people out of the city. It is expected that the situation will improve within 2 days. As for the elephants, they can be
moved to a safe place. He also emphasized that there is no shortage of food in Chiang Mai.
When asked about Nonthaburi Province where water has already started to enter the area, Mr. Phumtham said that he has already announced a warning to coastal areas. Currently, water drainage is being arranged to prevent excessive water flow, especially in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province, Bang Ban and Phong Pheng Districts, which are mostly low-lying areas that normally flood. Areas along the riverbanks have also been affected. Solving the problem of low-lying areas requires a systemic solution, including the relocation of people, and there are still many expenses. Tomorrow, there will be a report on the situation. He emphasized that the two assistant ministers who are overseeing the frontline CPOC are working at full capacity, running back and forth to every affected province. Our forces are at every point.
Mr. Phumtham also revealed that tomorrow there will be a meeting to assess the situation. How will we prepare a
fter the water recedes? At present, he has ordered the provincial governors to survey the damage, both houses and agricultural areas. As for the framework of the compensation money, it cannot be done quickly. We are trying to expedite the process and will bring it to the cabinet meeting tomorrow. The timeframe for the flood must be set, and the compensation levels of 5,000, 7,000 and 9,000 baht must be paid, including cases where the entire house is damaged. It will take time and the regulations must be revised. At present, the old regulations are still in use. The Office of the Council of State and the Budget Bureau will help look into the amendment of the regulations for helping the people.
‘The incident was more severe than ever. This is the first time there has been this much mud. The rules need to be adjusted because the old rules are still in place,’ said Mr. Phumtham.
When asked again about the news that people in Chiang Mai were not eating because aid had not arrived, Mr. Phumtham admitted that it w
as possible because the water came quickly and strongly, so aid might not have arrived. He apologized and will try to help. We listened and tried to solve the problem as best as we could.
In the case of Chiang Mai Province, there were complaints that agencies were slow to provide assistance. After receiving a phone call, it took a long time to provide assistance. Mr. Phumtham said that he could criticize but wanted people to be careful because the locals really work hard. He had to sympathize with the local officials. He asked them to think positively. However, there would be no need to adjust or transfer personnel from other provinces to provide assistance because if they had to run back and forth, it would definitely be a mess.
Source: Thai News Agency