Inspecting Flood Prevention Measures from Upstream to Downstream Provinces

(13/02/2012)

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is scheduled to inspect work on the solving of the flood problem in upstream, middle-stream, and downstream provinces from 13 to 17 February 2012 During the inspection tour, the Prime Minister will listen to the problems and obstacles faced by those provinces and will also explain the Government’s flood prevent plans. The trip will take the Prime Minister to Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Sukhothai, Uttaradit, Tak, Nan, Phrae, Lampang, Lamphun, and Phayao, which are upstream provinces. In the middle-stream provinces, she will visit Phitsanulok, Nakhon Sawan, Uthai Thani, Phichit, Kamphaeng Phet, and Chai Nat. The downstream provinces include Suphan Buri, Ayutthaya, Prachin Buri, Sing Buri, Ang Thong, Lop Buri, Saraburi, Nakhon Nayok, Nonthaburi, Samut Sakhon, Samut Prakan, Chachoengsao, Nakhon Pathom, Pathum Thani, and Bangkok. Prior to the inspection tour, Prime Minister Yingluck will hold an event to thank all parties involved for their work in easing the recent flood crisis in Thailand. The event will take place between 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. on February 10 at Santi Maitri Building and in front of Thai Khu Fah Building, Government House. It will be televised on NBT (Television Channel 11), Modernine TV (Television Channel 9), and Thai PBS. The President of the Privy Council and Senior Statesman General Prem Tinsulanonda has been invited to preside over the event. Among the participants will be privy councilors, members of the diplomatic corps, military and police leaders, government officials, representatives from the business sector, and members of the Strategic Committee for Water Resources Management and the Strategic Committee for Reconstruction and Future Development. The meeting of the Strategic Committee for Water Resources Management, chaired by the Prime Minister on February 3, approved the organizing of four workshops from February to March this year to explain the Government’s Master Plan for Water Resources Management and the action plan to mitigate floods on an urgent basis. The workshops will also sound out the opinions of various sectors of society on several issues, such as floodways, flood diversion channels, and forest rehabilitation to create natural equilibrium. The master plan covers flood prevention projects, worth 350 billion baht, to be implemented on both an urgent and sustainable basis. An integrated water management organization will be established to handle the entire water management system. The meeting was also informed that the Office of the Council of State had proposed that the integrated water management organization be set up as a “Single Command Authority,” with the Prime Minister serving as chairperson of the policy body. As for the executive committee, it was suggested that members of the national water and flood management committee be included.