The politics behind Thailand's floods

**LooseBowels** · 06-12-2011, 05:40 AM

^^ Thats right nutter.

In 2009 and 2010 the dems were releasing water to predict the time constant of the heavy rains, and thus leave capacity to mop up the excess.

Thats where the dems got the idea to stitch the newly democratically elected PT government up.
They noted from 2009 and 2010 they could leave a time bomb ticking under the new elected government.

Its obvious, the dems filled up the res when they shoiuld have been emptying it.

Got it yet , looser

**DroversDog** · 06-12-2011, 05:55 AM

Originally Posted by LooseBowels

^^ Thats right nutter.

In 2009 and 2010 the dems were releasing water to predict the time constant of the heavy rains, and thus leave capacity to mop up the excess.

Thats where the dems got the idea to stitch the newly democratically elected PT government up.
They noted from 2009 and 2010 they could leave a time bomb ticking under the new elected government.

Its obvious, the dems filled up the res when they shoiuld have been emptying it.

Got it yet , looser

LB you are trying to place some intelligence that the Democrat Party do not have.
The rains fucked them just as much as PT. The current government just has to deal with it and hopefully find a better wary of protecting Bangkok in the future.

**SteveCM** · 08-12-2011, 06:04 PM

Bangkok Post : Pracha files to impeach Abhisit

Published: 8/12/2011 at 04:07 PM
Online news: Local News

Justice Minister Pracha Promnok has filed an impeachment motion with the parliament against Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva and Democrat spokesman Warong Dejkijwikrom.

Pol Gen Pracha submitted his motion to House Speaker Somsak Kiatsuranont.
He asked that the speaker forward the motion to the Constitution Court for a ruling

He seeks the revocation of the MP status of Abhisit Vejjajiva, a party-list MP of the Democrat Party, and Warong Dejkijwikrom, a Democrat MP for Phitsanulok province.

Pol Gen Pracha said he has asked the Constitution Court to consider terminating Mr Abhisit's and Dr Warong's MP status under Section 106(6) of the constitution on conduct forbidden by Section 266(1) of the Constitution.
Pol Gen Pracha accused them of using their MP status to force the Phitsanulok governor to give them 500 flood relief bags from the Energy Ministry.

Those relief bags were allegedly handed to Mr Abhisit who had later distributed them to flood affected people in their capacity as Democrat MPs, to serve their own and Democrat Party's purposes, not according to the government's flood relief plan.

Pol Gen Pracha said the two MPs' behaviour was a violation of the constitution. For this reason, he had filed an impeachment motion against them. The motion was backed by signatures of at least ten percent of MPs in the House of Representatives, as required by law. All of them are Pheu Thai MPs.

House Speaker Somsak said he would assign people to review the motion and set a date for the motion to be forwarded to the Constitution Court.

He would handle this case according to the provisions of the constitution without any double standards, Mr Somsak said.

The opposition has earlier filed impeachment motions against eight Pheu Thai MPs through Deputy House Speaker Charoen Chankomol.

**Moonraker** · 08-12-2011, 06:29 PM

Did PTP begin releasing water once they were in government?

**LooseBowels** · 09-12-2011, 05:51 AM

^ Release it?

Where to, back uphill ?

**StrontiumDog** · 09-12-2011, 02:02 PM

Bangkok Post : Legally speaking, who is to blame?

THE GREAT FLOOD

Legally speaking, who is to blame?

Published: 9/12/2011 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News

The ongoing flood situation is deemed as having unleashed crisis upon crisis, as the government failed to inform people in time which areas would be inundated. People were unable to move their goods on time, in particular, factories where the machines and other equipment could not be saved. Therefore, the government and authorities should bear a certain responsibility.

Vast portions of the Central Plain were inundated by the huge amounts of water released by the major dams.

Earlier, the government had to release water gradually from the dams. However, it failed to do so, and when the volume became too great, it released all the water in one go, causing many provinces to be flooded.

Under the Civil and Commercial Codes, any person negligently and unlawfully injures life, body, health, property or any right of another person, is deemed to commit a wrongful act and is bound to pay compensation.
The damaged persons can take legal action against the government and the authorities involved. The prescription for the wrongful act is one year from the date which such persons learned of the wrongful act, and the person who did the wrongful act, or within 10 years from the date which the wrongful act occurred.

Such an official's act is deemed as negligence because Smith Dharmasarojana, the former director-general of the Meteorological Department and chairman of the National Disaster Warning Council, has earlier warned that this year there would be a great volume of water, and there were several storms that hit Thailand.

Moreover, under the Act on Liability for Wrongful Act of Officials B.E. 2539 (1996), the government authority which is sued and must be liable for the wrongful act is entitled to claim compensation from officials if the wrongful act is deemed gross negligence, and the officials must be personally liable.

This flooding is derived from gross negligence because the officials did not properly release water from the dams although Mr Smith had warned about the volume of water and storms. Thus, the prime minister, the minister involved and the persons having authority to make a decision must be personally liable under this act as well.

In Thailand, the residents who suffered from flooding are entitled to claim damages to repair their houses, and business operators are entitled to claim damages from their loss of business opportunity.

However, such persons cannot claim damages for a relative's death as that is deemed as "indirect damage". The claimants can jointly take legal action against the officials as one case in the Administrative Court.

In countries like the United States, the US administration was sued for floods in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina, as it allowed one channel to be built and made the flooding worse. In Maryland, the top officials in the US Department of Homeland Security were sued by Maryland residents as their homes were damaged by Hurricane Isabel. In Arkansas, the administration was sued because a storm dropped heavy rain and a violent flooding killed 20 people in a campground, as the government should not have allowed the campground to be built in a flood plain, and had failed to give out warnings of the extreme danger of flooding.

If we take into account all the damage and suffering that has arisen, it will be much greater than the compensation which the civil servant can be liable for. But at least the Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and civil servants will be made aware that there is a personal liability for them. Like in the business sector, there is personal liability as well. If a director of any company engages in any act outside the scope of objectives of the company, the director must be held personally liable.

The aim of the foregoing legislation is to have the persons who make decisions act responsibly, and that the proper protection be arranged and provided for SME businesses, as well as the businesses of locals and foreigners alike in Thailand.

In this terrible situation, unity among government authorities, and accurate information rendered to the public is absolutely required, to minimise all damage, to make sure things return to normal in the capital, and to provide assistance for flood victims. In the end, it is necessary for the country to have a new and splendid water management system to prevent any flooding in the future.

Rujira Bunnag practices law with Marut Bunnag International Law Office.

**StrontiumDog** · 09-12-2011, 02:20 PM

Shit-throwing Festival

Posted on December 9, 2011 by Pearl

From Thairath, November 20, 2011

Cartoon reads: Shit-throwing festival [A Thai idiom means to shift the blame to someone else.]

Upper left: Jatuporn threw shit at two dams by saying they were [intentionally opened] to release water and kill people!

Upper middle: Yongyuth threw shit at market mechanisms by saying they increased the price of relief packages!

The man’s shirt reads: Market mechanisms. [Yongyuth is Interior Minister Yongyuth Wichaidit accused of overpaying for relief supplies.]

Upper right: Froc threw shit at the BMA by telling it to stop people demolishing the big bags! On the sleeve reads: Froc

Lower left: The government threw shit at senior officials to sacrifice them for the flooding!

Lower middle: Plod threw shit at the opposition by saying it planned to release crocodiles into Rangsit Canal! [Plod is Science and Technology Minister Plodprasop Suraswadi.]

Lower right: The PM threw shit at the MI-17 helicopter, because it caused her to be unaware of the impromptu amnesty decree item on the cabinet’s agenda. [This refers to the secret-surprise cabinet meeting meant to force royal amnesty for Thaksin. It was claimed Yingluck was away and was unable to attend.]

**StrontiumDog** · 09-12-2011, 02:27 PM

^ and yeah, Plodprasop did really say that....I wonder if he'll face the axe in the reshuffle, or will his near billion Baht fortune be a factor...

**Tom Sawyer** · 09-12-2011, 10:46 PM

Originally Posted by SteveCM

Pol Gen Pracha said he has asked the Constitution Court to consider terminating Mr Abhisit's and Dr Warong's MP status

That's like asking Satan to become a Christian in'it? Good thing they didn't ask Suthep - Satan himself.

**StrontiumDog** · 11-12-2011, 04:36 PM

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/loca...n-chamber-says

Flood disaster made worse by corruption, chamber says

Published: 11/12/2011 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News

Corruption made the floods worse, the Thai Chamber of Commerce said yesterday.

Chairman Pongsak Assakul told a meeting of chamber members in Rayong the flood was one of the country's worst ever crises. "And state corruption made it worse," he said.

Members had agreed they would no longer pay bribes to state officials and they would closely monitor state projects for corrupt practices. The chamber has also decreed Sept 6 to be Corruption Suppression Day. The day commemorates the death of Dusit Nontanakorn on Sept 6 this year.

Dusit spearheaded several anti-corruption campaigns over recent years.

The opposition Democrat Party has accused the government's Flood Relief Operations Command of corrupt practices and irregularities in its handling of the flood crisis, including its management of donated items and its purchase of bags of relief supplies.

Weera Rattanasirikulchai, chairman of the chamber's lower north branch, said he could not trust the Irrigation Department's water management methods, particularly the management of major dams.

Krisana Wajikrailas, chairman of the Nonthaburi Chamber of Commerce, said the government's warning system and distribution of flood information is inefficient.

Nonthaburi and Pak Kret municipalities spent more than 200 million baht to build a 2.8m soil dyke based on government information that the flood level would not exceed 1.5m.

In the event, the flood level in the two municipalities exceeded the height of the dyke.

National Economic and Social Development Board secretary-general Arkom Thempittayapaisit said the government must speed up work on a national flood prevention plan in advance of possible flooding next year.

**Tom Sawyer** · 12-12-2011, 08:36 PM

Two fingers down me throat to puke that bile out..

**Tom Sawyer** · 12-12-2011, 08:43 PM

Originally Posted by StrontiumDog

THE GREAT FLOOD

Legally speaking, who is to blame?

As predicted - there will be a flood of lawsuits. This guy of course tries to pin it all on the present government that was in power for only a couple of months while this water was allowed to build up and up in the dams (possibly on purpose?) by the Abhisit government throught most of the rainy season.

What about the previous government Mr Yellow? Wouldn't they bear some responsibility?

**DroversDog** · 12-12-2011, 10:12 PM

Originally Posted by StrontiumDog

Chairman Pongsak Assakul told a meeting of chamber members in Rayong the flood was one of the country's worst ever crises. "And state corruption made it worse," he said.

Members had agreed they would no longer pay bribes to state officials and they would closely monitor state projects for corrupt practices.

So the members of the Thai Chamber of Commerce admit that they illegally bribe state officals for their own gain!

The NCCC should start with investigating the Thai Chamber of Commerce.

**StrontiumDog** · 25-12-2011, 06:11 PM

Bangkok Post : No evidence of politicians' involvement in bags graft

No evidence of politicians' involvement in bags graft

'DSI TO HAND CASE OVER TO NACC'

Published: 25/12/2011 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News

A Department of Special Investigation probe into alleged irregularities involving the purchase of flood relief bags found no proof that politicians were involved.

DSI director-general Tharit Pengdit said his department's initial findings linked a group of state officials and private firms to the alleged graft but could not determine conclusively if politicians had a hand in it.

Mr Tharit said the alleged wrongdoing took place while both the current and previous governments were in power.

''The irregularities took place in both the previous and present administrations but so far there is no sign of politicians' involvement,'' he said.

He said the DSI's inquiry is expected to conclude soon.

A DSI source said the department's probe has implicated 11 state officials attached to the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department in the alleged irregularities.

They were found to have violated Section 157 of the Criminal Code and the anti-price collusion law by favouring two firms in the bidding process.

''This indicates that irregularities might be limited to the public servants' roles,'' said the source.

The source said that the investigation, which is headed by deputy DSI chief Pol Col Narat Sawettanant is not yet completed, as an extended probe into the procurement and hand-over process is pending.

The probe found that a large number of flood relief supply bags have gone missing, the source said.

''The investigators are looking to see if the officials followed the procedures properly when receiving the supply bags,'' said the source.

''It appears that the department didn't get all the bags it paid for.''

Pol Col Narat's team is expected to hand over the findings to Mr Tharit next week.

The source said the National Anti-Corruption Commission is gearing up for its own probe into the alleged irregularities.

The anti-graft agency has requested information from the DSI which is expected to wrap up its investigation next week, said the source.

According to the source, the DSI will soon submit its findings and evidence to the NACC to take further action against the officials.

The irregularities came to light after Democrat MP Wilas Chantarapitak, an adviser to the House committee on anti-graft affairs, raised the issue during a House meeting as he attacked the government's handling of the flood crisis.

The allegation led to a censure debate against Deputy Prime Minister Pracha Promnok in his capacity as director of the Flood Relief Operations Command.

Mr Wilas said politicians likely gave orders to the accused officials. However, he accepted that would be difficult to prove as the orders would have been verbal.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said yesterday that the government would turn the flood crisis into an opportunity to rebuild the country's infrastructure and water resource management system.

In her weekly talk show on Channel 11, Ms Yingluck invited Virabongsa Ramangkura, chairman of the Strategic Committee for Reconstruction and Future Development, to talk to the public about post-flood rehabilitation plans.

The prime minister said the government would also take this opportunity to restructure the country's water management and flood prevention systems to prevent a recurrence of this year's flood crisis.

**StrontiumDog** · 26-12-2011, 05:41 PM

Bangkok Post : Petition to oust MPs goes to NACC

Petition to oust MPs goes to NACC

Published: 26/12/2011 at 04:03 PM
Online news:

A petition filed by Democrat Party MPs for the removal of eight Pheu Thai MPs for alleged political interference in the distribution of flood relief supplies has been forwarded to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) for further investigation, Senate speaker Teeradej Meepian told a Senate meeting on Monday.

The petition was filed by Democrat MPs led by Sathit Pitutecha. It seeks the removal of Pol Gen Pracha Promnok, Karun Hosakul, Surachart Thienthong, Worachai Hema, Thanusak Lek-uthai, Vicharn Minchainant, Jirayu Huangsap and Jarupong Ruangsuwan.

The MPs are alleged to have abused their authority by interfering in the work of government officials in the distribution of relief supplies to flood victims in violation of the constitution.

Gen Teeradej said the petition had been verified and forwarded to the NACC for investigation.

Today's meeting of the Senate also considered the nomination of Pol Gen Seehanart Prayoonrat, deputy director-general of the Anti-Money Laundering Office (Amlo), for the post of Amlo director-general. The nomination of Pol Gen Seehanart had earlier been approved by the House of Representatives.

The Senate decided by a vote of 82-26 to set up a committee to examine Pol Gen Seehanart's conduct and work record.

**StrontiumDog** · 08-01-2012, 12:44 PM

10 officials face legal action over flood-bag graft - The Nation

10 officials face legal action over flood-bag graft

The Nation on Sunday January 8, 2012 1:00 am

A Department of Special Investigation (DSI) probe into alleged corruption in the procurement of flood-relief bags has found that 10 officials at the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department (DPMD) acted in favour of two private companies, DSI director-general Tarit Pengdit said yesterday.

The DSI has sent its findings and evidence to the National Anti-Corruption Commission so it can launch legal action the firms, as the DSI does not have the authority to do so, Tarit said.

He said the DSI reported the results of its probe to Interior Ministry permanent secretary Pranai Suwannarat, who will decide whether to set up a disciplinary inquiry committee to conduct its own investigation into the actions of the 10 middle- and low-ranking officials.

A DPMD deputy director-general who was also investigated was found not to have committed any offence. The DSI did not include him in the list of officials found to have violated Article 157 of the criminal code by performing their duties dishonestly.

"The DSI will continue investigating the two private companies' involvement in this case to see whether they colluded on bids," he said.

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