Yingluck runs show like a CEO
PM talks tough on timeline for flood projects
Just before Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra arrived in Nakhon Sawan province on Tuesday, a local former MP was heard telling the waiting crowds that the premier's working style was very much like that of her brother, former PM Thaksin Shinawatra.
This similarity in Yingluck and Thaksin’s working style has become more apparent during the five-day flood-prevention and relief efforts.
Yesterday, Yingluck firmly told Nakhon Sawan Governor Jittakaet Nirote that she wanted every detail for building a dyke to be completed in the next three months, not six months as he had said earlier.
“[You] want to wait for six months but I don’t think we can wait. If the provincial authorities can’t finish it in time, allow the Interior or Defence ministries to help. When we say it should be done this year we had better get used to the words – it must be done no later than May. We need to adjust the timeline,” she said.
Earlier in the day, Yingluck was seen employing speedy CEO-style decision-making when she met 200 officials, including ministers and director-generals of many related departments as well as governors of half a dozen provinces.
Yingluck told them that if the deadline for presenting proposals and completing projects were not met, the Strategic Committee for Water Resources Management (SCWRM), which she chairs, would take over.
“Let me inform you that SCWRM is the third party that will inspect [the reliability and effectiveness] of the projects. It will check everything and all provinces will have to be responsible for following up on all the specifications given by the committee,” she said, adding that all water pumps would be marked through the GPS satellite system so one can keep an eye on things.
The premier also reminded governors that they needed to seek approval from local people who may be affected by these projects before any budgets can reach them.
Yingluck admitted that though natural disasters cannot be completely controlled, authorities could try to minimise their impact.
“We need to let the water pass quickly and limit the damage,” she said.
The premier also warned that it was rather pointless digging up catchment areas if the water cannot be channelled into rivers or canals. “SCWRM should come up with guidelines because we need efficiency, otherwise the budget will be wasted,” she said.
Half a dozen governors spent a few minutes each to present “flagship” projects aimed at protecting their provinces from floods. The entire job was completed rather quickly – reminiscent of how Thaksin handled things as premier.
Smith Dhammasaroja, an SCWRM member, said earlier that though this manner of handling things was “efficient” it appeared rather “dictatorial”.
When I asked Panit Nilkansone, who works as a bellboy at a hotel in Nakhon Sawan, about plans to prevent a recurrence of floods that nearly submerged his parents’ two-storey home, he said he did not know any details but had complete trust in the governor.
