PM can manage southern flood relief efforts from afar: Natthaphong
Opposition leader says PM Paetongtarn doesn’t need to be physically present in all disaster areas, the focus must be on relief efforts instead
The opposition leader said on Monday that the prime minister does not have to be physically present at all disaster areas in the country, as she can effectively command relief operations from afar.
Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, leader of the opposition People’s Party, was responding to social media comments criticising Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra for allegedly ignoring the plight of people in the South. Netizens slammed her for travelling to Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai on Thursday, even though southern provinces have been inundated since late Tuesday.
On Sunday, Paetongtarn sounded apologetic when she said she was not ignoring the plight of the people in the South, but that she had to go to the North to make arrangements for the mobile Cabinet meeting in Chiang Mai next month.
She said she has instructed Deputy PM Phumtham Wechayachai and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to visit and oversee relief operations on her behalf. The premier said she may visit the South on Friday once she has cleared her scheduled duties.
Natthaphong supported Paetongtarn, saying she does not have to be in the South personally and can send representatives to oversee relief operations on her behalf. He was speaking to reporters while visiting southern border provinces that have been hit by massive floods after heavy, continuous rains.
He said government agencies should speed up the delivery of necessities, including boats, life vests, dried food and rice to flood-hit communities. He added that effective relief measures were necessary once the rains had stopped and floods cleared, but the region is expected to be battered with more heavy rain soon.
Natthaphong said he had visited some communities and found several bed-ridden patients and elderly, so the authorities should rush to evacuate them before more heavy rains arrive.
He also warned of the situation worsening due to high tide in the next few days. The opposition party leader said he visited Songkhla’s Chana and Hat Yai districts on Wednesday and found local officials and volunteers working hard to help flood victims. However, he believes they need more manpower, boats and life vests to effectively evacuate the victims.
