BANGKOK, May 2 – Two Thai civic groups filed separate petitions against the government on charges of mismanagement and corruption in the country’s massive anti-flood projects involving Bt350 billion loans.
The Thaiflood.com group, led by Parames Minsiri, submitted a letter to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) calling for legal action against Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and the cabinet for violating the laws in their water management under the Bt350 billion borrowing.
He said the government went ahead with its projects and spending without any public hearing or environmental impact assessment. The government was also charged of favouritism for some private companies.
“The government could have spent only Bt190 billion, instead of Bt350 billion, if it allowed the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to assist in the water management projects,” he said.
“The government chose the Chinese and South Korean private sectors to do the job without giving any details or assessment on environmental impact.”
Meanwhile, the Anti-Global Warming Association, led by Srisuwan Chanya and a group of lawyers, asked the Administrative Court to revoke the government’s Bt350 billion water management schemes and the 9-Module water management project.
They also asked the court to issue an order to stop the government’s announcement of bidding on water management, scheduled for tomorrow.
They said the government’s plan to build 18 dams, floodways and reservoirs nationwide will affect the people’s way of life and agricultural areas while a lot of land will have to be expropriated. (
