BANGKOK, Sept 9 – More than half the Bangkokians surveyed believed the government’s water drill last week can help prevent future floods in the capital, according to a new Bangkok University Poll (BU Poll).
The poll was conducted by the Bangkok Poll Centre by interviewing 1,152 persons, aged above 18, on Bangkok residents’ opinions after the water flow test held last Wednesday.
According to the survey, 58 per cent of respondents said they believed the water test proved that if real floods occur, it can be handled, but 41 per cent thought otherwise.
When asked if the government used its budget correctly for the water drill, 43 per cent said yes, it was a necessary move. Twenty-one per cent disagreed, saying the budget should be spent on other matters, while 35 said they were unsure.
Regarding what was lacking in last week’s water test, 30 per cent of the respondents said the cooperation between the government and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), followed by sufficient information provided for the public about the test (22 per cent), and preparedness on such matters as canal dredging and water pumps (16 per cent).
Meanwhile, 30 per cent of those surveyed also said they feared that the government and Bangkok City Hall might not cooperate in case of real flooding, followed by the readiness to dredge canals, managing sluice gates, water pump preparedness (18 per cent), and corruption in the government’s flood prevention budget (15 per cent).
When asked if they feared possible floods despite the government’s water management, almost half of the respondents (44 per cent) said they were afraid but hoped it would not be as severe as last year’s disaster. About one-fourth said they feared floods will return this year.
Only 16 per cent said they were not afraid, as they did not think flood would occur again this year, as well as because they believed the government would be able to handle the matter.
Thirty-six per cent said the government’s water management has come to the right track, while about one-fourth said no, and 40 per cent said they were not sure.
Bangkok residents gave the government 5.96 points out of 10 on their confidence on flood management after last week’s water drill, while giving the BMA 5.99 points on the matter.
