BANGKOK, June 9 – Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said she would visit provinces next week to inspect the progress of flood prevention measures from downstream all the way upstream.
Ms Yingluck, in her capacity of National Water Resources and Flood Policy Committee chair, said during her “Yingluck Government Meets the People” program broadcast via Radio Thailand and National Broadcasting Television (NBT) on channel 11 that she would lead cabinet members to check on the readiness of future flood response measures next week.
Ms Yingluck said that from June 11-14, she would visit downstream, midstream and upstream areas to review progress of flood solving and infrastructures, particularly water sluice gates.
The four day flood trail excursion would take her to Pathum Thani, Ayutthaya, Sing Buri, Chai Nat, Phitsanulok, Sukhothai, Tak and Chiang Mai before returning to Bangkok.
As for compensation payments to flood victims, she said that evaluation of damages may be incorrect because of differing standards, but she has ordered the Ministry of Interior to make clearer standard for flood remedies and clarify to the public for better understanding.
The program was prerecorded on Friday while she rode a Royal Thai Navy boat from the Royal Thai Navy Convention Hall to Nonthaburi to inspect water levels and progress of dykes repair works along the Chao Phraya River.
Ms Yingluck said she was tired of constant teasing of her popular phrase “AOW YOO” or “we can handle it,” as the mocking phrase could be used to mislead public that she was mishandling the flood situation.
The premier said she was doing her best to address the flood problem with full determination.
