The management of the storm crises in Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat, and Songkhla, four southwestern border provinces, has drawn a lot of criticism from Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra‘s management.
Similarities have been made between the South’s delayed response and inadequate support for flood victims and the quicker and more efficient management of flooding in the northern regions in August.
The Bangkok Post spoke with social watchers about the government’s disaster relief efforts and questioned whether there is a dual normal in the North and South’s flood response.
They were asked to explain whether the administration’s handling of storms was politically motivated, given that the decision Pheu Thai Party is known to include a small following in the South.
Setback for Pheu Thai
Previous Democrat MP from Trang Sathit Wongnongtoey claimed that the Thaksin Shinawatra administration’s infamous remarks about prioritizing regions that supported his party are to blame for deep-rooted resentment toward the ruling party among some southeastern people.
Also, the Pheu Thai-led administration’s lack of attention to the southwestern region has been observed, and the prime minister’s apparent lack of urgency in taking activity has led some people to assume the area is being neglected, he said.
Mr. Sathit criticized the prime minister for claiming that she had given her delegates the authority to manage floods in the South, and that she should be aware of public expectations and ready to offer all people on an equal footing.
The former MP argued that the coalition government may accept responsibility for the state of the nation because it has not done much to give the country’s citizens desire.
Mr. Sathit claimed that the government’s reputation will suffer as a result of its failure to fulfill its monetary promises.
Sathit: Give monetary guarantees
Previous Democrat MP Phatthalung Nipit Intarasombat reported that state agencies are assisting with overflow relief efforts, despite the prime minister’s recent travel to the four southern border provinces to check on the state’s response to the floods.
According to him, this has given the impression that the government is not paying enough attention and attention to the circumstance. He added that even if the entire cabinet were to explore, they would not have the same morale-boosting effects as the presence of the prime minister.
By the time the excellent chancellor makes a visit, the floodwaters in the affected areas will have already subsided, he said, and she won’t be able to see the full extent of the inundation. This is because of the landscape of the area.
When questioned about whether Ms. Paetongtarn has any motivation to travel because Pheu Thai enjoys little help in the South, he responded that it is difficult to believe that the country’s leader would ignore the South just because it is not her side’s democratic stronghold.
” I don’t want to believe that she is neglecting the South just for that reason,” she said. But the pause has cost her major political goodwill”, he said.
Mr. Nipit added that while Ms. Paetongtarn and her close advisers lack political knowledge, they may have been erred in their assessment of the situation.
In response to a question about whether the Pheu Thai Party also has a chance to gain a foothold in the South, Mr. Nipit said it is unlikely to gain considerable ground in the three southern border regions of Pattani, Narathiwat, and Yala due to a number of factors, including the current flooding and the Tak Bai event in Narathiwat.
Nipit: PM cares about people
Social hole
During last year’s public vote, the Pheu Thai Party did not capture a one chair in Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat and Songkhla.
Its coalition companion, the Prachachat Party, then led by Wan Muhamad Noor Matha, won all three votes in Yala.
In Pattani, where five seats were available, the Prachachat Party won three seats in Constituency 1, 3 and 5, while the Palang Pracharath Party ( PPRP ) and the Democrat Party won each in Constituency 2 and Constituency 4, respectively.
The PPRP ( Constituency 2 and 3 ), Bhumjaithai ( Constituency 4), Bhumjaithai ( Constituency 4 ) and Prachachat Party ( Constituency 5 ) all had five seats in Narathiwat.
The Democrat Party won the most seats in Songkhla ( Constituency 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, and 9 ) with the UTN winning in Constituency 2, the PPRP in Constituency 4 and the Bhumjaithai Party in Constituency 7.
Pheu Thai list-MP Chanin Rungthanakiat, who denies supporting the government, claimed the smart case gathering in Chiang Mai, which had taken place weeks in advance and couldn’t be canceled.
He claimed that the prime minister made the decision to ignore the inundation at its worst to prevent burdening regional authorities who were concentrating on reduction work.
Even so, some case ministers were assigned to handle the overflow relief efforts, he noted.
Mr. Chanin emphasized that the Pheu Thai Party is working to discredit the state that it doesn’t prioritize the southern area. Under the Srettha Thavisin leadership, many jobs in the South were given assistance, he said.
Chanin: Allow local officials operate
Symbolic sign
However, academics criticize the government for its inability to decentralize power in terms of evacuation shelters and for failing to do so in order to help local authorities manage the flood crisis more efficiently.
The result is that the general public believes that the prime minister’s visit and action alone can resolve the issue, even if the prime minister’s browse to the flood-ravaged area serves more as a symbolic gesture than as a clear solution.
Srisompob Jitpiromsri, a political scientist at Prince of Songkla University, Pattani school, said that given the size of monetary aid and recovery efforts by the Interior Ministry, the administration’s answer in both the North and South is not much different.
A change to the guidelines for flood compensation payouts was originally approved by the cabinet. Then, all affected families stand to get a one-time transaction of 9, 000 baht.
Under the old standards, families flooded for 30 days or less would get 5, 000 ringgit, while those inundated for more than 30 times but less than 60 received 7, 000 baht. The sole recipients of 9, 000 baht were homes that had been submerged for more than 60 days.
Mr. Srisompob claimed that provincial authorities, the defense, the private market, and numerous generosity and save foundations have gathered their resources to assist flood victims.
Media insurance has shown the hardships and suffering of the flood-ravaged areas.
This has caused comparisons to the government’s role, especially the prime minister’s visit, which he said would have sparked tension and given comfort to those who had been seriously impacted by the flooding, he said.
” Ms. Paetongtarn’s comments about her father being a native of the southwestern area have not been particularly useful.
” She shouldn’t have said it at all under this position. She may have talked about procedures. When her opinions are seen as out of place, the issue is dramatised, “he said.
The perfect minister defended herself against censure from social media earlier this month by allegedly touring the northern region and not giving attention to help when it comes to reportedly ignoring flood-hit southern regions.
She responded that her husband and family had ties to the South. How was I ignore the South when my husband and his family are Southerners?
Srisompob: Feedback aren’t good
Bad crisis management
Mr. Srisompob claimed that the southern region has suffered from the lack of lasting shelters for disaster relief because they have been a source of pain for ten years.
He said,” The government needs to reevaluate its approach to disaster management, especially in the southern region, where rising sea tides cause flooding to worsen.”
Nuttakorn Vititanon, a social scientist at Chiang Mai University, believes that the authorities needs to update its hazard warning and response systems to make sure people are completely informed about hazards and are treated appropriately.
” No some evacuated in the dark because the storm came at day.” Also, there were no homes for them. Telling citizens to leave… but to where? Thus, they stayed house, “he said.
He made reference to current flooding in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai in August.
Mr. Nuttakorn argued that the government’s attempt to build flood barriers is unfavorable and rather appears to be avoiding confronting neighborhood groups and hotels that prevent water from flowing.
If local officials have the full authority to manage the situation, he claimed, the prime minister doesn’t need to go to any flood-stricken areas to issue instructions.
” But the government doesn’t and he doesn’t instruct other firms like the Department of Royal Irrigation. Remember the time a drawbridge was shut down because the government failed to coordinate?
” The issue was solved after the prime minister’s visit. As a result, people have become accustomed to the idea that if they want someone fixed, the prime minister has intervene”, Mr Nuttakorn said.
Nuttakorn: ‘ Little homes for them’