Government heeds Thai King’s advice on anti-flood plans

BANGKOK, February 25 (TNA) - Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said Saturday that her government, as well as the government-run Strategic Committee for Water Resources Management (SCWRM) and the Strategic Committee for Reconstruction and Future Development (SCRFD) will follow His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej's advice on anti-flood plans. Speaking during her weekly address, Yingluck told the public that she led members of the SCWRM and the SCRFDS for an audience with His Majesty the King at Bangkok's Siriraj Hospital Friday evening to report to the revered Thai monarch on her administration’s water management and rehabilitation plans following Thailand's massive flooding late last year. Yingluck said she also informed His Majesty the King on her findings during her visits to upstream, midstream and downstream areas in the country last week. According to the Puea Thai premier, the beloved monarch gave valuable advice, enabling the two panels' members to gain more confidence in preventing repeated floods. The prime minister acknowledged that His Majesty the King advised reforestation and water be stored in dams at their appropriate levels and be discharged on a regular basis and water management be efficiently worked out to benefit local farmers. Premier Yingluck insisted that her government and the two panels will heed and follow His Majesty the King’s guidance and implement it, holding optimistic views if there was any flooding this year, it would be much less severe than last year. The prime minister told people that her government will also follow up anti-flood projects assigned to various ministries and to quickly appoint members of the National Committee on Water and Flood Policy, saying that the new committee is expected to create a working harmony during a time of any flooding disaster. (TNA)