The
private sector of Thailand has complained that it is confused by inconsistent
information from the central government and the Bangkok Metropolitan
Administration (BMA), saying the political conflict between the two and poor
management are making the flood problem worse.
BMA officials led by Bangkok Governor
Sukhumbhand Paribatra on Thursday met with a number of business representatives
as well as the Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC). The meeting was meant to explain
the BMA's measures to drain flood waters from the city and listen to |the
private sector's reaction to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's warning to
Bangkokians to evacuate.
Sukhumbhand said the BMA had a good drainage
system, which could release flood waters at the rate of 130 million cubic
metres per day or 1,600 cubic metres per second. If there is no major problem
such as the collapse of flood barriers, the BMA should be able to expel the
water into the Gulf of Thailand, with little impact to inner Bangkok.
However, he admitted that the BMA did not have
any special measures to protect the central business district, insisting that
the drainage system was sufficient to mitigate the flood impact.
He said it was difficult to predict where the
floods would hit next. Although the central government has said all areas of
Bangkok will be flooded, the BMA thinks differently, believing that some
districts will be safe.
Sukhumbhand said the BMA could manage the
floodways, canals and the drainage system within Bangkok itself, but management
of the situation outside the city was the responsibility of the central
government and state agencies such as the Royal Irrigation Department.
Pornsilp Patcharintanakul, vice chairman of
the TCC, said that after he listened to the BMA's position, he realised that
the conflict between the central government and the metropolitan administration
still existed. The information from both parties conflicts and so is
untrustworthy. Thus businesses have to assess the information by themselves.
"For example, the government said the
flood waters would hit all 50 districts of Bangkok, but the Bangkok governor
does not think so. This different evaluation confuses people, so they don't
know whether they should evacuate or not," he said.
He said the business sector had prepared
itself to deal with the floods. Companies have constructed floodwalls.
The role of the government and the BMA is to
have a concrete plan to release the flood waters after they hit inner Bangkok.
"If the government and the BMA didn't
have a political conflict, flood-water management would be done better. The
longer the floods persist in Bangkok, the more loss to |the country's
economy," Pornsilp said.
The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce,
Industry and Banking (Oct 28) will meet today to discuss the relief measures.
Chai Srivikorn, president of the Ratchaprasong
Square Trade Association (RSTA), said the government and the BMA did not have
concrete plans to drain the water. He said he did not understand why some effective
floodways that are normally used to release water from Bangkok are not being
used at this time, and why the government and the BMA could not evaluate the
flood levels and when the water will hit inner Bangkok.
He said the government was not outlining the
real situation, or offering any back-up plan, so neither the private sector nor
individuals could plan in advance whether they should evacuate or what other
measures to take.
12-HOUR WARNING
Meanwhile, the 12-hour flood warning planned
by the BMA seems not to be enough to allow hotel operators to get their guests
to safety, Chai said.
The RSTA represents the five-star hotels and
luxury shopping malls in the Ratchaprasong area such as Gaysorn Plaza and
CentralWorld and the InterContinental, Grand Hyatt Erawan and Four Seasons
hotels. This business area last year was seriously affected by the political
violence as red-shirt protesters occupied it in April and May, paralysing its
tourism businesses. Chai said the businesses in Ratchaprasong lost about Bt5
billion last year because of the political turmoil.
Now hit by another crisis, the business
members of the RSTA insist that they will not lay off workers. They have their
own measures to prevent the floods hitting their buildings. At Gaysorn Plaza
for example, if the flood level reaches 50 centimetres, the management team
will evaluate whether to close the mall, Chai said.
Chatrchai Tuongratnaphan, executive consultant
for the Thai Retailers Association, said there were still shortages of instant noodles,
drinking water, canned fish, and eggs. The supplies imported from neighbouring
countries will enter the Thai market by the middle of next week.
He said the government should say exactly
which districts of Bangkok will be submerged so that retailers can plan
transport.
Nalin Viboonchart
The Nation (Thailand)
Business & Investment Opportunities
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