Teary-eyed PM pledges to fight Bangkok flood

BANGKOK, Oct 27 - Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Thursday pledged to continue fighting the country's worst flooding in decades as Bangkok is now entering a critical point. Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra urged immediate evacuation of residents of Sai Mai district in northern Bangkok as the flood crisis worsens.

Floodwaters are spreading to larger areas of the capital with residents of Don Mueang, Bang Phlad and Thawi Wattana districts already urged to evacuate to safer places of refuge, higher ground or temporary shelters provided by City Hall.

The governor declared Wang Thong Lang and Lat Phrao districts close-watch zones.

As a massive volume of deluge from the North is looming to flood all the capital's 50 districts in combination with high tide from Oct 28-31, large numbers of Bangkokians flocked to bus terminals and crowed Suvarnabhumi Airport, the country's main airport, to abandon the capital for upcountry and abroad.

Don Mueang Airport, the city's former international airport housing the government's flood centre, was forced to suspend all domestic flight services due to flooding on Tuesday.

Today, Thursday, is the first of a 5-day official holiday the government declared for 21 flood-torn provinces including Bangkok to allow city dwellers to leave or prepare to deal with the deluge. Banks and financial markets will remain open from Thursday to Monday.

The notorious traffic snarl in the capital has become a thing of the past as the mass exodus left city streets with a few cars but public buses, taxis and motorcycle taxis.

Many city dwellers have opted to take public transportation after parking their own vehicles at safe places for fear of the worsening flooding. Triple parking could be seen at tollways and expressways.

Many hotels offered budget prices to help the flood-affected. Some companies also booked hotel rooms for their staff whose homes are being submerged.

The teary-eyed premier remained! steadfa st that there was no need to move the Flooding Relief Operations Centre (FROC) located in inundated Don Mueang Airport.

We must evacuate people who are staying in Don Mueang Airport to safer areas first, Ms Yingluck said. FROC will be the last agency to move out.

Ms Yingluck said Don Mueang Airport can still be reached via the elevated tollway but she expressed concern for workers who may face obstacles getting to the centre. She has tasked government officials to facilitate such travel by providing transport and shelters.

The premier noted that the relocation of FROC also depends on the electrical system at Don Mueang and that she will consider other options. She said she does not want to move the centre as all working systems have already been settled there.

The prime minister conceded Bangkok is entering a critical level. She said it's impossible to divert flow floodwater and that floodwater will pass through every part of the capital but whether or how long it will persist in particular areas depends on level of the land.

Ms Yingluck said that temporary shelters have been prepared in Lop Buri, Chonburi and a number of other provinces and urged Bangkokians to evacuate to ease burden of officials in emergency cases.

Following criticism of FROCs performance, the premier called on the public with teary eyes to feel sympathy for FROC officials as they may feel tired while others have now become flood victims themselves.

Today we ask for mutual support as officials have fought flooding for nearly two weeks. Many are exhausted and some problems cannot be controlled and were not caused by FROC, said Ms Yingluck.

In other developments, Britain's Foreign Office on Wednesday urged against all but essential travel to Bangkok and 26 flood-hit provinces in Thailand. (MCOT online news)