Democrat Spokesperson Slams Government Over Southern Flood Response
Democrat Party Deputy Spokesperson Duangruthai Bua-kaew sharply criticized the government's flood response in southern Thailand, accusing officials of being detached from the reality on the ground because floodwaters have not reached Government House. She challenged the Prime Minister's Office spokesperson to visit affected communities instead of relying on reports, citing repeated failures in past disasters like the Hat Yai floods. Duangruthai demanded proactive prevention measures rather than reactive photo opportunities, calling the current rainy season a critical test of the government's preparedness.
Democrat Party Deputy Spokesperson Duangruthai Bua-kaew addressed the case in which Ploytalay Laksameesangchan, Deputy Spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office, countered Duangruthai's earlier press conference. Duangruthai stated that Ploytalay's rebuttal lacked substantive content capable of building public trust. She directly questioned whether Ploytalay has ever gone into the field to experience and hear the real anguish of the people, or simply follows the Prime Minister and reads agency reports in air-conditioned rooms. "Water hasn't flooded into Government House, so you don't understand the panic and worry of our southern brothers and sisters who lie awake at night," Duangruthai said. "The heartbeat of those facing rising water and heavy rain pounds with fear and suffering. The government says it's prepared, but villagers still watch the sky and wait day by day, wondering when water will engulf their homes — and in an emergency, who can they turn to?"
Duangruthai added she speaks as a southerner reflecting concerns directly to the government. Repeated flood lessons from Hat Yai, Nan, and Bangkok have been learned many times, yet the same mistakes recur — notably the catastrophic Hat Yai floods where the government claimed control but the entire city submerged. Disaster management cannot mean sitting reading official reports and declaring readiness; it requires touching reality and listening to the people.
Furthermore, the government's water management mechanism has comprehensive high-level responsibility: Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul chairs the Regional Flood Prevention and Solution Committee and the Royal Irrigation Department; Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai oversees the southern region; and Deputy Interior Minister Worachit Leangprasit is also involved. Therefore, there is no excuse for the government not to have better proactive measures.
Duangruthai stressed that what she demands is prevention, not waiting for disaster to strike. While citizens are trapped in their homes, leaders only later visit to stage photo ops. This rainy season is a crucial test of whether the government's preparations are truly effective to ensure the genuine safety of southern lives and property.
