Ekachai Urges Government to Create National Flood Maps
Thai singer Ekachai Sriwichai urged the government to learn from recurring floods by creating national water and canal maps, establishing a central water management agency, and coordinating with the private sector. Speaking at a gala in Bangkok, he said every province faces flood risks due to unpredictable weather, but preparation using past lessons can mitigate damage. He also commented on the Bum Panadda case, saying he posted support and believes good deeds bring good karma, while legal matters should follow due process.
Veteran luk thung singer Ekachai Sriwichai attended the 'Katoey Thai Ban: Virus Washes the World' gala at Siam Paragon and commented on the current flood situation and future disaster preparedness. He warned that every region in Thailand faces flood risks since weather cannot be controlled, but preparation based on past lessons is possible.
He recommended the government produce nationwide water and canal maps for public awareness, establish a central agency to coordinate water management, and collaborate with the private sector. Regarding the Bum Panadda case, Ekachai said he had already posted encouragement, believes good deeds yield good karma, and that legal matters should follow due process.
"The flood situation has just begun. We'll see whether the Prime Minister has finished learning the lessons. We don't know yet because it hasn't happened, but it will happen for sure. We just don't know where or how many places. We have to wait and see if, once the lessons are learned, action can be taken.
Frankly, every area in the country is at risk because we can't dictate the weather — which place, which year, which month, how many 'milk cans' or 'kalamang' (heavy downpours) will fall. But what we can do is prepare, because lessons show where floods have occurred before. Some places may not flood again in the exact same spots, depending on each province's landscape. For example, Nakhon Si Thammarat today has two additional drainage canals that have helped a lot, but where the water goes next is another matter, because every province has its own landscape.
Since everyone owns title deeds to their land, everyone has the right to fill soil in their own basins, fill here, build there — water must flow to lower ground. That's basic. But what should happen in this country is that we should have water maps and canal maps so people can study and know which areas they're in and how much caution they need. Management should be under a single agency — which is actually required by law — empowered to give orders for unified command. Ultimately, they must coordinate with the private sector because the government must admit the private sector often arrives first. They need to talk. It's not difficult because we haven't flooded for just one day; it's been happening since before I was born."
Asked about lawsuits: "Better not to discuss that here; it's in the court system, the judicial process. Nothing to stress about."
On Bum Panadda: "Honestly, I posted support from the start. Right or wrong, we don't know how the law will rule. But from the perspective of someone doing good, there must be good in it. As for legal right or wrong, that follows the law. I just want to give encouragement. I've posted, I've encouraged."
Asked if he was shocked by the news: "I don't follow this kind of news much because I'm always in the recording room, dealing with movie CG work. Headaches from fixing CG are enough. I don't watch this news at all. My concern is just making the movie come out without getting heavily criticized."
