Opposition Leader Slams PM Anutin for Avoiding Flood Duty
Opposition leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut criticized Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul for avoiding parliament to explain the flood crisis, calling him the country's most idle official. He said flood-hit provinces remain critical, Bangkok still faces waste-clearance problems, and the lack of a central authority hampers drainage and pumping operations. Natthaphong urged the government to appoint a central coordinator to direct water-gate and pump use and warned of possible renewed rain after October 10.
Natthaphong said that, according to the latest data, the provinces of Chachoengsao and Prachinburi are still facing a critical flood situation, while areas where water has begun to recede, including Bangkok, are hampered by garbage-collection problems. The previous night his party's team brought in heavy equipment to help residents clear flood-debris from their houses. He urged the government to manage the response according to the specific needs of each locality. When asked about the government's performance, Natthaphong singled out Anutin as the country's most idle official, accusing him of fleeing responsibility by choosing to visit a party kitchen rather than attend parliament to explain the flood situation. He added that the current forecast shows a risk of renewed heavy rain from around October 10, with upstream water still flowing downstream, and that the main obstacle is the inability to pump water out to the Gulf of Thailand or the Bang Pakong River because there is no central authority directing which floodgates to open or which pumps to operate. The Department of Water Resources told a parliamentary committee that a central figure—ideally the prime minister or his representative—must sit at the head of the table to issue orders, giving confidence to the agencies involved. Natthaphong dismissed suggestions that the floods are politically motivated, insisting that the scale of public suffering stems from failed government management, and reiterated that the opposition will continue to assist on the ground while pushing policy proposals through parliament.
