Volunteer's EV Burns After Flood Rescue Effort, Seeks State Aid
A volunteer in Bangkok’s Khu Ha Rom Klao Zone 8 spoke out after his video of distributing rice during floods went viral, saying stagnant water has turned foul and made residents sick. He said he moved his electric MG to higher ground to avoid the flood, but it later caught fire and was destroyed, and he is urging the government for fair compensation. He also urged officials to provide concrete relief for the area, which serves as a flood retention zone.
A volunteer from Khu Ha Rom Klao Zone 8 described how his video of loudly calling residents to collect rice boxes during a flood was shared online and drew criticism that it resembled debt collection. He explained his loud voice was normal and necessary due to rapidly rising floodwaters that trapped many residents without food. He and friends delivered rice boxes and relief supplies by wading through water. After five to six days, the stagnant water began to emit a foul odor, causing skin illnesses among locals and shortages of medicine, relief kits, and pet food. He and community leaders used personal funds and donated money to hire boats to bring supplies from external foundations. In addition to relief work, he said he tried to save his electric MG by moving it to higher ground, disconnecting the battery, and lifting it, but continuous heavy rain caused the water to rise further, submerging the vehicle. Later that night the car exploded and burned completely. He is waiting for water to recede so officials can inspect and assess compensation. He called on authorities to swiftly deploy personnel to conduct surveys and implement concrete relief measures, saying initial aid does not cover actual losses, and urged serious attention to the psychological and living conditions of residents in Rom Klao and Lad Krabang, which serve as flood retention areas.
