Thailand’s Second Flood

While the flood waters are receding in Thailand the Thai news media is busy flooding the country with demagogic and misleading political propaganda masquerading as the truth.  They are trying to tear down the democratically elected government by claiming that Yingluck mishandled the crisis and was actually to blame for the disaster.

This is the biggest crock of crap to have come out of Thailand’s media since Abhisit’s government massacred all those pro-democracy protestors in Bangkok last year.

Fortunately, the international assessment of the Yingluck government’s performance in handling the crisis has been fair.  I’ll give two examples.

 Example 1:  This is from a special background briefing with senior US State Department officials en route to Manila on November 14, 2011. A State Department official is credited as saying: 

“I was there three weeks ago. I’ve never seen anything like it. I’ve been to incredible places that are flooded, but virtually half the country is under water right now, the worst flooding by orders of magnitude in Thailand’s history. This is a young government elected not long ago…. She is a relative newcomer to politics. She and her government have struggled mightily against just incredible odds and enormous environmental challenges to deal with floods that are biblical in proportions. And she is – she has done an excellent job in seeking to balance huge interests both in the countryside and in urban areas, particularly in Bangkok.”

Example 2: The following is from Stars and Stripes dated October 25^th.

“A 10-man Humanitarian Assistance Survey Team comprised of Marines from the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force on Okinawa is still on the ground and the guided-missile destroyer USS Mustin arrived for a port visit in Laem Chabang on Friday to participate in community service events, Marine and Navy officials said.

“The duration and extent of any U.S. support come from the assessment of the HAST, what the Government of Thailand requests through the U.S. Department of State, and what the U.S. military can actually provide based on legal authorities and funding,” said 7th Fleet spokesman Lt. Anthony Falvo in an email to Stars and Stripes. “The response efforts of the highly capable and competent Thai government and military have been sufficient in alleviating immediate concern.”

Well, I’m certainly not going to believe the likes of the “lame” stream Thai media over a group of brave US Marines!

Not much has been made of it but PM Yingluck cancelled her attendance at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit which took place in Hawaii earlier this month. Last month she also cancelled a visit to China. Instead of traveling abroad, PM Yingluck correctly decided to focus on addressing the flooding that hit the country, the worst in 50 years.

PM Yingluck Shinawatra giving aid to flood victims

Meanwhile, leader of the opposition, Abhisit Vejjajiva, during the height of Thailand’s flooding crisis last month, decided to flee to the island resort of the Maldives for a vacation.

Former PM Abhisit Vejjajiva giving the finger to flood victims

There you have it. When the shit hits the fan some people run and some people stay. Here's Yingluck bravely facing the crisis; and there's Abhisit hiding in the Maldives. And what has the Democrat leaning Thai media been doing? They’re pretty much ignoring Abhisit’s irresponsibility and trying to destroy Yingluck by singling out every minor error the Pheu Thai government has made during the crisis.

The Thai Media and their Democrat Party allies have done absolutely nothing to help the flood situation. They just continue the incessant political snipping in an attempt to bring down the Yingluck and her government. If anyone is to resign it should be the Governor of Bangkok. He has routinely played politics and has not made one accurate statement during the crisis.  

Prime Minister Yingluck, on the other hand, has done a magnificent job of tirelessly working to keep people safe and cared for and to protect the country.  This was a tremendous task for her as she inherited a government whose bureaucracy was woefully lacking in competence and with an infrastructure incapable of dealing with such a national flood disaster. Abhisit's government, which did not leave office until August, did absolutely nothing to prepare for floods that were building from earlier in the rainy season.  It squandered six months of preparation. Prime Minister Yingluck should be applauded for having the heart and strength of purpose to see this disaster through under unbelievably difficult circumstances. 

HAVE A VERY HAPPY THANKSGIVING!