No time for politics as flood threat strains Bangkok

The prospect of flooding is building stress in Bangkok, Thailand's capital, as housewives rush to hoard food, drivers vie for parking lots on higher ground and politicians accuse each other of incompetence. Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who bears the ultimate responsibility of flood relief in and out of Bangkok, is among the most stressed out. She was caught with reddened eyes and a stricken voice by cameramen Thursday, demanding unity for flood relief efforts. Yingluck asked the government's political rivals to set aside politics and work to restore people's morale. "I have left no stone unturned in this crisis but I cannot solve it alone. I need cooperation from all sides." Tackling the flood crisis is now turning into a conflict between the government-led Flood Relief Operations Command (FROC) and the opposition-controlled Bangkok municipal government, Thai media reported. Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra was reluctant to accept FROC's request to open sluice gates in Bangkok to release northern run-off to canals in the capital, Bangkok Post reported. Sukhumbhand, who argued opening the sluices would cause flooding to part of the city, was blamed for seeking political gains for the Bangkok governor election next year, the newspaper quoted political observers as saying. Officials with the Agricultural and Cooperative Ministry are also criticized for not using canal sluice gates elsewhere instead of Bangkok. Analysts say politicians in charge of the department kept the sluice gates closed in Suphan Buri Province to court their supporters in the region. In addition, some claimed the military were not helping at full capacity in order to embarrass Yingluck. "Many are asking whether the government is now facing a 'water coup d'etat,'" said a female radio host of red-shirt community radio FM92.25, broadcasting from Samut Prakan province, south of Bangkok. But Sirote Klampaiboon, a scholar on political science with Mahidol University, rejected the theory as "cheap conspiracy." " People must accept that the amount of rainfall this year was unprecedented." Democrat Party, the main opposition party, also urged for unity to tackle the disaster. "All sides, including the government, the opposition and people of all political groups, should cooperate to handle the situations and help the affected people without choosing side," said Democrat Party's deputy spokesman Atthaporn Polabutr Atthaporn.