The Administrative Court will on Tuesday hear a petition filed by a Nonthaburi resident, accusing the government's Flood Relief Operations Command and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration of mismanaging the flood crisis.
The environmental division of the Central Administrative Court has accepted the petition by Tossiri Poonnuan, a resident of Bang Bua Thong, Nonthaburi, and set the hearing for Nov 29 as a matter of urgency.
Ms Tossiri, a leader of a group of Nonthaburi residents who demanded the BMA open the sluice gates in connecting areas between Bangkok and Nonthaburi wider, filed the charge with the Administrative Court on Nov 23.
She said her petition sought a court injunction to deny the BMA the right to manage the sluice gates on canals between the two provinces without proper consultation and input from the affected residents.
The BMA had earlier refused to open sluice gates in Khlong Maha Sawat canal to one metre, as requested by flood-hit Nonthaburi residents, limiting the gap to only 75cm. They later complied with the demand.
In addition, the Nonthaburi people sought a court order suspending the government operation to salvage Highway 340 (Bang Bua Thong-Suphan Buri) and Kanchanaphisek Road until it has clear measures in place to ensure it will not worsen the hardship already faced by residents in flooded areas.
Ms Tossiri argued that the attempt to keep the road dry while the BMA also kept its canal sluice gates shut resulted in the flooding in parts of Nonthaburi being prolonged.
Ms Tossiri also asked the Administrative Court to order the government to stop reinforcing sandbag walls along Khlong Maha Sawat.
Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra said he was not worried about the court case. He said City Hall was ready to explain itself to the public.
MR Sukhumbhand also said the BMA had followed the instructions given to it by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra in its flood crisis management.
The governor ordered the Sewerage and Drainage Department and chiefs of Thawi Watthana, Nong Khaem and Phasicharoen districts to assess the impact on communities of the opening of three sluice gates on Khlong Maha Sawat, bordering Nonthaburi province.
Wasant Meewong, BMA spokesman, said the opening of the sluice gates as requested by the Nonthaburi residents could worsen the flood situation to the west if there was a high sea tide raising the level of the river.
Froc director Pracha Promnok said the command is ready to follow any court order on opening any sluice gates or ending road salvage operations.
Pol Gen Pracha also said the Froc would try to dry Bangkok by Dec 5 but stressed "it is an attempt, not a promise".
He insisted the Froc had not mismanaged the flood and is ready to explain its position in the House tomorrow, when the opposition Democrat Party will grill him on flood mismanagement.
Earlier yesterday, political activist Suriyasai Katasila also asked the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) to investigate the government for alleged mismanagement of the flood crisis.
Mr Suriyasai, who is the leader of the Green Politics Group and coordinator of the People's Alliance for Democracy, filed the request with NACC assistant secretary-general Withaya Akhompitak.
A small group of pro-government red-shirt demonstrators also showed up at the NACC head office at the same time to protest against Mr Suriyasai's action.
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