As the Flood Relief Operations Command (Froc) winds up, team members have told of their struggles in dealing with the biggest flood Thailand has witnessed in 50 years.
Empty chairs and tables now fill the hall once abuzz with people from the Government Public Relations Department and reporters.
The lights are dim, and cables and wires are strewn across the floor, ready to be packed and stowed away.
Barely any traces are left of the sandbag walls and elaborate flood barriers that protected the Energy Complex building which served as the Froc headquarters.
On Dec 8, the Froc's downsizing began following talks between its director Pracha Promnok and governors of seven provinces that remain flooded.
The Froc reduced its staff from over 2,000 to just 200, and all offices were consolidated on the 15th floor.
Anurak Khajonrit, an HR officer at the Secretariat of the Prime Minister, was transferred to the Froc when the centre was still located at Don Mueang.
He recounted the mayhem when the Froc had to escape the floodwater at its Don Mueang base on Oct 28.
"It was confusing and chaotic. No one thought that the flood would break through. People were in disarray. We didn't know where to go,"
Mr Anurak said. "All officials and volunteers, as well as reporters, were forced to flee as the water burst open a 30m gap and quickly swamped the airport. The breach took everyone by surprise."
A fevered scene ensued when electrical power was cut and startled officials tried to save important documents and computers while fleeing.
Later, the command was told to relocate to the Energy Complex down Vibhavadi Road. Mr Anurak said the relocation was confusing at first.
Once the dust settled, however, the Froc's work became more systematic and organised than it bad been at Don Mueang.
"Previously, the Froc consisted of government officials, volunteers and other third-party organisations. Control and management were difficult, even more so when you had to cater to a constantly fluctuating number of people," he said.
More security measures were imposed at the Energy Complex and many people were barred from entering the building.
Despite criticism of the Froc for its handling of donations and poor communications, Mr Anurak said he is happy he had the chance to contribute and he would do so again.
"I am proud to have taken part. The Froc's main objective was to help people in need and its closure means the task is complete and the Froc has fulfilled its purpose," he said.
Somsak Danjatupong, 52, a security officer, said his main duty besides guarding the facility was helping people who visited the Froc to submit petitions.
"It felt great getting to help these people. Obviously they were suffering to submit a petition. My duty was help them do it successfully in an orderly fashion," Mr Somsak said.
Regarding criticism of the Froc's efficiency, Mr Somsak said the help was there but was sometimes delayed because of bureaucracy and politics.
More unity and selflessness and less politics is needed during such times of crisis, he added.
Chaturapoom Phatong, 18, an audio-visual employee at the Energy Ministry, was in charge of coordinating requests for relief bags. He understood the needs well, he said, because he was a flood victim himself.
He said the biggest problem was that people did not understand the system. They came in with no request letters or petitions and expected to receive the relief bags right away, he said.
At first, work at the Froc proceeded slowly because everything had to be approved first by the director. The command adapted gradually, and the process of approving aid requests was cut down to within a day or two.
No comments:
Post a Comment