Elephants Hope for Charity

This festive holiday season, join Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok to give the greatest gift of all with the launch of its "Elephants of Hope" charity campaign. 

You can make a difference in the lives of people less unfortunate by simply purchasing a set of elephant mascots or an elephant key chain through the hotel, and the proceeds of the 'Elephant of Hope' items will go to flood victims and the underprivileged children.

In 2011, Thailand will finish the year with both positive and negative emotions. The most negative experience of 2011 has been the recent catastrophic flooding that caused a massive impact and devastation to over three million residents of Thailand,

including over 200 associates of Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok whose homes have been severely damaged by the floods.

On the brighter side, the festive season is the perfect time for giving. This year, Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok invites you to do just this by joining us in extending helping hands to flood victims, including our affected 

associates and their families, and to the underprivileged children at the Slum Child Care Foundation, under the Royal Patronage of HRH Princess Galayani Wadhana Krom Luang Naradhiwas Rajanagarinda.

Becoming a part of this charitable giving is easy - simply purchase an Elephant Mascot from the hotel.

The hotel will sponsor the cost of each elephant. The money raised by the sales of these special iconic elephants of Thailand will be donated by Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok to flood victims and the Slum Child Care Foundation. 

Once a proud owner of an Elephant Mascot, you can take it away as a souvenir or hang it on a branch of your favourite Christmas Tree in the hotel.

The Elephant Mascots will then later be donated to children at the Slum Child Care Foundation. You may also include a written message of goodwill for the children and help to spread festive cheer to those less fortunate.

Please join us in making this New Year a special one for all flood victims and those children in the Slum Child Care.

Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok would like to express our deepest sorrow to all flood victims and is wishing that 2012 will be a happy and more prosperous year for everybody, all around the world.

Elephant mascots and elephant key chains are available for purchase at Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok.

Purchase a set of elephant mascots or an elephant key chain and be a part of the charitable giving.

Bt700 net for a set of three elephant mascots.

Bt500 net for an elephant key chain.

The Bang Rakam Model

Farmer Winai Taweekantai makes an earth dyke before pumping water out of his rice field in Bang Rakam district, which isrecovering from the deluge.

The Bang Rakam Model promoted by the PM for flood relief and control has its good points, say Bang Rakam residents, but it needs some adjustments.

The Bang Rakam model

Early in the flood season last August, the new prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra visited Pitsanulok's Bang Rakam district and was impressed with how the people in the inundated areas there were coping.

Thus, was born the "Bang Rakam Model" in which local communities would set up one-stop service centres for flood victims. Where possible, water diversion systems would be set up similar to the one between the Yom and Nan rivers – seen as a long-term solution to flooding in Phitsanulok.

Wiboon Tangkasemwiboon, former chairman of the Bang Rakam Tambon Administration Organisation, is a key figure in implementing the plan in the area. 

He says it is only a rough framework and local residents and stakeholders are the ones who must help shape the scheme.

"Bang Rakam residents can live with the flood, as it brings nutrients and aquatic animals to our community every year. Our challenge, however, is how to deal with non-seasonal floods which hit us during the rice-harvesting period," he said.

Mr Wiboon commented that the current Bang Rakam model focused too much on flood-relief operations, while the locals think it should have a greater focus on water management.

According to Mr Wiboon, the model should include measures on how to delay floodwater from arriving in the district before the harvesting period in September. 

The opening of sluice gates in the district's waterways should be adjusted to better drain water out of the district in the wet season and to keep water in the area for longer during the dry season.

Community development experts, however, have warned that the proposed water diversion project on the Yom and Nan rivers under the Bang Rakam Model could lead to conflicts between the upstream and downstream communities.

Adapted from a story in today's Bangkok Post by Apinya Wipatayotin.

cope – to deal successfully with a difficult situation รับมือกับ

community – the people living in one particular area ชุมชน

victim – someone who has been affected by a bad situation, such as a disaster, illness or an accident เหยื่อผู้เคราะห์ร้าย

diversion – causing something to change direction การเบนเส้นทางเดินน้ำ

similar – like somebody/something but not exactly the same คล้ายกัน

solution – a way of solving a problem or dealing with a difficult situation วิธีแก้ปัญหา

key – very important ที่สำคัญ

figure – someone who is important in some way บุคคลสำคัญ

implement – to make something such as an idea, plan, system or law start to work and be used นำแผนหรือนโยบายมาปฏิบัติ, นำมาใช้

rough – not exact; not including all details คร่าวๆ

framework – a system of rules, ideas or beliefs that is used to plan or decide something ขอบข่ายงาน, โครงร่าง

local – in or related to the area that you live, or to the particular area that you are talking about ท้องถิ่น

residents – people who live in a particular area ประชาชนที่อาศัยในท้องที่

stakeholder – someone who has an interest in the success of a plan, system, or organization, for example a worker in a company or the parent of a child at a school ผู้ถือผลประโยชน์ร่วม

scheme – a plan that is developed by a government or large organisation in order to provide a particular service for people แผนการ โครงการ

nutrient – a substance that is needed to keep a living thing alive and to help it to grow ธาตุอาหาร, สารอาหาร

aquatic – growing or living in or near water เกี่ยวกับน้ำ

challenge – something that needs a lot of skill, energy, and determination to deal with or achieve สิ่งที่ท้าทาย, การท้าทาย

harvest – the activity of collecting a crop, in this case a rice crop การเก็บเกี่ยวผลผลิต

current – of the present time ปัจจุบัน

focus – to give attention, effort, etc. to one particular subject, situation or person rather than another เพ่งความสนใจ

relief – help; assistance การช่วยให้พ้นภัย

operation – an activity which is planned to achieve something การดำเนินการ

measure – an action taken to solve a particular problem มาตรการ

delay – to make something happen at a later time หน่วง, ซื้อเวลา, ยืดเวลา

sluice gate – a gate that can be opened or closed to control the flow water along a passage ประตูน้ำปิดเปิดบังคับการไหลของน้ำในคลอง

adjust – to change something slightly, especially to make it more correct, effective, or suitable ปรับ

drain – to cause water or fluid to flow out ระบายออก

expert – someone who has a particular skill or who knows a lot about a particular subject ผู้เชี่ยวชาญ

proposed – suggested as an idea for a group to consider ถูกเสนอ

conflict – an angry disagreement between people or groups ความขัดแย้ง

upstream –along a river, in the opposite direction to which the river is flowing ต้นน้ำ

downstream – in the direction that a river or stream is flowing ตามกระแสน้ำ

Remaining water no threat to Bangkok

There are still about 8 billion cubic metres of floodwater to the north of Bangkok, but the city itself is safe from any fresh inundation, water management adviser to the Flood Relief Operations Command (Froc) Anond Snidvongs said on Wednesday.

He would consult with the strategic committee on a national water resources management system on measures to manage the leftover water.

Mr Anond said there were around 8,000 million cu/m of northern runoff still in Central provinces, to the north.

About half of this must be stored for farm use. The rest has already flowed into local waterways, but the overflow would hardly bother the capital.

In Bangkok and nearby provinces, the flooded area has shrunk from 2.7 million rai on Nov 12 to a million rai - and most of this area was in paddy fields and grassy areas in the western districts of Bangkok.

He said there was only a small volume of floodwater still on the eastern side of Bangkok, because the water had been drained out faster than expected through the Bang Pakong River.

Mr Anond added that in the future the strategic committee on a national water resources management system would have to lay out the new structure for water management facilities to the wast and east of Bangkok.

He anticipated that after all flooded areas were dry, many people would try to prevent future flooding of their own places by building walls or elevating their land surface.

The strategic committee would soon set regulations to ensure all floodwalls and land elevating activities meet a standard.

The criteria would be in line with the Environment Act, while the committee would monitor the erection of flood walls and the land elevationactivities through satellite photos, said Mr Anond.

BMA: Floodwater receding

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) on Wednesday reported that the level of the flood at Bang Sai had dropped by 11 centimetres overnight to 2.29 metres above sea level.

On the Phra Nakhon side of the capital, the water level in lower Hok Wa was down by 5 cm, down by 8 cm at Don Muang and 4 cm at Mahasawat canal.

While the Thon Buri and Bang Prom canals were overflowing by 4cm Bang Waek was right at the brim and Bang Chuek remained stable.

Saen Saeb had fallen by 3-5 cm, Prawet 1 cm, Lad Phrao 2-6 cm, Praem Prachagorn 2 cm, Baen Kaen1-2 cm, and northern Thon Buri 4-5cm, the BMA reported.

Froc: Remaining floodwater no threat to Bangkok

There are still about eight billion cubic metres of floodwater to the north of Bangkok, but the city itself is safe from any fresh inundation, water management adviser to the Flood Relief Operations Command (Froc) Anond Snidvongs said Wednesday.

He would consult with the strategic committee on a national water resources management system on measures to manage the leftover water.

Mr Anond said there were around eight billion cu m of northern runoff still in the Central provinces, to the north.

About half of this must be stored for farm use. The rest has already flowed into local waterways, but the overflow would hardly bother the capital.

In Bangkok and nearby provinces, the flooded area has shrunk from 2.7 million rai on Nov 12 to a million rai - and most of this area was in paddy fields and grassy areas in the western districts of Bangkok.

He said there was only a small volume of floodwater still on the eastern side of Bangkok, because the water had been drained out faster than expected through the Bang Pakong River.

Mr Anond added that in the future the strategic committee on a national water resources management system would have to lay out the new structure for water management facilities to the west and east of Bangkok.

He anticipated that after all flooded areas were dry, many people would try to prevent future flooding of their own places by building walls or elevating their land surface.

The strategic committee would soon set regulations to ensure all floodwalls and land elevating activities meet a standard.

The criteria would be in line with the Environment Act, while the committee would monitor the erection of flood walls and the land elevation activities through satellite photos, said Mr Anond.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) today reported that the level of the flood at Bang Sai had dropped by 11 centimetres overnight to 2.29 metres above sea level.

On the Phra Nakhon side of the capital, the water level in lower Hok Wa was down by 5cm, down by 8cm at Don Muang and 4cm at Mahasawat canal.

While the Thon Buri and Bang Prom canals were overflowing by 4cm Bang Waek was right at the brim and Bang Chuek remained stable.

Saen Saeb had fallen by 3-5cm, Prawet 1cm, Lad Phrao 2-6cm, Praem Prachagorn 2cm, Baen Kaen 1-2 cm, and northern Thon Buri 4-5cm, the BMA reported.

Flood-hit areas escape disease outbreaks

No major disease outbreaks related to the flood crisis have been found, though risks still remain for residents returning to their homes, say health authorities.

Months of flooding had not caused harmful waterborne outbreaks and the incidence of post-flood diseases was not as high as anticipated, said a joint statement released by the Ministry of Public Health, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Thailand MOPH-US CDC Collaboration.

Disease surveillance data showed most common illnesses in affected populations were minor such as athletes foot, upper respiratory tract infection, conjunctivitis and food poisoning.

These illnesses were mostly found in shelters and were quickly managed. The overall rates for these health conditions were not much different from seasonal incidents.

Most deaths associated with the flood were due to accidents, especially drowning and electrocution. The Flood Relief Operations Command reported a total of 675 deaths, three people missing and more than 4.7 million people affected.

International communities were concerned over the post-flood outbreaks while local health experts also warned that a leptospirosis outbreak could also re-emerge through the lack of good sanitation and garbage management.

People were also advised to be aware of the risk of fungal-related and water-borne diseases when returning to their houses after the floodwater has receded, as the risk period had not yet ended.

Public Health Ministry permanent secretary Paijit Warachit said much support from the WHO and Thailand MOPH-US CDC Collaboration and many other countries in terms of providing medical equipment, 

supplies and technical cooperation enabled the country to carry out disease surveillance and run control systems effectively during the emergency situation.

Activities included sending hundreds of mobile medical units to provide health services in temporary shelters and flood-affected communities as well as sending rapid response teams to monitor the health situation.

They also investigated reported outbreaks and improved sanitation and food safety at shelters and communities.

DSI expands probe of relief supply bags

The Department of Special Investigation is expanding the scope of its investigation into alleged irregularities surrounding the recent procurement of flood relief supplies.

Tharit: ‘No intention of implicating last govt’ 

The investigators are also looking into previous purchases of flood relief bags over the past two years, said DSI chief Tharit Pengdit yesterday.

He said the DSI had no intention of implicating the previous government in the corruption probe.

The fresh inquiries would get under way simply because two companies had won the bids to flood relief bags for a long time, Mr Tharit said.

The inquiry also would have to look into what had happened in the past to make the investigation more thorough and complete, said Mr Tharit.

Mr Tharit also said that he could not confirm at this stage media reports that 11 officials of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) were really involved in any irregularities in the recent procurement of flood relief bags, despite earlier reports which said they were. He said he would rather wait until solid evidence came to light.

Mr Tharit said investigators have initially linked a group of people to the alleged procurement irregularities.

Earlier, a DSI source said investigators had found that 11 DDPM officials including a deputy director-general were likely to be involved in the irregularities.

The findings were established by two investigation teams led by Thanin Prempree, deputy chief of the Office of Special Criminal Cases 2, and Pol Col Narat Sawettanant, a deputy DSI chief.

The teams concluded from witness testimony and evidence that the 11 department officials might have either violated Section 157 of the Criminal Code by abusing their authority or broken the bidding collusion prohibition law.

Civil society finds outlet on Facebook Social networking aids local crisis recovery

People dine out by the riverbank near the government office complex in downtown Nakhon Sawan. Life has returned to normal for residents as the severe floods which devastated much of the province have receded. 

The 18 days of flooding endured by the town of Nakhon Sawan spurred a powerful movement of social networking and showed that civil society can work well on flood relief operations.

They helped the city quickly return to normalcy in the span of a mere two weeks.

The floods which hit the provincial municipality more than a month ago were so serious that no dry space was left in the town.

The sudden overflow of water over the river embankment forced more than 10,000 people to evacuate to 27 evacuation centres on nearby hills.

The situation in the municipality now has returned to normal. All shops selling moji _ traditional sweet bean cakes _ have reopened and they are teeming with customers buying them as gifts for friends and family.

"We have to give credit to the people of Nakhon Sawan who are business-minded. The faster they can resume business operations, the more they can limit the damage caused by the floods," said Janya Kwangkaeo, a member of Nakhon Sawan Forum, one of more than 10 civil stakeholders that worked on the flood relief operation.

"During the flood crisis, you rarely saw a white collar worker carrying sand bags to fix water barriers.

"We did it in Nakhon Sawan. We have strong cooperation in the community, which is the secret to our success," she said.

The cooperation also extended through social networks. Eleven residents set up a water monitoring group in Nakhon Sawan on Facebook. The number of followers increased to more than 14,000, most of them Nakhon Sawan natives.

Assachai Phitcharoenporn, 30, who helped start the Facebook page, said he initially intended to update and share information about the floods with friends.

He wanted to tell them where the floods had hit and the level of the water in different places and to inform road users how to avoid flooded areas.

Some of them later posted video clips on the webpage, which finally drew the attention of others living in Nahon Sawan.

"More and more people came to our Facebook page and shared information on the flood. We had senior police officers, doctors and officials, including the mayor, join our Facebook. That made our information even more credible," he said.

The Facebook page was finally turned into a portal for rescue operations after members started posting messages for help.

The moderators of the page worked as coordinators to contact people who had direct authority to deal with the problem and most of them were friends on Facebook. As a result, they were able to rapidly send assistance to people in need.

Although the flood crisis is over, the Facebook page is still active as a social media tool, providing useful information for people living in the province.

Political comments are banned to prevent them from muddying the real purpose of the page.

Adisak Chantavichanuwong, a local civil society coordinator, said civil groups from such sectors as community development, business, academic and media also formed the Civil Centre for the Flood Victims to distribute relief supplies, evacuate people and run a hot line service for people to call for assistance and information.

The group measured the level of water using GPS tools, drew up emergency plans in case dykes were breached and provided information to people living in the city.

They also monitored the water level at Bhumipol, Sirikit and Kwae Noi dams on a daily basis.

But, after withstanding the flood for two months, the city's flood barrier finally collapsed in the middle of October, causing the river to overflow and flood the city.

The municipality deployed 700 water pumps and it took 10 days to drain the water from the town and allow people to start the clean up work.

Compared with the government's Flood Relief Operation Command, Mr Adisak said residents were more effective in fighting the flood as there was no politics involved in the operation and they could just get the job done.

He said the group had a well-managed plan. It met twice a day to fix the weak points in their work while the Froc did not seem to have any strategy to deal with the problems.

"In fact, the government should have drawn up plans to fight the disaster before it started. The signs of the disaster were the heavy rains. But the government did nothing and let the disaster take its course."

Nakhon Sawan has reported flood damage of 10 billion baht. Of this sum, 4 billion baht was in the municipality alone.

Furry friends' flood fate

The devastation left by the floods has not just displaced thousands of people but also their pets. Numerous makeshift shelters have sprung up to house hundreds of dogs, cats and rabbits that were evacuated during the rising waters.

As animal abandonment has become pretty much common practice in the country, the big question is whether pet owners will take their animals home when the waters recede.

To get a better idea, I took time out to volunteer at the Bang Prakong Livestock Development Department _ a safe haven for thousands of mutts and felines _ most with owners affected by the floods. 

I was told that while a significant number of pet owners visited regularly, there was no way to determine whether most would bring their pets home when the flood crisis was over.

Even before we entered the barbed-wire entrance to the kennel where thousands of pooches were holed up in partitioned enclosures, I heard their yearning barks for their owners that made my heart melt. 

Their lamenting holler had a painful ring to it. In some ways reflecting their longing to see a familiar face. Many of the pets had a collar with the name and phone number of their owner, but there were also strays among them.

As we fed them snacks, they seemed happy, even though momentarily, to get undivided attention. The one-on-one interaction gave me a better idea of their emotional state. 

While some sat in a corner brooding, others seemed to sleep it off in the hope they would awake at home. There were also many that had not touched their food. 

Among some of the foreign breeds were a baby husky and an alsatian, all housed under a netted covering that served as a roof to shield them from the searing afternoon sun.

After going through the rattling chorus of howling dogs, we went to the cats' enclosure, where more than 200 cats slept in portable cages stacked one on top of the other. 

It was pitiful to watch these cuddly balls of fluff cramped into such small narrow cages, sometimes more than three cats to one confine. 

Quite surprisingly, it was the owners who agreed for them to be put together in this manner, for fear that it would be difficult for them to trace the whereabouts of their pets if they were put in separate cages. 

Still for me, or any animal lover for that matter, it seemed inhumane to subject a pet to that emotional and physical trauma, especially if you profess to love them as family members. There was one cat family where the area of confinement was so small that the newly born kitten was suckling on its slightly older sibling. 

As the cat enclosure was originally a horse stable, it was better ventilated, but the absence of human contact seemed to make already gloomy conditions worse.

The situation at the animal clinic was no better despite the presence of dedicated veterinarians. I found the dogs happened to be more emotionally needy than their feline counterparts, or at least that is how it seemed. But if there is one thing that is for certain _ pets thrive on the attention of their masters.

As the floodwaters begin to abate, it is my earnest desire to see these pets reunited with their owners. The constant fear of them being abandoned makes my heart heavy with anxiety. 

Situations like the floods find people in a bind_ spotlighting the plight of owners leaving their pets due to all sorts of reasons. But I do want people to contemplate their decision. 

Aside from being cute, adorable and talented _ pets are there for us through thick and thin. Regardless of how we look, smell or behave, our furry friends play a therapeutic role in making our journey through life a pleasant one. 

Their reassuring companionship _ best demonstrated with a wag of the tail or a look in the eyes _ is always there when we need to be comforted. The best we can do to reciprocate their unconditional love towards us is by caring for them when they need us most.

Pets, unlike strays, are more vulnerable when they are forced to fend for themselves. This is why my blood boils when I come across unscrupulous pet owners abandoning their charges in the most unheard of places during the floods. 

One story on the internet involved a family that had deserted 14 poodles, of all ages and sizes, in an elevated open-air shed, inches away from the murky waters. 

Neighbors had to rescue the mutts, who seemed weak but in glee to be freed. Others, such as a family of dogs that were found dead in the back of a vehicle at Don Mueang Airport, were less fortunate.

No reason is good enough to reject your responsibilities towards your pet. Just remember that the trauma of undergoing one of the country's worst floods for our four-legged friends must be just as stressful for them as it is for us. 

The day people start having a deeper appreciation and genuine love for their pets will be the day we can expect fewer animals to be discarded like old furniture. 

Just remember that there is a greater chance of your child leaving you when you're old and grey than your faithful furry companion that will stand by you come rain or shine.

Flood-hit areas escape disease outbreaks

No major disease outbreaks related to the flood crisis have been found, though risks still remain for residents returning to their homes, say health authorities.

Months of flooding had not caused harmful waterborne outbreaks and the incidence of post-flood diseases was not as high as anticipated, said a joint statement released by the Ministry of Public Health, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Thailand MOPH-US CDC Collaboration.

Disease surveillance data showed most common illnesses in affected populations were minor such as athletes foot, upper respiratory tract infection, conjunctivitis and food poisoning.

These illnesses were mostly found in shelters and were quickly managed. The overall rates for these health conditions were not much different from seasonal incidents.

Most deaths associated with the flood were due to accidents, especially drowning and electrocution. The Flood Relief Operations Command reported a total of 675 deaths, three people missing and more than 4.7 million people affected.

International communities were concerned over the post-flood outbreaks while local health experts also warned that a leptospirosis outbreak could also re-emerge through the lack of good sanitation and garbage management.

People were also advised to be aware of the risk of fungal-related and water-borne diseases when returning to their houses after the floodwater has receded, as the risk period had not yet ended.

Public Health Ministry permanent secretary Paijit Warachit said much support from the WHO and Thailand MOPH-US CDC Collaboration and many other countries in terms of providing medical equipment, 

supplies and technical cooperation enabled the country to carry out disease surveillance and run control systems effectively during the emergency situation.

Activities included sending hundreds of mobile medical units to provide health services in temporary shelters and flood-affected communities as well as sending rapid response teams to monitor the health situation.

They also investigated reported outbreaks and improved sanitation and food safety at shelters and communities.

Rubbish cleared by New Year

City Hall expects to finish disposing of rubbish flushed out by the floods before New Year.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is collecting about 11,300 tonnes of rubbish a day from the city's 50 districts, said Kriengpol Padhanarath, a deputy director of the BMA's Department of Environment.

Rubbish collectors are picking up only 90% of what they could be taking because some rubbish is left behind in areas that are still swamped such as Sai Mai, 

Don Muang and Bang Khen districts."Normally, we collect 8,500 tonnes of rubbish a day, but the floods have caused the amount of rubbish to surge by two or three times, including that which is uncollected," Mr Kriengpol said.

The additional garbage came from consumption of food, damaged furniture, and other materials such as wood discarded after the floods.

When the flooding was at its worst, the BMA hired private rubbish collectors to collect and move rubbish out of inundated zones by boat.

Most of the hired rubbish handlers were actually residents of those areas, Mr Kriengpol said. Ten districts were still regarded as flood zones with certain parts of them still under water.

The BMA wants to hasten efforts to collect rubbish from those areas, so it has rented 10 10-wheel and 10 six-wheel trucks, two backhoes and two wheel loaders to add to its fleet of vehicles used to handle rubbish in the city.

Although rubbish management stations survived the floods, the transport of garbage to them was interrupted during the floods, as connecting roads were inundated, Mr Kriengpol said.

As for sand from sandbags left over from the floods, deputy city clerk Sompob Rangabtook said bags would be moved to each district office for temporary storage.

If anyone wants to make use of them, they can contact the BMA and staff would deliver the bags to them.

Froc downsizing starts today Worst of flood crisis now over, Thongthong says

The government will downsize the Flood Relief Operations Command from today as the worst of the flood crisis is now over, said spokesman Thongthong Chandrangsu.

The decision was taken yesterday after Froc director Pracha Promnok met the governors of seven provinces that are still flooded and Bangkok's city clerk.

He said that although water drainage and restoring the livelihoods of those affected are now the top priorities, the Froc's command structure will remain unchanged.

The Froc's headquarters will remain at the Energy Ministry but all functions are to be consolidated in different offices. The meeting did not cover how long the Froc would continue.

Outside Bangkok, Nakhon Nayok, Nakhon Pathom, Chachoengsao, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan, and Samut Sakhon provinces are still under water. 

There should be a clear improvement of the flood situation in those areas in 10-15 days, Mr Thongthong said.

He added the Froc would also focus on treating fetid water with effective microorganism balls, eliminating mosquitoes, providing health care, and removing rubbish and abandoned flood-damaged goods.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Yongyuth Wichaidit said the Froc has tried to speed up water drainage in Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi and Nakhon Pathom.

Pathum Thani will be dry by Dec 15, Nonthaburi by Dec 16, and Nakhon Pathom by Dec 20. The government is also working on getting cash assistance to flood victims, said Mr Yongyuth.

Anond Snidvongs, the Froc's water management adviser, said Bangkok still has around 8 billion cubic metres of floodwater but no more is expected.

He added there was around 8 billion cu/m of floodwater still in some central provinces north of Bangkok. Half of the floodwater must be stored for farming, while the other half can disperse naturally without affecting the city.

In Bangkok and nearby provinces, the flooded area has shrunk from 2.7 million rai on Nov 12 to 1 million rai, mostly paddy fields and grassland in western districts of Bangkok.

There is only a small volume of floodwater on the eastern side of Bangkok as it drained out faster than expected through the Bang Pakong River.

Mr Anond said the strategic committee on national water resources management must now propose new facilities for both the western and eastern sides of Bangkok.

He expressed concern that many people would try to build their own floodwalls and barriers.

The strategic committee is expected to set out criteria and regulations to ensure all floodwalls and land elevations are up to standard.

The criteria will be in line with the Environment Act, while the committee will monitor the erection of floodwalls and land elevation through satellite photos, said Mr Anond.

Meanwhile, residents of Thatcha Villa on Phaholyothin 73, where floodwater has not yet subsided, threatened yesterday to block off Vibhavadi Rangsit Road if they do not receive help soon.

A group of 20 representatives from the housing estate submitted a petition to the Froc assistant secretary Pol Maj Gen Surasit Sangkapong.

The villagers said they had been under water for 45 days and demanded the Froc swiftly drain the water and compensate them.

Pol Maj Gen Surasit said he had surveyed the area and had notified the Froc's Water Draining Committee. He promised they would proceed with the draining as soon as possible.

Suthep won't seek amnesty in deaths case Will fight on rather than be used as 'tool'

Former deputy prime minister Suthep Thaugsuban has vowed not to negotiate for amnesty if he is charged in connection with the red shirt protests.

Mr Suthep said he would report to police today and give a statement about the Democrat-led government's handling of red shirt protests last year.

Mr Suthep said he would not allow himself to be used as a political tool amid speculation about attempts to turn him and former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva into suspects to negotiate for an amnesty law.

Some observers believe that if the pair are charged in relation to the violence, they may become adherents of an amnesty law which the government is thought to be pursuing separately to obtain an amnesty for former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra from an abuse of authority conviction.

"I won't fall for it [an amnesty attempt]. I'm not afraid to speak the truth. I believe the public is aware of the truth and what happened in 2010 and 2009," he said.

He would fight against any charges laid against him and would not flee overseas.

The former deputy prime minister was in charge of the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES) set up to quell the protests that resulted in 92 deaths.

The Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB), which is investigating 16 of the deaths, has summoned Mr Suthep and Mr Abhisit for questioning.

Mr Suthep said he is not intimidated by the prospect of being charged. He has complete confidence in the judicial system and respect for those who do their jobs honestly.

He shrugged off Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung's claim that the Pheu Thai government had received a Reuters investigation report into the political violence.

"I never take what Mr Chalerm says seriously. And I don't think most people will take it seriously either," he said.

He also lashed out at Mr Chalerm's comments that no "men in black" were involved in the political violence, saying the deputy premier was trying to distort the facts.

Mr Suthep said national reconciliation remains a distant hope as long as deposed prime minister Thaksin stills pulls the strings behind the Pheu Thai Party.

Mr Suthep said Thaksin wants his power and assets back and his methods are against the rule of law.

Mr Chalerm said the investigation into the 16 deaths is being conducted in a straightforward manner.

Mr Suthep and Mr Abhisit would be questioned based on statements by army officers who claimed they were following CRES instructions.

"There is no ill intent. Police want to question them because the officers insisted they followed CRES orders which came under their responsibility," he said.

City police commissioner Pol Lt Gen Winai Thongsong confirmed yesterday Mr Suthep would report to police for questioning today at the MPB headquarters.

He said Mr Suthep would be questioned as a witness, not a suspect.

Asked about the Reuters probe, he said police have received the report which is pending translation.

He added Mr Abhisit was ready to meet police investigators tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Mr Chalerm said police have identified the shooter in the murder of Maj Gen Khattiya Sawatdiphol.

The army specialist was shot and seriously wounded while giving an interview during the red shirt protest on May 13 last year. He died days later.

Mr Chalerm said that the shooter is a senior police officer, but noted there was not enough evidence to proceed.

Xayaburi dam fight stepped up Protesters ask for public hearing on the impacts

Xayaburi dam protesters in eight provinces plan to petition the Administrative Court to revoke a Thai-Laos contract on joint usage of electricity produced by the dam on the Mekong River.

Calling themselves the "people network" in the Mekong basin, the group took to the streets after the Mekong River Commission (MRC) began a three-day meeting in Cambodia yesterday to discuss the controversial project.

The network said it disagreed with what it claimed was a "non-publicised" cabinet resolution in June that allowed the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand to sign a contract with Vientiane on electricity usage because the project has yet to go through a complete public hearing process in Thailand.

"When we learned the government had Egat sign the joint contract without announcing it, we decided to petition the court immediately," said network leader Itthiphon Khamsuk, who was informed of the resolution yesterday morning as his group was petitioning the government to hold a public hearing.

He blamed the government for pushing the project ahead without listening to input from people in the provinces that would likely be affected by the dam. 

The public hearing did "not follow the correct and complete procedures" as required by the Constitution, he said.

Although environment ministers from Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam will discuss the dam at the ongoing MRC meeting, Mr Itthiphon said his group would not wait for the results because the project should be stopped.

The network yesterday petitioned two Senate committees to support a proposal to delay the project for 10 years.

Senate natural resource and environment committee chairman Surachai Liaobunloetchai said his committee and the Senate committee on education and corruption scrutiny will ask the government to clarify project details.

Although the dam will be built in Laos, the project should follow Thai laws, including a mandatory public hearing because Thailand will be the main beneficiary of the project. 

He said Laos had contracted with Thailand's Ch Karnchang to build the dam. Four Thai banks are the project's financial sources and Egat would buy 95% of the electricity produced by the dam, Mr Surachai said.

The 1,260-megawatt dam's future is uncertain. Officials at an April 19 meeting of the MRC approved a resolution requiring further study of the dam's potential impact on the Mekong River.

Vietnam and Cambodia are worried about the dam's impact on their crops, especially rice, because of fears over reduced water flow into the two countries.