Keep campaign practical, PM says

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has called on the candidates for Sunday’s Bangkok governor election to keep their campaign promises practical, reminding them that at least 20 billion baht of City Hall’s annual budget comes from the government.

Gen Prayut visited the Bang Khen roundabout yesterday to inspect problems related to water drainage, which was blamed for triggering prolonged and widespread heavy floods in many areas of northern Bangkok on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The premier said the downpours overwhelmed the city’s capacity to pump out water. The drainage simply could not keep up with 100 millimetres of rain.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) reported that 113mm of rain was dumped in Bang Khen district over the two-day period.

Tackling floods remains a priority issue for the candidates competing on Sunday.

Gen Prayut said the next governor must make sure their manifestos are realistic.

“But if the new governor thinks they can manage everything within City Hall’s own budget, I won’t get in their way,” Gen Prayut said.

The BMA runs a yearly budget of around 80 billion baht, along with a government subsidy of at least 20 billion baht. The subsidy is limited as it must be approved by parliament.

“The governor of Bangkok must understand where part of the budget City Hall spends comes from,” Gen Prayut said. “Before setting off on projects, they must consider the origin of the budget.”

Turning to the floods in the capital, Gen Prayut said someone should make sure no more pumps malfunction in the future.

His warning came as the BMA announced it has borrowed four large water pumps from the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation. Two will be installed at the Bang Khen roundabout and two along Klong Bang Bua adjacent to Klong Lat Phrao.

Meanwhile, the BMA’s Drainage and Sewerage Department has drained some water from the canals and waterways to make room for future rainfall.

Debris and garbage clogging the drainage pipes will also be removed, said city clerk Khachit Chatchawanit.