The deputy leader of United Thai Nation Party, Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, has urged people to stop criticizing the government today, over alleged double standards in the treatment of the flooding in southern provinces.
For the past week social media have been flooded with criticism of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s perceived failure to visit flood victims in Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat and Songkhla, while having visited such victims in the other regions.
When questioned by a reporter, the prime minister denied that she is ignoring the southern flood problem, adding that her husband is a southerner.
File photo: Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana
In defence of the government, Thanakorn claimed that several ministries have sent people, equipment and materials to help southern flood victims, adding that troops, in particular, have been helping to evacuate victims to safer places.
The Energy Ministry has ordered fuel and gas to be sent to the south, after it was reported that supplies would run out in a few days because road access to the provinces has become very difficult, he said.
Advisor to the prime minister and former ‘red-shirt’ leader Natthawut Saikua claimed in his Facebook post today that neither the government nor the prime minister are biased against southerners.
He claimed that the prime minister’s visits to Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, which coincided with the massive flooding in four southern provinces, was planned before the flooding occurred.
Although the prime minster has not visited south, he said that she has instructed her ministers to visit the provinces to help flood victims.
The prime minister mentioning that her husband is a southerner, to indicate her concern over the flooding in the region, should not be used to paint the prime minister in a negative light, added Natthawut.
