In a sudden turn of events, the Thai Administrative Court has prohibited the Yingluck’s Government from continuing its 350-billion-baht water management program. The Court ordered the Government to arrange public hearings.
According to the court, the water management program, which has nine projects and ten plans, will have to be studied with all opinions of local residents and stakeholders taken into account equally in accordance with Sections 57 and 67 of the Constitution. Public hearings must be organized before the government hires private companies to design and implement the projects.
The Administrative Court’s ruling came after the Anti-Global Warming Association and 45 people sued the prime minister and flood prevention-related committees who are involved in the 350-billion-baht water management program. The plaintiffs claimed that the program was unlawful and they wanted the court to stop it.
Indeed the price-tag to the water management project is staggering at a quick look but take into consideration that such project is governed by an accountable system, which monitors the expenditures and evaluate the feasibility of the work at hand.
The suspicious and questionable involvement of the opposition parties in the Anti-Global Warming Association, along with the funds to carry out the association’s project is already suspicious to say the least.
It is within the circle of politics that we are seeing a set-back in governance and public administration solely to satisfy the cravings of the opposition that objects to ALL projects that will benefit the public. The water project, which was deliberated extensively among the elected representatives and has transparent key performance index, is not unlawful but the act of fighting the needs of the people’s Government is morally wrong and corrupt.
Thailand News 