Thai Political Opposition Stress Flood Relief Efforts

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9 November 2011

The recent heavy flooding that has ravished the Southeast Asian country of Thailand has not only rattled infrastructure, but is now causing political unease within the country. Former Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, has recently made criticizing statements towards the current political party, whom his party lost the Prime Minister seat to. The former Prime Minister has criticized Thailand’s current Prime Minister in office, Yingluck Shinawatra, of failing to properly respond to the recent heavy flooding. The current party is facing criticism from it’s political opponents for using funds towards populist programs such as, providing tablet computers for schoolchildren and offering tax breaks to individuals who are purchasing a vehicle or home for the first time, rather than using these funds towards the country’s current flood crisis. The former Prime Minister spoke at the Thai Parliament last week, where discontent for the current flood relief situation was made known. Heavy flooding hit Thailand in late July and has since taken the lives of over 500 people, most of who have drowned. Although recently the flood-waters in the capital of Bangkok have began to recede, residents have become very frustrated over government confusion, slow response time, and improper estimation of flooding. The heavy flooding has hit about a third of the provinces in Thailand, severely affecting about 15 percent of the 68 million people in the country.

SOURCE: http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/thai-opposition-flood-relief-14911995#.Trq23xzU-_E

RELIABILITY: 9.5

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