Thai officials on defensive as flood anger mounts

Bangkok authorities insisted on Tuesday they could not ease the flooding crisis for everyone in the city, as anger and misery grew in inundated areas over the lack of assistance from officials. Although inner areas of the capital have remained dry, the situation is critical in several outlying districts, where residents have protested that their homes are being sacrificed to save central parts of the city. Central and local authorities are at odds over how high certain sluice gates to the north of the city centre should be raised to allow water through, according to Bangkok governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra. He said several more areas in the city, including industrial estates, would be at risk if too much water passed through. "I love the people, as do other elected politicians, but sometimes I have to be tough with the demands of the minority for the sake of the majority," he said in a televised press briefing. "I cannot yield to every demand." The death toll from Thailand's worst flooding in decades has risen to more than 380 across the kingdom, triggered by unusually heavy monsoon rains that began three months ago. Central Bangkok has largely been spared from major inundation after barriers along Bangkok's swollen Chao Phraya River prevented a major overflow during a spring high tide over the weekend. But in districts such as western Bang Phlat, just five kilometres (three miles) from downtown Bangkok, homes were badly damaged and streets turned into deep canals of filthy water, with no official help in sight. "I want the government to come and take care of us. We have asked for help but nobody comes. We asked for boats, food, medicines, but nothing," said Pailin Sontana, 58, as he waded waist-deep through the brown liquid. Yupin Songsuk, a 38-year-old housekeeper at a hotel, said the situation showed no signs of improving, with more water on the way. "We can still eat and drink the things we stocked, but what about later on, if nobody comes to help us?" she told AFP. Jate Sopitpongstorn, a spokesman for the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) said they were unable to help everyone "because they refused to leave their houses to stay in our shelters". "We have limited numbers of army vehicles and boats and we cannot go into every street and hand out food and water three times a day," he said.