Thai PM begs media for mercy in floods chaos

Thailand’s new premier has admitted that the country’s flood crisis has overwhelmed her government, and she pleaded for mercy from the media and solidarity from the country in battling the relentless waters.

In an emotional appearance before reporters yesterday, prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra said her administration is doing all it can and trying to be as clear as possible about where the flooding may strike next.

However, mixed messages from officials in recent days about whether the floodwaters will enter Bangkok have left people confused. A poll by ABAC, associated with Bangkok’s Assumption College, found that 87 per cent of 415 people surveyed did not trust information from the government’s flood command centre.

“We have been doing everything we can, but this is a big national crisis,” Ms Yingluck said. “I’m begging for mercy from the media here.”

The death toll in nationwide flooding is 317, mostly from drowning, with nearly nine million people affected and 27 of the country’s 77 provinces still inundated.

A distraught Ms Yingluck said: “We are telling the truth, not concealing anything from the people. We have been doing everything we can, but … on our own, we can’t get it done. We need unity from every side, and today we must set politics aside.”