It's war for Bangkok Governor M.R.Sukhumbhand who last night invoked his special powers under the Disaster Mitigation Act to order the Bangkok's Metropolitan Police Chief to move in to stop local residents from destroying the water sluice at Klong Samwa.
He declared: "I can't trust the police unit that has been guarding the spot anymore. I need to exercise my legal power to order the capital's police chief to send his people to make sure nobody will damage the embankment because if it comes down heavy floods will hit Ramkhamhaeng and Ram-indra areas."
It was the toughest statement made so far by the governor who has obviously been at loggerheads with the central government over how to cope with the rising flood water levels in Bangkok.
"I don't have to seek the prime minister's prior approval. I have the rights to order police to do the job. I am not seeking cooperation. I am giving orders legitimately," he declared, after having ordered the evacuation of yet another area in the city, this time it's Bangkhen.
Obviously, for him, there was no pointing in hiding the fact that he and the government don't see eye to eye -- and that he had to resort to his own power to show the Bangkokians that he can take tough action that the premier has refused to do so far.
Will matters get worse for the inundated capital. We shall know in a couple of days. But I am sure it will get worse before it could get any better.
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