FROC HQ, DON MUANG – The embattled Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra today defended the government’s policy of using all flood resources at hand to protect the nation’s economic heart – specifically, the many basement food courts of Bangkok’s downtown business district.
“If floodwaters of only half a meter reach Sathorn Road, flooding could cripple the weekday-luncheon infrastructure of the city,” she said. “We can’t let that happen.”
In the face of increased criticism over decisions to divert floodwater to Bangkok’s outer districts, and prolong the flooding in Ayutthaya and Nakhon Sawan, Yingluck insisted that the long-term outlook of the nation rested on preserving the economic engines that would drive recovery.
According to charts produced by the PM’s office, Bangkok’s downtown area is home to over 100 large office towers, most of them over 30 storeys high. While 99% of the buildings at risk would be untouched by floods and would even maintain power with light flooding, their basement food courts are considered high-risk zones.
“These food courts provide nourishment for thousands of non-executive office employees, not to mention income for many small businesses and an untold number of jobs,” explained Yingluck. “Without them, workers might have to walk across the street to eat lunch. We can’t put that kind of burden on our Bangkok workforce.”
She further said that although the sacrifice was painful, the loss of 14,000 inundated factories and several million rai of prime farmland was “a small price to pay” in the long run to protect what really mattered.
As a bonus to the food-court-first policy, she added that many of the capital’s best and most pleasant shopping malls would also be protected.
“The food court priority zone also encompasses Rajprasong, which holds our nation’s best indoor shopping destinations,” she said. “As long as Bangkok’s residents and top tourists continue to have a nice place to buy things, eat tasty food and see movies, the economy of our country will be secure.”
Although many people living outside Bangkok’s main flood walls continue their objection to the destruction of their homes and livelihoods to save the food courts and malls, many Bangkok residents have gravitated to the PM’s message.
“I’m impressed with her sensible outlook on the economy,” said Miaow Vongwatkul, a media buyer for ad agency Saatchi and Saatchi. “Our agency won three Cannes Gold Lions last year and did over ฿400 million in billings. A flooded food court in our building would be a real nuisance to our important work.”
With a new wave of northern floodwaters set to approach the capital this weekend, Yingluck has diverted three army battalions from rescue operations in Rangsit to reinforce the main barrier along central Bangkok’s northern edge, raising the wall to 4.5 meters.
When asked whether this would make existing flooded areas just get deeper underwater, including five key industrial estates that contribute massively to Thailand’s manufacturing-export economy, the PM reminded everyone to stay focused on the positives.
“Did I mention that the food court at [new mall] Terminal 21 is Caribbean-themed?” she asked. “It’s really neat.”
