PRIME MINISTER Prayut Chan-o-cha said today (Mar. 30) that he is too busy to go monitor efforts to put out a huge fire raging across three mountains in Nakhon Nayok but Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan is free to do so in keeping with his duty, Naewna newspaper said.
He added that he had talked about the inferno with ministers and agencies helping extinguish it including Interior and Defence ministries with the disaster having been fully discussed but if anyone wants to go see it, then go.
When asked that Interior Minister Anupong Paochinda is also going to inspect the huge blaze Prayut replied that he was going on his behalf as he had ordered him to do so last night, with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment likewise ordered to do so.
Prayut added that he is not making the trip because he has a lot of tasks to attend to and the command centre is right here in Bangkok.
Both Prawit and Prayut are contesting an upcoming general election as sole partisan contender for prime minister under the Palang Pracharath and Ruam Thai Sang Chart banners respectively. Anupong has said that he will no longer get involved in politics after the next general election as he considers himself as being “too old” to keep going in the political arena.
Prayut had mentioned that he had ordered all concerned departments, police and soldiers to help extinguish the fierce blaze while the cause is being investigated.
He added that this morning held talks with new Asean secretary-general Kao Kim Hourn and requested that forest fires be discussed among member countries affected by this problem as he feared it could affect tourism.
The Foreign Ministry too will consult with ambassadors and related agencies about this issue.
CAPTION:
Firefighting helicopters helping put out the huge blaze, above and Front page, as it continues to rage across Nakhon Nayok mountains, below. Photo: JS100.com
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