Bangkok governor clashes with councillor over collapsed building
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt engaged in a heated exchange with a councillor of the Bangkok Metropolitan Council (BMC) who urged him to step away from the scene of a collapsed building in the Chatuchak area. The councillor remarked, “You focus too much on the area where they are already dead.”
Chadchart and 50 BMC councillors attended a meeting at the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) City Hall yesterday, April 2. Before the meeting started, all members stood in silence for one minute in mourning for those who had died in the Myanmar earthquake.
Initially, the councillor representing the Chatuchak district suggested postponing several non-urgent agenda items so that Chadchart could return to the collapsed building site to oversee the ongoing rescue efforts. However, some members disagreed with this suggestion.
The 58 year old Bangkok chief insisted that he would remain at the meeting until 12.30pm, as he had already arranged to take leave afterwards to focus on the rescue operation. Consequently, the meeting proceeded as planned.
Aside from urgent topics related to the impact of the Myanmar earthquake and inspections of the structural stability of high-rise buildings in Bangkok, the councillor for Phaya Thai district, Peeraphon Kanokwalai, raised concerns about measures and preparations for an influenza outbreak in the city.
Peeraphon stated that from January 1 to March 1, there had been 160,000 reported cases of influenza in Bangkok. He emphasised that all Thai citizens were at risk and required better care from officials, particularly regarding vaccinations.
Peeraphon pointed out that not everyone could afford the influenza vaccine, which costs between 600 and 1,200 baht, leaving many Thais without access. He then asked Chadchart for his stance on the issue.
Chadchart assigned Deputy Governor Thawida Kamonwate to respond to Peeraphon’s queries, but the councillor appeared dissatisfied with the answer so adressed Chadchart directly.
“Those at risk are Thai citizens. You (Chadchart) must take better care of them. You focus too much on the area (of the collapsed building) where they are already dead. But what about the living Thai residents? You must ensure that vaccines are available for those still alive. Thank you.”
In response, Chadchart stood up and addressed Peeraphon.
“Please do not say that everyone has already died. We still have hope. I want to emphasise that we are still hopeful that there are survivors. So please do not speak in that manner. Their families still have hope.”
During the ongoing rescue operation at the collapsed building in Chatuchak, Chadchart reiterated to the media that the mission had no fixed deadline and that all personnel should focus solely on the possibility of finding survivors.
Last night, a rescue team received a response from a survivor trapped beneath the rubble. The team suspected there was a space beneath a concrete slab and worked urgently to remove it to rescue those still inside.
At present, of those trapped inside the building, 15 have been confirmed dead, while at least 72 people remain unaccounted for.
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