Flood of blame - Bangkok Post

Re: "Govt, BMA under fire for response", (BP, Oct 4).

Generally, there's much anger in this country about the government having dropped the ball many times regarding the recent floods.

On the one hand, the authorities have blundered with shortcomings in preparation (clogged khlongs, defective pumps, fragmented management/coordination and urban development) and communication (everything is "under control"), to name but a few.

On the other hand, however, isn't this matter also a case of a textbook example of an "Act of God"? After all, the combination of spring tides, full reservoirs that are forced to discharge, and extreme rainfall peaks (300 mm in 48 hours) would be hard to deal with in any country, including the Netherlands with sound and well-known water management.