The Democrat Party plans to sue the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) at the Administrative Court over alleged negligence during the Bangkok floods, and to demand full compensation for victims.
Party spokesperson Phongsakorn Khwanmueang said on 25 October that the party has told its legal team to draft the complaint urgently. He said the case targets state agencies that failed to carry out their legal duties, causing serious harm to lives and property.
Phongsakorn argued the flooding was not caused by heavy rain alone. He blamed poor management, including a failure to drain water in advance to full capacity, broken water pumps, late warnings, city planning problems and the case of the missing Khlong Khu Bon canal.
He noted that a BMA deputy governor has admitted residents were not properly warned. He said an apology cannot make up for losses already suffered.
The spokesperson also said government relief does not match the reality on the ground. Residents suffered damage to homes, vehicles and belongings worth hundreds of thousands of baht, but received only a few thousand.
Payments are 5,000 baht (US$148) for homes surrounded by floodwater and 9,000 baht (US$267) for homes where water entered. Owners of flood-damaged cars received almost nothing, he said.
Many residents have been forced to borrow money to repair their homes and restart their lives, through no fault of their own, Phongsakorn said. He described the damage as the result of state negligence.
The party wants the lawsuit to force the agencies to pay damages and compensate residents fairly. It also aims to set a legal precedent so people can claim justice from the state in future.
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