Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s remark earlier this week that a burst dam in southern Thailand had worsen the flood situation in Kelantan has bemused many Thais.

“If the dam had burst here, I would die first before the water even reaches Kelantan,” laughed Muhammad Abub Patan, a journalist based in southern Thailand’s Yala province which borders Kedah and Perak.

On Monday, Najib said that a burst dam in southern Thailand had exacerbated the flood situation in Kelantan.

“I was told that the broken dam has caused a higher volume of water to enter Sungai Golok and move towards Rantau Panjang and other adjacent areas,” he was quoted as saying by the Star.

“The situation may worsen the floods in Kelantan,” he added.

Like Malaysia, Thailand’s three southernmost provinces - Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat - are also hit by severe flooding due heavy rains from the monsoon season, killing at least three villagers.

Across the border, the floods in Kelantan has resulted in the deaths of 14 people while some 8,500 people were forced to flee their homes.

However, head of government relief unit in Narathiwat province - which borders Kelantan - Suwat Musikapong has denied that the dam had burst.

According to him, there is only one dam in Thailand’s three southernmost provinces - the Bang Lang Dam in Yala’s Betong district.

Meanwhile Nipol Arunsri, an engineer in charge of the electricity generating plant at the Bang Lang dam, said the heavy rain had exceeded the level of water which the dam could hold.

Resulting from this, the authorities opened a spillway to release water from the dam causing higher water levels in nearby rivers.

Hot debate on the Net

Suwat maintained that the high water level in Sungai Golok - which forms part of the Thai border with Kelantan - was mainly due to heavy rain.

“The reason for the rapid increasing water level in Sungai Golok is due to the heavy rain in the past few weeks, especially in the areas around the Sankalakiri Mountains.

“The water from the mountains flow to the sea at Takbai district in Narathiwat province, causing high tide and flood along the Sungai Golok riverbank.

“At the same time, there has been heavy rain on the Malaysian side as well. That has caused floods on both sides of the river,” the explained.

Najib’s ‘burst dam’ remark has also generated heated discussions on the Internet, including in popular Thai website, Manager Online.

“It is a pity that the Malaysian government could not make its citizens understand that the cause of the flood is heavy rain,” a reader wrote in the website.

“What’s wrong with Malaysia?” another reader asked. “Confused?”