On The Third Hand

As I detailed yesterday a claim has been filed in a NYC federal court seeking redress for those thought to be culpable in the Indian Ocean tsunami disaster. The court brief claims the respondents are culpable and failed to act in a manner that afforded the best opportunity for those in the path of the tsunami to react and get to higher ground.

As a result of the lawsuit the expected has occured. Thailands public officials are running for cover. Thailand has shelved a detailed tsunami study to protect its government against the lawsuit.

The seismologist in charge of the Thai government’s investigation said yesterday that his report will now be kept from public scrutiny, and that its conclusions would never be put in writing. Samith Dhammasaroj told a Bangkok press conference that it was his patriotic duty to prevent leaks of information which might be used to substantiate the charges of “serious lapses” filed against the government of Thailand in a New York district court last week.
[…]
Mr Samith, who was ridiculed during the 1990s when he twice warned Thailand about the possibility of tsunamis striking its beaches, was appointed by the Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, to set up an early warning system and to investigate events in Thailand during the Boxing Day disaster. After the disaster, the scientist agonised in public about his inability to reach officials and raise the alarm after he realised the dire consequences of the underwater earthquake.

“I tried to call the director-general of the meteorological office, but his phone was always busy,” Mr Samith said. “I tried to phone the office, but it was a Sunday morning and no one was there. I knew that one day we would have this type of tsunami. Everyone laughed at me and said I was a bad guy who wanted to ruin the tourist industry.”

And a very big “thank you” (excuse the spelling, that should be FU) to Dr. Herwig Hasslacher, Dr. Gerhard Podovsovnik and their fellow lawyer, err.. barrister… err… shyster (more commonly known as pettifoggers) Ed Fagan for delaying an important piece of the investigation, and also preventing the public airing of it’s contents. The results of which could reassure Thai citizens and tourists that preventive measures have been taken.

As a side note, the highlighted quotes also provide more proof the Thai government did receive warnings and relieves the the US based NOAA of culpability.

Take that pettifoggers!

Cross posted within the Cranial Cavity