The government should quickly and efficiently provide centralised and reliable flood updates on television, radio, mobile phones and other media on a regular basis to avoid confusion, panic and exacerbating the damage already done, National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) member Supinya Klangnarong said yesterday.

"Information on an hourly basis would help, or even [news tickers] on television, so people can feel reassured," Supinya told The Nation by phone.

Supinya, a media-reform activist, said the NBTC had contacted the government, but there seemed to be a lack of leadership among government officials at the moment. "What is lacking is a trustworthy voice," she said, adding that it's the government's responsibility to issue timely updates and warnings.

Supinya urged television channels to pool their resources so that coverage isn't duplicated. "It's up to the Broadcasting Journalists Association to decide," she said. As for online social media such as Twitter, of which Supinya is an active user, the commissioner urged people of various political stripes to "calm down" and not get bogged down in attacking one another.

Bangkok, she warned, would have to deal at some stage with the question of why it is necessary to sacrifice other areas by allowing them to be flooded in order to save the capital. The matter would have to be addressed "decisively" by the government, she said.