Surapong defended Yingluck Shinawatra, the ex-Pheu Thai prime minister, over the controversy, saying she had not taken office when the flooding occurred.

He said the Democrat Party’s Abhisit government was in power at the time.

Former Democrat MP Atthawit Suwannapakdee said he would submit information to the National Anti-Corruption Commission yesterday, alleging the Yingluck government had a role in the water mismanagement shortly after it won office in 2011.

He claimed that before the House dissolution in May 2011 water-storage levels in major dams were relatively normal.

He alleged that concerned agencies were instructed to hold water in dams despite the prospect of Thailand being hit by severe weather.

Atthawit said the subsequent heavy rains resulted in excessive water levels in the dams, which was discharged and was partly to blame for the severe flooding.

He viewed this as water mismanagement, and speculated that the decision not to reduce the dam levels was linked to the government’s rice policy.

However, Surapong said that during this period the Abhisit government acted as the interim administration.

Surapong also called for a probe into the current military government over its role in responding heavy rainfall and flooding in many parts of the country.

National Anti-Corruption Commission member Supa Piyajitti remains chair of the NACC subpanel probing the 2011 floods, despite Pheu Thai calling for his removal, according to a source.

Supa earlier announced her withdrawal from the case concerning the Yingluck government’s role in state procurements for what was described as the sake of transparency. She has five more cases concerningYingluck to probe.

So far, the NACC has dropped two cases against Yingluck, with 13 remaining.