gotlost Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 The Bangkok Post on their breaking is reporting that the USA has donated 50,000 USD to the Thai Red Cross for flood relief and has instructed its embassies world wide for help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farang000999 Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 I don't get it. Isn't the US government in massive debt whereas Thailand enjoys little debt and huge a trade surplus? Why is the US gov always giving stuff away to anyone and everyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 I don't get it. Isn't the US government in massive debt whereas Thailand enjoys little debt and huge a trade surplus? Why is the US gov always giving stuff away to anyone and everyone? That's simplistic thinking. While it is true the US has a large federal debt, it is still the largest economy in the world and Thailand's biggest trading partner. 50K USD is indeed a rather embarrassingly small amount of aid though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonrakers Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 50k??? Surely there's a typo somewhere Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lannarebirth Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 (edited) You can all do your part and build your child's knowledge and vocabulary at the same time: http://www.freerice.com/category Edited October 23, 2010 by lannarebirth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Englander Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 I don't get it. Isn't the US government in massive debt whereas Thailand enjoys little debt and huge a trade surplus? Why is the US gov always giving stuff away to anyone and everyone? That's simplistic thinking. While it is true the US has a large federal debt, it is still the largest economy in the world and Thailand's biggest trading partner. 50K USD is indeed a rather embarrassingly small amount of aid though. So aswell as having one sided trade agreements in Thailands favour, the US should also give Thailand further aid for a minor problem. Id be willing to bet this money will go straight on a downpayment for a BMW for some politician. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 I don't get it. Isn't the US government in massive debt whereas Thailand enjoys little debt and huge a trade surplus? Why is the US gov always giving stuff away to anyone and everyone? That's simplistic thinking. While it is true the US has a large federal debt, it is still the largest economy in the world and Thailand's biggest trading partner. 50K USD is indeed a rather embarrassingly small amount of aid though. So aswell as having one sided trade agreements in Thailands favour, the US should also give Thailand further aid for a minor problem. Id be willing to bet this money will go straight on a downpayment for a BMW for some politician. Whatever. I'm not quite that cynical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thanyaburi Mac Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 I don't get it. Isn't the US government in massive debt whereas Thailand enjoys little debt and huge a trade surplus? Why is the US gov always giving stuff away to anyone and everyone? That's simplistic thinking. While it is true the US has a large federal debt, it is still the largest economy in the world and Thailand's biggest trading partner. 50K USD is indeed a rather embarrassingly small amount of aid though. Jingthing FYI, that's the limit that a U.S. ambassador can authorize out of USAID OFDA (Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance) funds without permission, and a lot of paperwork, a whole lot (!), on his/her own say-so. Mac Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdnvic Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 One personal insult deleted. Keep it civil please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a51mas Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 So aswell as having one sided trade agreements in Thailands favour, the US should also give Thailand further aid for a minor problem. Id be willing to bet this money will go straight on a downpayment for a BMW for some politician. I'm sure there is nothing to brag about the politicians in your country. (see the news about the house of lord today?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flying Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 (edited) I don't get it. Isn't the US government in massive debt whereas Thailand enjoys little debt and huge a trade surplus? Why is the US gov always giving stuff away to anyone and everyone? It is because the US holds a technology..... it is called a printing press. The dollar is backed by nothing....Only the USA have no reserve currency due to it holding the world reserve currency status & all the bennies that go with that position. As such it is not a problem....shoot 50k? I doubt they even spun the press one rev. Probably just picked that up off the cutting room floor Edited October 23, 2010 by flying Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geriatrickid Posted October 24, 2010 Share Posted October 24, 2010 Why is any foreign nation expected to donate money considering the past experience with disaster relief? I'm not being a smart ass, but a realist. Considering the theft of funds subsequent to the tsunami, how can any prudent charity be willing to donate now? Minister Korn claims the economy is robust and that all is well. ok then, so what the <deleted> is Thailand doing making the rounds asking for foreign aid? Yes, the floods are devastating but Thailand should be able to handle it. PM Abhisit is not out in front dealing with this crisis. He's kept a low profile. Let him get his hands dirty first. Let the wealthy Bangkok oligarchy dig into their pockets first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SergeiY Posted October 24, 2010 Share Posted October 24, 2010 PM Abhisit is not out in front dealing with this crisis. He's kept a low profile. Let him get his hands dirty first. Let the wealthy Bangkok oligarchy dig into their pockets first. He is out there. At least he shows his face around, but what would exactly expect from a politician or PM to do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geriatrickid Posted October 24, 2010 Share Posted October 24, 2010 (edited) PM Abhisit is not out in front dealing with this crisis. He's kept a low profile. Let him get his hands dirty first. Let the wealthy Bangkok oligarchy dig into their pockets first. He is out there. At least he shows his face around, but what would exactly expect from a politician or PM to do? The Cabinet was warned that there were going to be floods, although the quantums were not known at the time. However, there should have been a contingency plan in place based upon a catastrophe model. This is what Singapore does, this is what Malaysia does and this is what China does. Prime Minister Abhisit made a photo op visit to Nakhon Ratchasima. Do you know what he did? He said he would gather all means of relief resources andwould report the flood situation assessment to the Cabinet on Tuesday before setting up a working group to help the victims. Some regulations will be exempted so that aid will reach them as soon as possible. (As reported in the government PR organ The Nation.) That is not how catastrophe response is done. The first role of the PM is to demonstrate self assuredness, a positive position and that things are being done now. Victims need to know that help is on the way, not that the cabinet will meet at a later date to consider an assessment. 1.4 million people are stimated to have lost everything. Crops are destroyed, livestock lost, and the meager possessions of the rural poor lost. The public pronouncements that a war room is set up for Bangkok, but no war room for the rest of Thailand sends a terrible message. it says, hey Bangkok is more important and you rural people just go manage on your own. There is a way of reassuring Bangkok residents without giving the finger to everyone else. All that PM Abhisit has done is laid the foundation for more unrest. The fact that Thailand is taking money from foreign governments so early in this crisis speaks volumes. How is it that India with its grinding poverty and inadequate infrastructure is able to respond to natural disasters far worse than the floods without taking foreign aid? There is something dreadfully wrong when PM Abhisit states that Cabinet will also review the efficiency of the existing flood warning system. There was severe flooding in 2001. PM Abhisit should have been looking at the flooding issue before monsoon season since the flood system deficiencies were already seen in 2001. PM Abhisit needs to study the lesson of the recent Chile mine disaster. The Chilean PM Pinera was able to keep despair away and hopes up in a non partisan way. One cabinet minister was tasked with the mine rescue. Where exactly is the responsible minister in Thailand? Who is co-ordinating the relief efforts or will we have another ministry vs. ministry turf war? The money foreign governments donate will receive the same treatment as those funds donated after the tsunami. Nothing has changed since then. Edited October 24, 2010 by geriatrickid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webfact Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 topic runs here: //CLOSED// Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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