Virabongsa Needs To Build Consensus: Thai Opinion

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BURNING ISSUE

Virabongsa needs to build consensus

Avudh Panananda

The Nation

Today sees the crucial first meeting of the Strategic Committee for Reconstruction and Future Development (SCRF), a watershed to signal whether the country will sink or swim in the face of the catastrophic flooding.

This year's seasonal floods have caused untold damage, impacting on the livelihoods of almost 3 million people, inflicting more than 530 deaths, wreaking havoc on the farmland of the Chao Phraya River basin and disrupting the worldwide supply chain for several key industries.

At issue is not the flooding, which is a natural phenomenon, but the confidence in future flood control.

The SCRF, led by Virabongsa Ramangkura, has a daunting task to prove the country's unwavering determination to prevent a repeat of flooding calamities.

Based on initial estimates, the cost of rebuilding and future flood control might range from Bt300 billion to more than a trillion baht. But money is not a problem. The economy enjoys a strong treasury reserve and a healthy balance of payments, while international financial institutions have offered concessionary lending terms.

In regard to technical know-how, the country can choose among several successful models on water management. Drainage experience in Japan, the United States and the Netherlands could be applicable.

Virabongsa is likely to find out that mobilising resources for flood control is the least of his worries. He will, however, encounter a most difficult challenge in forming a political consensus to implement flood-control measures.

Even the best-laid strategy would collapse like a house of cards without the necesary political backing. Unless Virabongsa can demonstrate that he is able to build confidence and consensus, the SCRF will end up in the history bin as a failed publicity stunt.

The genesis of how the SCRF was formed might be the telltale sign to remind Virabongsa how to tread the political waters.

Last week, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra issued the order to form the SCRF and the Strategic Committee for Water Resources Management (SCWRM). Under her instruction, the two committees are supposed to work in concert to overcome the flood crisis.

Government insiders said the blueprint for the two panels came directly from former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, whose former adviser Pansak Vinyaratn played a lead role in drafting it. Pansak is also an SCRF member.

The blueprint was designed to achieve two objectives - shore up confidence in Yingluck's leadership, and convince investors about the commitment on future flood control.

As Yingluck and her Pheu Thai Party no longer had credibility on flood control, Thaksin reluctantly agreed to recruit Virabongsa to head the SCRF, with the prime minister set to play a supporting role for Virabongsa via the SCWRM.

Thaksin gave the green light to sideline the main coalition party so that the bureaucracy, via the National Economic and Social Development Board, could take the lead in mapping out the rebuilding strategy.

He also supported the royal initiatives on flood control as the basis for rebuilding efforts, as evidenced by the appointments of Sumeth Tantivejkul, Royon Chitdon and Kijja Polpasi. Sumeth and Royon are from the Geo and Agro Informatics Institute, a public organisation seen as close to His Majesty the King, while Kijja is adviser to the royal-initiated projects.

Unfolding events will reveal whether Thaksin is sincere in allowing the technocrats to take charge of rebuilding. Or he might be using them as props to sway sentiment in the face of Yingluck's nose-diving popularity.

Many suspect the ex-PM might be pulling the strings via Deputy Prime Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong and Pansak.

If Virabongsa is to succeed in pulling the country out of its worst flood crisis and potentially an even more disastrous one in the future, then he is obligated to work in sync with Thaksin, Yingluck and the Pheu Thai Party in consensus-forming for flood-control strategy.

-- The Nation 2011-11-15

[Sydebolle]

Well, I just wait for the creation of COCOCs (Committee of committees of committees). You do not need an incapable prime minister to supervise two committees to work "in concert". There are things Thais are good in and there are things Thais are incapable of doing. One of it is acknowledging the aforementioned; Thais know everything better. Well, water dam management in particular nor waterdams in general were not invented here. Get professional expertise AND listen to what they say; then get their proposals into action without a zillion idiotic, self-profilic committees. How nice would Thailand be without all these governmental clowns? Too many clowns, too few circuses!

[wxyz]

the Yingluck / Thaksin Shinawatra government

as if everybody did not already know