Flood Measures Must Be Swiftly Implemented: Thai Opinion

[webfact]

EDITORIAL

Flood measures must be swiftly implemented

The Nation

With ruling backing loan decree for flood plan, govt has no excuse to fail

BANGKOK: -- The government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has won a "second chance" to deal with the flood crisis after the Constitution Court gave a green light to its decree to permit Bt350 billion in loans for flood prevention work. Now, the government has no excuse to fail its mission.

The Yingluck government is now equipped with massive resources to implement its flood prevention plan and relief efforts. There must be no further delay to execute water

management projects, as the government had earlier pledged to do.

However, prospects to date are not so promising. The government has not made satisfactory progress, even though many academics and experts floated many ideas for flood prevention and relief after the massive deluge struck lower central Thailand last year.

There has been talk of building flood barriers, flood ways, beltways, embankment walls and water holding areas. While these projects have not been executed, there has been confusions over what the government plans to do with sites deemed to be water-holding area.

The Constitution Court's ruling should give the government a free hand to deal with the issue. Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Kittiratt Na Ranong said the Ministry would borrow about Bt90 billion to fund flood-barrier construction and catchment areas. Kittiratt said that the Bt350-billion in funds, plus some current fiscal spending, would be adequate to deal with flood disaster prevention.

However, business groups adversely affected by last year's huge flood were not quite convinced the country would be immune from flooding. President of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce in Thailand Kyoichi Tanada said last week said that Japanese investors were concerned whether the government would be able to prevent further flooding this year.

Local business sector concerned

Local business people are also concerned about government readiness to deal with the flood, in spite of the Constitution Court's ruling. They are want projects implemented quickly to ensure that prevention plans are effective and achievable.

However, a series of recent events has not enhanced public confidence.

Public interest in the controversial meeting between Yingluck and a group of businessmen at the Four Seasons Hotel on February 8 has shifted to ethical conduct and whether this group of businessmen received any privileged information from the exclusive meeting with the premier.

The Ombudsman's Office has agreed to look into a petition filed by a group of MPs on why Yingluck had to skip a parliamentary session to privately meet businessmen, most of were from the property sector. Yingluck claimed earlier that she had discussed flood prevention and floodways with them. But her explanation could not expel sceptics' doubts. That is partly because Yingluck's family business is also in real estate.

Any insightful knowledge about the areas earmarked as part of the government's flood prevention programme could benefit property investors.

Apart from clearing the issue with the public, the Yingluck government thus has no room to fail in its water management mission this year. The government should now be equipped with experience in dealing with a massive deluge. Water experts and education institutes are readily available to assist. In addition, nature should be "on side" this year because it is expected that the amount of rainfall will be less than the previous year.

Given the Yingluck government's inability to cope with the flood crisis last year, it has to prove to the public that it is up to the task. But with all support the government has been offered, even a flood of half the magnitude would be considered as an absolute failure.

Yingluck has given the benefit of doubt from the public because of her gender and inexperience last year. But if her government can't get things right this year, she's hardly likely to get any further chances.

-- The Nation 2012-02-27

[whybother]

The government would have been hoping that the decrees were struck down by the courts, so they could blame their failures on the opposition. Now who will they blame?

[chrisinth]

It amazes me that statements like "However, prospects to date are not so promising" have been used in this article. Do eople think that the proposed "fixes" are going to happen overnight?

"There has been talk of building flood barriers, flood ways, beltways, embankment walls and water holding areas. While these projects have not been executed, there has been confusions over what the government plans to do with sites deemed to be water-holding area."

None of these proposals are short term, and if they are implemented in the short term, they will not last.

"The Yingluck government is now equipped with massive resources to implement its flood prevention plan and relief efforts. There must be no further delay to execute water"

Without a proper plan, the massive resources are irrelivant. If the projects are rushed, foundations not allowed to cure, etc., then this will come back and bite deeply.

It will be interesting to see who has the balls to tell the government they (the engineers) will be ready when they are ready, and not to use the flood situation as a vote gainer. Of course this is not going to happen.

Again, this is not short term and will likely run into the next governments tenure.

[bumpkin]

This should not be a political issue, only in as far as the allocation of sufficent resources and the appointment of a qualified team of experienced experts to manage every aspect of this project. Flood prevention is a technical matter. The quality of the work must take priority over it's speed of completion. This is no excuse for delay, but an encouragement to well meaning politicians to do the right thing.

[exeter]

This would and should have been a great headline about 4 months ago. So how long have we got for the kick off this year?

[MEL1]

Flood measures must be swiftly implemented

Well I never!

-mel.

[exeter]

Anyone want to buy a 2nd hand Ark?

[MEL1]

Anyone want to buy a 2nd hand Ark?

Whilst we are at it, I sell waterproof underwear and drip free make-up. Any offers from the ladyboys?

-mel.

[thanchart]

The government would have been hoping that the decrees were struck down by the courts, so they could blame their failures on the opposition. Now who will they blame?

why do u say this? It;s kind of Damned if U do and Damned of U Don't is it not?

1st they were already guiltly of corruption when they wanted to do the Public Debt transfer. Now that ot got passed, it's now ca case of they wished they hadn't done it because they have no one else to blame.

Really why not try to put up a realsitc counter proposal and see if it make sense.If it is so great, you might just be invited for a hearing by the PM - what a way to controbute to this country you call home them. They should then offer you citizenship on a silver platter

[whybother]

The government would have been hoping that the decrees were struck down by the courts, so they could blame their failures on the opposition. Now who will they blame?

why do u say this? It;s kind of Damned if U do and Damned of U Don't is it not?

1st they were already guiltly of corruption when they wanted to do the Public Debt transfer. Now that ot got passed, it's now ca case of they wished they hadn't done it because they have no one else to blame.

Really why not try to put up a realsitc counter proposal and see if it make sense.If it is so great, you might just be invited for a hearing by the PM - what a way to controbute to this country you call home them. They should then offer you citizenship on a silver platter

Why are they guilty of corruption because of the debt transfer?

The emergency decree for the debt transfer and loan was wrong because it shouldn't have been an emergency decree (although the constitution court have decided that it is an emergency). It should have be debated and passed in parliament.

The fact is, no matter how much money they have to use, they are not going to be able to spend it (legitimately) in time for it to be of any use anyway. There simply isn't enough time to do what is needed to do if it floods badly again this year.

If the courts had decided not to allow the emergency decrees, the PTP would have been able to blame the opposition for things not happening.