Thai Govt Provides Bt5bln To Build Dykes For Industrial Estates

[webfact]

Govt provides Bt5bln to build dykes for industrial estates

BANGKOK, March 17 - The Thai government will partly fund construction of a series of flood-protection dykes around all industrial estates with the budget of five billion baht, Payungsak Chartsutipol, Chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) said today.

The Flood Recovery and Restoration Committee on Economy, Industry and Livelihood, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister/Finance Minister Kittirat Na-Ranong, on Friday agreed to allocate a portion of the state budget from the Bt350 billion loan decree to fund private sector projects to construct flood protection dykes around industrial estates at a ratio of 2:3 of the total cost of construction.

For the remainder of the cost, covered by entrepreneurs themselves, they can apply for loans from the Government Savings Bank at a 0.01 per cent interest rate and the debt repayment period will be extended from seven to 15 years.

The move is aimed to build confidence among investors in addition to helping the private sector. If the dyke construction plan is tangible, the insurance premiums that the entrepreneurs will pay will also drop, Mr Payungsak said.

Meanwhile, the construction plan must be clearly explained to local residents so they understand the dykes will not block floodways and will not affect the residents.

All industrial estates are expected to finish building the flood-prevention walls by the end of August.

Late last year, major industrial zones in Thailand central provinces, in particular Ayutthaya and Pathum Thani, were hard hit by the country’s worst floods in decades and were forced to halt operations for months. (MCOT online news)

Photo Credit: Stop Global Warming Associaiton website http://www.thaisgwa.com/

-- TNA 2012-03-17

[MEL1]

Now would this dyke land be the land discussed, and bought, recently by investors who met at a certain hotel?

-mel.

[whybother]

Now would this dyke land be the land discussed, and bought, recently by investors who met at a certain hotel?

-mel.

No. It would be around existing industrial estates.

[WackySomchai]

Building islands which cannot be reached by workers or suppliers. What is the next great move by this impotent government.

[anterian]

"Building islands which cannot be reached by workers or suppliers", it would be a poor CEO who hadn't recognised this problem and reached a solution. If I can think of several I'm sure they can.

[rubl]

"Building islands which cannot be reached by workers or suppliers", it would be a poor CEO who hadn't recognised this problem and reached a solution. If I can think of several I'm sure they can.

Boats? Dykes to non-flooded areas? But don't worry "Meanwhile, the construction plan must be clearly explained to local residents so they understand the dykes will not block floodways and will not affect the residents."

[Paul1Kanya]

Does anyone know which companies/organisations are being awarded the contracts?

Cynical maybe but, these large jobs so often to go to the same family and/or interest groups with others excluded from the bidding contest resulting in unfinished or sub standard work.

The eyes of the world are on you chaps so transparency should be seen to be seen with proper checks and balances in place.

Paul1

[anterian]

"Building islands which cannot be reached by workers or suppliers", it would be a poor CEO who hadn't recognised this problem and reached a solution. If I can think of several I'm sure they can.

Boats? Dykes to non-flooded areas? But don't worry "Meanwhile, the construction plan must be clearly explained to local residents so they understand the dykes will not block floodways and will not affect the residents."

Indeed so, so what point are you trying to make? Is it disbelief that floodways will not be blocked or that residents will not be affected? Both are possible and both can be planned for, hence the meetings with local residents. My tambon has already had several meetings to plan for various scenarios.

[rubl]

"Building islands which cannot be reached by workers or suppliers", it would be a poor CEO who hadn't recognised this problem and reached a solution. If I can think of several I'm sure they can.

Boats? Dykes to non-flooded areas? But don't worry "Meanwhile, the construction plan must be clearly explained to local residents so they understand the dykes will not block floodways and will not affect the residents."

Indeed so, so what point are you trying to make? Is it disbelief that floodways will not be blocked or that residents will not be affected? Both are possible and both can be planned for, hence the meetings with local residents. My tambon has already had several meetings to plan for various scenarios.

The topic is only 'dykes around Industrial Estates'. When flooding occurs the estate is dry, but surrounded by water. Problems with getting workers to/from and goods transported to/from. A dyke to dry land needs many floodgates in order not to block flowing water too much, a road on poles might be a better idea.

All this possible, but only parts planned. Impossible to have all ready before October this year.

[snooky]

dyke

²    [dahyk] Show IPA

noun Slang: Disparaging and Offensive .

a female homosexual; lesbian.

There certainly are enough here in Bangkok - how do you fit them all together tho ??

[Unkomoncents]

The Japanese are probably behind this in a major way. Good news for sure though. Go Thailand! The dykes are necessary, even if they isolate the industrial estates. One poster here, at least, seems to forget that the double-whammy for Honda and others was that operations not only shut down, but tons of expensive equipment and inventory had to be completely replaced. The dykes protect against a repeat of the latter, even if they do create little islands no one can get to (temporarily).

[anterian]

"Building islands which cannot be reached by workers or suppliers", it would be a poor CEO who hadn't recognised this problem and reached a solution. If I can think of several I'm sure they can.

Boats? Dykes to non-flooded areas? But don't worry "Meanwhile, the construction plan must be clearly explained to local residents so they understand the dykes will not block floodways and will not affect the residents."

Indeed so, so what point are you trying to make? Is it disbelief that floodways will not be blocked or that residents will not be affected? Both are possible and both can be planned for, hence the meetings with local residents. My tambon has already had several meetings to plan for various scenarios.

The topic is only 'dykes around Industrial Estates'. When flooding occurs the estate is dry, but surrounded by water. Problems with getting workers to/from and goods transported to/from. A dyke to dry land needs many floodgates in order not to block flowing water too much, a road on poles might be a better idea.

All this possible, but only parts planned. Impossible to have all ready before October this year.

Agreed, but the old saying is ,"nothing ventured, nothing gained". Various plans exist, the question is do the Thais, not just the government, but the workers as well, see the need for speedy implementation. Apart from this topic, just thoroughly cleaning existing waterways would be a dramatic improvement.

[fxe1200]

Let the workers die in the next flood, but save the industrial estates. Workers can be replaced.

[OZEMADE]

The Japanese Industrialists told Yingluck last week that they would not be keen on staying on in Thailand if they did not put up the Dykey, build walls and clean out canals around the Industrial estates to protect their interests. They lost Billions of dollars in the last floods because these estates were not protected. They lost thousands of cars Honda to mention one company, the tools and presses etc. Computer and other component parts were under water effecting thousands of companies and their staff all over the world.

The whole idea is to protect these estates so as they can go back into production immediately the threat has gone.

It's good to see the P.M.Yingluck Government have taken notice of the Industrialists and got the ball rolling. Good on her.

Edited March 17, 2012 by OZEMADE

[thanchart]

Building islands which cannot be reached by workers or suppliers. What is the next great move by this impotent government.

Think Deeper. The amount of money & recovery time it would save by not having to replace flooded machines with new ones and production facilities destroyed again would already lead to a faster and less scostly recovery, unlike last year, Of course if electricity isis still avaiable to operate the factories, I am sure we will find a way to get to work. That is the sasy part compated to rescusign whateer stuff we can salbvae during lat year;s floods - by boats and hands.And I am speaking as one who was affected in the Pathum Thani factories.

Are u anywhere in there too?

Edited March 18, 2012 by thanchart

[thanchart]

The Japanese are probably behind this in a major way. Good news for sure though. Go Thailand! The dykes are necessary, even if they isolate the industrial estates. One poster here, at least, seems to forget that the double-whammy for Honda and others was that operations not only shut down, but tons of expensive equipment and inventory had to be completely replaced. The dykes protect against a repeat of the latter, even if they do create little islands no one can get to (temporarily).

Yep Yep Yep, Exactly the feeling of someone who might be inside those islands. To get to work if there is still electricity? well when there is a will, thre will be a way Edited March 18, 2012 by thanchart

[birdpooguava]

Could those critics of a government that actually gets things done, please remind us what the Democrats put in place after the 2010 floods?

[rubl]

Could those critics of a government that actually gets things done, please remind us what the Democrats put in place after the 2010 floods?

Somehow they managed to put an end to the regular grenade attacks in Bangkok ?

[Thai at Heart]

Keeping the estates dry doesnt solve the issue. No one manufacturer can get all its suppliers inside the same estate. Theb only real solution is to move to higher ground.

You cant make a car without wheels or a phone with no ringer. They need to all en masse move to safer ground because it only needs one critical supplirr under water and the wholr process stops for them all.

Then add in the fact that the factory maybe dry but the critical widget supploer is 10 km away and the road is flooded and you need to be a genius to see the complete folly of beloeving that this wall will keep anything moving at all.

Pack up and go saraburi or khon kaen. Drizabone there