Most Small And Medium-Sized Enterprises Make Own Anti-Flood Plans: Thai Survey

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FLOOD

Most SMEs make own anti-flood plans: survey

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A recent survey by Dhurakij Pundit University Research Centre (DPURC) found |that 66.4 per cent of the small and medium-sized enterprises surveyed said they had plans to cope with floods.

Confidence in the government’s flood management was down by 23.3 per cent, pushing the no-|confidence share of total respondents up to 75.4 per cent.

DPURC conducted a survey asking 418 SME owners about their perceptions and preparations for the floods. The survey was conducted between September 13 and 17, covering four provinces - Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani and Ayutthaya.

The unique feature of this survey was that 352 of 418 respondents took part in the previous survey on the same issues in February, thereby enabling a more precise comparison of changes in confidence over time.

When asked about their expectations on the severity of the flood this year compared with the same period in the previous year, 12.2 per cent said it would be less severe; 18.4 per cent expected it to be about the same; 33.5 per cent said it would be less than last year; 31.6 per cent believed there would be no flood this year; and 4.3 per cent were uncertain.

The respondents were asked to express their confidence in the government's ability to cope with the flood: 4.2 per cent said they were very confident; 20.4 per cent were somewhat confident; 55.6 per cent somewhat lacked confidence; and 19.8 per cent had no confidence.

The last two groups combined accounted for 75.4 per cent of total respondents. This is about 23.3 per cent lower than in DPURC's previous survey in February - it was 52.1 per cent then.

On their preparations for the floods, 66.4 per cent of the poll's respondents said they had plans to cope with the flood while 33.6 per cent did not have any plan.

Those respondents who said they had plans were interviewed further on their means of handling the impact from the flood: 53.3 per cent said they had backed up important data; 50 per cent had set aside some cash to ensure sufficient liquidity; 35 per cent relocated wires, equipment and raw materials to elevated areas; 31.7 per cent had secured a credit line; 30 per cent had built embankments or wall fortifications; 26.6 per cent had alternative logistics routes; 25 per cent had emergency evacuation plans; 21.7 per cent had an alternative site for production and operation' and 18.3 per cent had secured alternative sources of supplies.

Kiatanantha Lounkaew, the director of DPURC, said the results on flood preparedness indicated that SMEs had learned to employ several approaches concurrently to alleviate the impact from the floods.

However, no matter how prepared they said they were, there is a limit as to what an enterprise can do, Kiatanantha said.

Such limitations meant that the government had to make sure the current flooding would not escalate to such a magnitude that it would cause widespread damage as it did last year.

The government must realise that its already-fragile political stability is at stake, Kiatanantha said. A 23.2-per-cent decline in confidence on this issue in just six months revealed a lot about SMEs' perceptions on how the government had been running the country.

If a Bt3.5-trillion investment could not prevent the flood then nothing could prevent a further decline of confidence either.

-- The Nation 2012-09-21

[Thai at Heart]

Aha, uniquely we asked the same people to perform a survey, to calculate a change.

What a unique idea.....

[Thai at Heart]

Aha, uniquely we asked the same people to perform a survey, to calculate a change.

What a unique idea..... And if 3.5 trillion cant keep you confident, nothing will. Kaboomching:-)

[noitom]

Boy oh boy these Thais! Wow, do they have market research expertise or what. "Precise" results. They are right on the nose. Drill down, control the survey with the same sample,. Look at these Thais nailing it! Boy oh boy these Thais. They are something else. They know how to keep their eye on the ball. Boy oh boy, these Thais!

[asiawatcher]

Some survey - 400 people 4 provinces and these overwhelming percentages and results. The mind boggles.

[fareastguy]

I wonder what next years survey of the same people will indicate ??

[fakename]

How does a small business plan to cope with a flood? By moving the noodle cart to higher ground? This is all a big joke, I really doubt that anyone is going to cope with another big flood, secure a line of credit? stash away some money? If we get as much rain as last year, the results will be the same.

[whybother]

A recent survey ... found that 66.4 per cent of the small and medium-sized enterprises surveyed said they had plans to cope with floods.

The other 33.6% are idiots.