U N To Help On Disaster Aid To Thailand

[webfact]

UN to help on disaster aid

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- A new initiative to boost the country’s disaster management capacity was launched yesterday by the government and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The move aims to help the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) respond to large-scale floods and other natural disasters. It follows the huge floods last year that affected 11 million people in 64 provinces.

Department chief Wiboon Sanguanpong said: "Disaster severity is increasing and is impacting Thailand to a much greater extent. The partnership is a chance to enhance the level of knowledge and disaster management capacity here to international standards.

"DDPM staff need new knowledge and skills to deal with the increasing complexity."

The three-year initiative will strengthen DDPM capacity to adapt to disasters by boosting the capacity of both the department and related ministries to be better prepared to address climate change and environmental security issues.

The US$1.2 million (Bt37 million) initiative's goal is to reduce the vulnerability of millions of people affected in 2011 to future flooding.

In assessing Thailand's flood response, the UNDP and DDPM discovered a number of challenges to disaster management systems. Few anticipated a flood as big as the one in 2011, so existing policies had limited capacity to assist in a range of rescue and recovery work. Post-disaster assessments could have been better conducted to understand recovery needs.

UNDP has been working with the government for about a year with experts at DDPM to give on-the-spot advice.

Luc Stevens, the UNDP representative in Thailand, said: "This is a partnership as much as it is a project signing. The DDPM has been involved from the project's conception and their plans for implementation."

Thailand ranks as the seventh most flood-prone country in the world. By 2030, climate change is projected to place Thailand as the fourth most affected country.

-- The Nation 2012-09-26

[LuckyLew]

Let me guess, the UN will operate as they do for every other disaster

They will send an advance team to investigate

They will spend three weeks surveying the damage

Then they will create a report and the disaster

Then they will prepare everything

By the time they arrive to help, Thailand will be dry again

Sorry the UN is totally useless IMO

[PoodMaiDai]

Don't understand. This is Thailand's problem and are perfectly capable of dealing with it, just like they do/don't do every year.

Perhaps more focus should be put on preventing floods than giving press releasing saying there will be none.

[draggons]

Water water everywhere and not a drop to drink....................................................................................................

Floods what floods?

[jerrysteve]

Whose pockets this time will the aid go into this time

[jerrysteve]

The UN IS about as useless as TITS ON A BOAR Edited September 26, 2012 by jerrysteve

[noitom]

Th UNDP representative in Thailand, said: "This is a partnership as much as it is a project signing. The DDPM has been involved from the project's conception and their plans for implementation."

My guess is that this is a euphemism for distributing some UN funds to various Thai politicians. They'll need a 497 "feasibility" report done by some consulting. Lots of cut and paste and global economic mumbo jumbo. Then the consulting feasibility study will report that they spend the rest of the money with various Thai government organizations. No accountability, evaluation of success, or bank deposit and withdrawal notations will ever be produced.

My further guess is that this is the last Thai newspaper or any newspaper article that we will ever read on this $1.2 Million USD.

[slapout]

If they have been giving 'on the spot advice' for a year, how much of this advice has been heeded?

Thailand not being prepared, had limited capacity to assist nor assess the needs, has been pertty well agreed upon and it did not take a year of study to determine this. The partnership for the 1.2 us expense money. can continue with these groundbreaking findings over lunch and dinners at various venues, where they can look down on the flooded sois from on high and give another report next year.

[fareastguy]

In assessing Thailand's flood response, the UNDP and DDPM discovered a number of challenges to disaster management system.

The biggest being Khun Plod !!

[Markaew]

We went through this last year during the flood. The US parked a carrier off of Thailand and offered help but Thailand rejected their help. What is different this time? Of course, the Thais will take any money which will translate into no improvements and personal bank accounts will be enriched. The world cannot be totally oblivious to what happens in Thailand yet the UN is speaking of flood aid. I suppose I missed the point, the money is meant for the corrupt here.

Edited September 26, 2012 by Markaew

[brianP]

When that Dutch engineer volunteered to help and the govt. turned him down, i knew trouble was ahead. I could not figure how it would hurt to be helped and now i see, more international money to be had. Money wins out over the right thing to do every time here politically. I thought it was the shallow practice of saving face,but a hidden agenda surface's! Oh well, the Dutch have only had hundreds of years to survive flooding, successfully, what could they do but stop the problem and the money it brings in! People vs. money and the winner is.

[brianP]

Th UNDP representative in Thailand, said: "This is a partnership as much as it is a project signing. The DDPM has been involved from the project's conception and their plans for implementation."

My guess is that this is a euphemism for distributing some UN funds to various Thai politicians. They'll need a 497 "feasibility" report done by some consulting. Lots of cut and paste and global economic mumbo jumbo. Then the consulting feasibility study will report that they spend the rest of the money with various Thai government organizations. No accountability, evaluation of success, or bank deposit and withdrawal notations will ever be produced.

My further guess is that this is the last Thai newspaper or any newspaper article that we will ever read on this $1.2 Million USD.

The irony here is the 1.2 mil would only feed USA's Illegal aliens on welfare 1 meal in California. But all parasites need to be fed to survive.

POLITICS= poly-=many\ tics-=parasites,translation many parasites,politics

[bigbamboo]

When that Dutch engineer volunteered to help and the govt. turned him down, i knew trouble was ahead. I could not figure how it would hurt to be helped and now i see, more international money to be had. Money wins out over the right thing to do every time here politically. I thought it was the shallow practice of saving face,but a hidden agenda surface's! Oh well, the Dutch have only had hundreds of years to survive flooding, successfully, what could they do but stop the problem and the money it brings in! People vs. money and the winner is.

As with the tsunami as well where practical help was offered largely in the form of construction and manpower but not actual cash money. That assistance would of course have benefitted the people effected by the disaster but not those hoping to 'organise' it.

[jerrysteve]

I AM NOT THE UN, or THE USA, but I would be a bit hesitant on releasing any more funds unless this construction work or engineering work

was done by outside foregin contractors who know what they are doing. Also, the monies given need to be fully accounted for.

I don't know how many of you expats were here during the large amount of destruction during the Tidal Wave years back, but millions and millions

of aid dollars from the international community pour in with of boat loads of money.

There was never any accounting from Thailand of where all that money went, and based on the little amount of reconstruction for the many

who lost their properties not to mention the ones who lost their lives...very little of that money reached its target.

Edited September 26, 2012 by jerrysteve

[DeepInTheForest]

When that Dutch engineer volunteered to help and the govt. turned him down, i knew trouble was ahead. I could not figure how it would hurt to be helped and now i see, more international money to be had. Money wins out over the right thing to do every time here politically. I thought it was the shallow practice of saving face,but a hidden agenda surface's! Oh well, the Dutch have only had hundreds of years to survive flooding, successfully, what could they do but stop the problem and the money it brings in! People vs. money and the winner is.

When that Dutch engineer volunteered to help and the govt. turned him down, i knew trouble was ahead.

from the "Dutch Water Sector" website, www.dutchwatersector.com :

Dutch authorities helped Thai authorities to combat Bangkok floods

“Not re-active but pro-active, that’s the way we have assisted the Flood Relief Operations Center in Bangkok”, recall Adri Verwey and Tjitte Nauta of the research and specialist consultancy institute Deltares for coastal areas and river basins.

Initially the two Dutch flood experts were asked by chief of operations for evacuation and flood prevention, minister Plodprasop, to advise him and his staff only.

But as the flood crises intensified late October and Bangkok came under serious threat, more Thai authorities were involved. Verwey and Nauta saw their advisory role expanded to more ministries and other authorities such as the Royal Irrigation Department and the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority.

Verwey was frequently asked to attend top level meetings with the army staff and prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

Both flood experts look back on a very successful mission…

http://www.dutchwate...bangkok-floods/

Oh well, the Dutch have only had hundreds of years to survive flooding, successfully....

from wikipedia:

The 1953 North Sea flood (Dutch, Watersnoodramp, literally "flood disaster") was a major flood caused by a heavy storm, that occurred on the night of Saturday 31 January 1953 and morning of 1 February 1953....

The Netherlands, a country that is partly located below mean sea level and relies heavily on sea defences, was mainly affected, recording 1,836 deaths. Most of these casualties occurred in the southern province of Zeeland.

http://en.wikipedia....a_flood_of_1953

Edited September 26, 2012 by DeepInTheForest

[inthefareast]

I hope the U.N. keeps a close eye on the funds so it doesnt end up in the wrong hands....

[ramrod711]

Is anyone at the UN even aware of the corruption that took place in Thailand in 2004? This country is corrupt to the core, any aide that is offered will go into private bank accounts. I didn't think it was possible for me to have a lower opinion of the UN, but they surprised me again.

[osiboy]

I AM NOT THE UN, or THE USA, but I would be a bit hesitant on releasing any more funds unless this construction work or engineering work

was done by outside foregin contractors who know what they are doing. Also, the monies given need to be fully accounted for.

I don't know how many of you expats were here during the large amount of destruction during the Tidal Wave years back, but millions and millions

of aid dollars from the international community pour in with of boat loads of money.

There was never any accounting from Thailand of where all that money went, and based on the little amount of reconstruction for the many

who lost their properties not to mention the ones who lost their lives...very little of that money reached its target.

you never heard of the royal thai police ? AKA the boys in brown .... they stole millions from the tsunami relief fund, if you you ever want to donate anything to thais , give it in person , not to ANY gov;t body as that is as far as it will go ,...... the buck stops there !