Thailand wins ADB grant for water management, rail improvements

By Digital Media

BANGKOK, Jan 24 – The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has agreed to extend financial and technical assistance to Thailand on water management and rail development, a Finance Ministry senior official said today.

Areepong Bhoocha-oom, permanent secretary for finance, said the bank will help Thailand’s water management and disaster prevention project with an allocation of US$1.5 million.

The water management project will be mapped out under an ADB two-year guideline, starting this month, he said, adding that technical assistance to the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) will mainly involve a financial and accounting management system given the state enterprise’s future mega rail projects as part of the government’s Bt2.2 trillion loan.

The SRT needs a revamp to prepare for the major projects in the next seven years, he said.

Craig Steffensen, director of ADB Thailand, said the assistance is to gear Thailand’s master plan on water management in the same direction and to help attain the country’s goal of increasing rail transport from 2 per cent to 8 per cent in 2020.

The SRT needs drastic reform in light of an approved allocation of Bt176 billion to develop dual track systems and boost the efficiency of existing track, he said. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2013-01-24

This must be the joke of the year beginning!!!!

It;s April1st?

Oh well, NOW things will get rolling! thanks to these 1.5 million dollars. Obviously the previous 11 Billion U$$ PTP railroaded through last year were not enough.

I'm sure we will start seeing some real progress in that area soon.

Oh well, NOW things will get rolling! thanks to these 1.5 million dollars. Obviously the previous 11 Billion U$$ PTP railroaded through last year were not enough.

I'm sure we will start seeing some real progress in that area soon.

Well where do you think this million dollar investment is going in reality???

Hint hint ....

1.5 million dollars?

That won't fill many envelopes.

Just enough for a luxury car for someone's barstuard kid..

Asian Development Bank complies with protocol of satisfying request, to minimise future doubtful debts and limit losses. You can't blame them. Who in their right frame of mind would lend Thailand money the way it is being managed at present?

Looks like the A.D.B. is walking the Thai terrier dog on a very tight leash, indeed a wise move.

This must be the joke of the year beginning!!!!

I simply hope the Development bank of ASEAN - Asian Development, assuming it is involved that way, (I may be wrong), has it's own audit system outside of the Thai audit system, which we know DOES NOT EXIST.

I hope this bank tracks all payments, and the men at the top of this bank are not as corrupt as Thai bwanke_rs.

This has to be an opportunity to oust corrupt feckers, surely?

-mel.

US$ 1.5 million ?

Don't spend it all at once !

And the ADB should count their fingers, after shaking hands, on the deal.

Edited January 24, 201313 yr by Ricardo

This must be the joke of the year beginning!!!!

I simply hope the Development bank of ASEAN - Asian Development, assuming it is involved that way, (I may be wrong), has it's own audit system outside of the Thai audit system, which we know DOES NOT EXIST.

I hope this bank tracks all payments, and the men at the top of this bank are not as corrupt as Thai bwanke_rs.

This has to be an opportunity to oust corrupt feckers, surely?

-mel.

Do some research on the ADB and you'll soon be able to answer your own questions. HQ in Manila, semi-diplamtic status, and employs significant amounts of Westerners for an organizations whoses website says they "only recruit from member countries". Hmm.

This must be the joke of the year beginning!!!!

I simply hope the Development bank of ASEAN - Asian Development, assuming it is involved that way, (I may be wrong), has it's own audit system outside of the Thai audit system, which we know DOES NOT EXIST.

I hope this bank tracks all payments, and the men at the top of this bank are not as corrupt as Thai bwanke_rs.

This has to be an opportunity to oust corrupt feckers, surely?

-mel.

Do some research on the ADB and you'll soon be able to answer your own questions. HQ in Manila, semi-diplamtic status, and employs significant amounts of Westerners for an organizations whoses website says they "only recruit from member countries". Hmm.

Do a tiny bit of research & you will find that ADM member states include many from Europe, the US, Australia as well as the regional countries. So, their statement about recruitment is correct. It is a fairly well-run organisation and will monitor the spending of grants & loans.

These grants are just for organisational improvements and, if they get involved in the projects themselves by providing loans, the projects will have a better chance of being properly run & have less corruption.