Thailand's Got a Plan

Written by John Berthelsen

Thaksin's master infrastructure scheme is back - and it might make the country the hub of Southeast Asia

BANGKOK: -- The news that Thailand recorded the fastest growth in the fourth quarter of 2012 since the country began compiling economic data in 1993 is focusing attention on a country suddenly on the move after more than a half decade of political and economic crisis.

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The record 18.9 percent gross domestic product fourth quarter year-on-year growth is admittedly coming off a low base from the disastrous floods that inundated the center of the country in late 2011, crippling the extensive foreign-owned assembly industries north of Bangkok. Nonetheless there is a growing feeling that at least for now Thailand has put behind it the internecine infighting that paralyzed the country for more than six years.

It also seems the extensive development plans that former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was planning before his 2006 ouster in a royalist coup are again underway in the hands of his sister, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who is running the country as his proxy while he remains an international fugitive on corruption charges.

Under Thaksin, for instance, the Thai government entered talks with Laos and China about rail links connecting the southern province of Yunnan with Laem Chabang, the container port that serves Bangkok. The coup led to a long series of interim governments that largely ignored those plans in favor of ultimately pointless political battles designed to keep Thaksin at bay.

Full story: http://www.asiasenti...5193&Itemid=437

-- Asia Sentinel 2013-02-21

Thailand's Got a Plan

Thaksin's master infrastructure scheme is back - and it might make the country theHUB of Southeast Asia

Obviously development of this magnitude in Thailand raises questions, as it would elsewhere in Southeast Asia. Not for nothing did previous governments describe the country's system as "buffet democracy," in which scores of politicians regard any development as a chance to sample graft from the table. With Baht 2.3 trillion in spending on the line, the opportunities for enrichment are liable to be enormously tempting.

How terribly understated.

Edited February 21, 201313 yr by dcutman

The author seems a little removed from Thailand, unaware of the "hub joke", and that the current proposal is for a 14 lane road to the port.

I am not an expert.

But

When they say the fastest growth what does that convert to in reality. If the nation was just stumbling along for the last year and a half would it be that big a deal.

Just asking clarification please.

Nevermind, more roads means more poor, uneducated vendors to sell their wares to hi-so benz drivers! Infrastructure is all this government cares about...forget education to improve the living standard of all citizens.

the government NOW has a plan?

Isn't that the role of governments?

The piece of journalism is a satire ... right?

I am not an expert.

But

When they say the fastest growth what does that convert to in reality. If the nation was just stumbling along for the last year and a half would it be that big a deal.

Just asking clarification please.

yes you are correct - reporting growth in this manner actually says nothing

suppose for a moment that actual GDP for a quarter was in delcline from neutral by 20% (a loss) then became neutral the following quarter, that could be reported as 20% growth - it's all relative

I find it hard to believe that anyone trumpeting 18% growth after some of the largest industrial estates in the country, and a huge portion of outer Bangkok's population were under water as a good or bad result at all. Going to buy a bowl of noodles by boat hardly does much for consumption either. The astonishing number would have been if GDP had only gone up say, 2%.

Of course it was going to be a big number, since a huge part of the economy essentially stopped.

it might make the country the hub of Southeast Asia

Hubba Hubba

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who is running the country as his proxy while he remains an international fugitive on corruption charges.

He must have missed the thread:

Yingluck Stresses She's Real Prime Minister

.

Edited February 21, 201313 yr by Buchholz

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who is running the country as his proxy while he remains an international fugitive on corruption charges.

How many more times does it need to be said.

He is a convicted criminal on the run, and staying out of the country to delay facing even more charges than those he should already be serving time for.

Thailand IS the hub of SE Asia, and corruption is the "shaft" that it turns on.

Was this lifted form NotTheNation ?

Rolling out that old HUB word again.

I have a cunning plan.

The author seems a little removed from Thailand, unaware of the "hub joke", and that the current proposal is for a 14 lane road to the port.

14 lane road

Thailand will be the hub of big roads....

During the planning phase of the Normandy invasion

a correspondent asked General Eisenhower why so

much time has been devoted to the so called "plan"

and if it will actually be worth it in the end as soon as

the troops start the invasion....Ike replied..."Planning

is everything; the plan is nothing."

The author seems a little removed from Thailand, unaware of the "hub joke", and that the current proposal is for a 14 lane road to the port.

14 lane road

Thailand will be the hub of big roads....

to nowhere

14 lanes? How will that work then when only the inner most lane (fast lane) of each direction is used>

Ah the old HUB just had to be in there somewhere,

This one is the hub to put on the wheel that goes on the new

14 lane road?

Cunning plan........

Does anyone have a copy of the Gantt chart?

The whole thing boils down to one of two choices.

1, Should Thailand borrow a few trillion baht and thereby greatly increase public debt and interest payment for many decades. Give half of the money to various corrupt politicians, and use the other half to build the mentiond projects. The projects could be completed and be good for Thailand, but could also completely fail, as those responsible has already received their bribes and have therefore lost interest. With no more info to go by, the odds off success with the projects are probably 50%. The odds of losing half to corruption are 100%.

2. Should Thailand not borrow any money. This guarantees that public debt does not increase, and interest payments do not increase. It also guarantees that the mentioned corrupt politicians will not get to steal public money.

However, it also guarantees that the projects will not be built, and that Thailand will therefore not get any of the benefits that such projects bring.

This decision will affect Thailand, and all Thais, both rich and poor, for many years to come, so I hope the right decision is made!

Edited February 21, 201313 yr by monkeycountry

Usually, I take Asia Sentinel seriously, but this is the shallowest article about Thailand I've read in a long time, and even worse: it's written by the editor, John Berthelsen. While some of the projects mentioned in the article will have positive consequences for the financial and industrial Thailand if they become reality, the author fail completely to see that the underlying infrastructure, the one that matters for the average Thai, is rotten to the core, and that all experience indicates that little of the gain from these projects will be of much help for a huge part of the Thai population. They will still be left with a dysfunctional education system, lackluster public transport, a flawed democracy and rising costs while the real money is floating around at the top of society.

Thailands plan is, they have put every member of the Shinawatra family in a position of power in the country. I think that it is called "nepotism" . Any plan Thailand has is sure to fail.........

Tell me one successfull plan Thailand has come to fruition. If people cannot be educated as how to drive, I would not expect much except more corruption and fraud......

It is time to expel all of the Shinawatra family from the country.

When the King dies maybe the people will wake up! But I somehow doubt it.

The record 18.9 percent gross domestic product fourth quarter year-on-year growth is admittedly coming off a low base from the disastrous floods that inundated the center of the country in late 2011, crippling the extensive foreign-owned assembly industries north of Bangkok. Nonetheless...

"admittedly coming off a low base"!

A low base of nearly zero!

The country stopped a year ago and now it has started again. Well done.

Isn't it the prevailing plan, get all they can and run away before the shit hits the fan?

(HUB)RIS.

Obviously development of this magnitude in Thailand raises questions, as it would elsewhere in Southeast Asia. Not for nothing did previous governments describe the country's system as "buffet democracy," in which scores of politicians regard any development as a chance to sample graft from the table. With Baht 2.3 trillion in spending on the line, the opportunities for enrichment are liable to be enormously tempting.

How terribly understated.

The headline " Thailand's got a plan " is as misguided, inappropriate and downright funny as i can imaginI