Govt must explain why it let World Expo plan founder: Thai editorial

[webfact]

EDITORIAL
Govt must explain why it let World Expo plan founder
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Ayutthaya's bid is now dead in the water, and the country has lost a good opportunity to benefit, for which the public is owed immediate answers

Submerged in floodwaters in 2011, Ayutthaya now stands to be inundated in controversy. It was reported this week that the Bureau of International Expositions (BIE) has rejected Thailand as a contender to host the World Expo 2020 after the government failed to reaffirm its nomination of the province as a candidate.

We don't know how much the effect of the flood disaster had on the current government's lukewarm attitude toward its predecessor's initiative to apply to host the event. Making Ayutthaya host of the World Expo 2020 was conceived during the tenure of the previous Democrat government, but then there was a change of political guard - and the flood crisis, in which Siam's former capital was among the hardest-hit areas. However, the administration of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has a responsibility to respond to reports that the BIE remained in favour of the Thai bid until the last minute, when it became clear the government in Bangkok was losing interest.

The report said a BIE team visited historically and culturally rich Ayutthaya early this year and gave the government until April 5 to answer questions about the nomination in terms of financial, legislative, organisational and diplomatic aspects. When it became certain the government did not want to pursue the matter, the BIE executive committee on Tuesday unanimously rejected Thailand's bid.

That's a shame, particularly if the BIE's reported "leaning toward" Thailand was concrete. It would have been a great opportunity for Ayutthaya to bounce back in style from the setback of 2011, but now the BIE will reportedly give greater consideration to the remaining candidates - Russia, Turkey, Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, and Brazil.

It's a bigger shame if politics played a part in the country being dropped from the selection process. When Yingluck Shinawatra was sworn in as prime minister in 2011, she promised that her government would adopt and continue with good initiatives, no matter who made them. She made it clear that, if it was a good policy, her government would pursue it, even if it had been initiated by political rivals.

Can a lack of money be an excuse? Hardly, since the government has been on a gigantic spending spree from Day 1, including schemes like a big tax break for first-time car buyers. Did legislative problems threaten the application to host the event? We could hardly expect Democrat lawmakers to shoot down an initiative of their own previous government. Were there organisational problems foreseen? Thailand has hosted big, international events before - a fact recognised by the visiting BIE team.

Democracy certainly allows newly elected rulers to drop their rivals' policies or put them on the back burner. Democracy also brings a rearrangement of priorities via the mandate given to a new government by voters. But democracy also means that the government owes the public explanations - in this case why the Ayutthaya bid has not been pursued.

The project obviously would have had positive benefits, which makes it even more imperative for the government to clarify what influenced its decision, made in the face of reportedly good impressions among the visiting BIE team on Ayutthaya and Thailand. The news report said the BIE group believed the Thai province had all the potential to host this grand event. The inquiry team reportedly was also interested in the proposed theme that would centre on His Majesty the King's sufficiency-economy philosophy.

The public is ready to listen to the government's reasons. As long as they are given in a sincere, non-political manner, the explanations will be accepted. A political storm is already brewing, emanating from the Democrat camp, but this is an issue that warrants no acrimonious factional politics. Ayutthaya has lost its chance, but if the government believes its decision was justified, it must share the reasons with the public. Lack of any explanation would only serve to aggravate suspicion that what Yingluck said when she was sworn in was just the usual political lip service.


-- The Nation 2013-06-14

[iancnx]

Seems pretty obvious to me...... Scared stiff of exposing themselves further as inept on the world stage. All they had to do was appoint an independent person to lead, someone acceptable to all without political motive. Such narrow thinking really is unfortunate as, in 2020, this kind of event might be exactly what a new emerging Thailand might need... Irrespective of colour of government, shirts or masks.

[LomSak27]

the other explanation; it was a hair brained idea to begin with.

However for The Nation, and our resident Thaksin obsessors, that explanation is verboten.

Carry ON

Edited June 14, 2013 by LomSak27

[iancnx]

the other explanation; it was a hair brained idea to begin with.

However for The Nation, and our resident Thaksin obsessors, that explanation is verboten.

Carry ON

Well lets dissect that a moment..... A hair brained idea?

Expo 2000 - Hanover Germany

Expo 2005 - Aichi Japan

Expo 2010 - Shanghai China

Expo 2015 - Milan Italy

What part of hosting a prestigious event like this do you find hair brain?

[OzMick]

the other explanation; it was a hair brained idea to begin with.

However for The Nation, and our resident Thaksin obsessors, that explanation is verboten.

Carry ON

Well lets dissect that a moment..... A hair brained idea?

Expo 2000 - Hanover Germany

Expo 2005 - Aichi Japan

Expo 2010 - Shanghai China

Expo 2015 - Milan Italy

What part of hosting a prestigious event like this do you find hair brain?

The political party who initiated it.

[FarangTalk]

the other explanation; it was a hair brained idea to begin with.

However for The Nation, and our resident Thaksin obsessors, that explanation is verboten.

Carry ON

Well lets dissect that a moment..... A hair brained idea?

Expo 2000 - Hanover Germany

Expo 2005 - Aichi Japan

Expo 2010 - Shanghai China

Expo 2015 - Milan Italy

What part of hosting a prestigious event like this do you find hair brain?

The political party who initiated it.

Hair-brained that Ayutthaya could possibly compete with any of the above candidates or similar.

That it would cost billions to continue a futile bid.

That it was a Democrat initiated waste of money.

That the government have been elected and have the mandate of the people. The previous administration did not have a mandate of the people.

Etc.

[iancnx]

Hmmmmm..... Next?

[FarangTalk]

Hmmmmm..... Next?

You're not very good at this forum debate lark are you?

[OzMick]

the other explanation; it was a hair brained idea to begin with.

However for The Nation, and our resident Thaksin obsessors, that explanation is verboten.

Carry ON

Well lets dissect that a moment..... A hair brained idea?

Expo 2000 - Hanover Germany

Expo 2005 - Aichi Japan

Expo 2010 - Shanghai China

Expo 2015 - Milan Italy

What part of hosting a prestigious event like this do you find hair brain?

The political party who initiated it.

Hair-brained that Ayutthaya could possibly compete with any of the above candidates or similar.

That it would cost billions to continue a futile bid.

That it was a Democrat initiated waste of money.

That the government have been elected and have the mandate of the people. The previous administration did not have a mandate of the people.

Etc.

It would be better if we stuck to the topic rather than veering off with much-debated strawman arguments.

Why then spend millions of baht advertising the bid if it was decided not to proceed? Not one Thai I have spoken to knows of an expo bid, or even what an expo is. Perhaps the advertising didn't get this far south, like a lot of other government spending.

[iancnx]

Agree to sticking on topic and not debating the other stories of the day here..... Hence my hmmmmm next?

I just think it is a missed opportunity for Thailand irrespective of any political allegiances. A well planned and dynamically managed programme could have delivered in 7 years, and with active commercial participation funding need not be such a worry. A chance to show off Thailand on the Global stage thrown away. I bet the good folk in Ayutthaya are majorly peeved.

[Thai at Heart]

Last year was a one in 75 year flood right? How many years overdue are they for the one in 150?

Building this type of thing before they have their new fangled flood thingamajig in place would be ridiculously risky. It will still be risky after they build it.

[OzMick]

Last year was a one in 75 year flood right? How many years overdue are they for the one in 150?

Building this type of thing before they have their new fangled flood thingamajig in place would be ridiculously risky. It will still be risky after they build it.

As the expo was not until 2020, one would hope the emergency funding approved 18+ months ago would have seen some results by then.

[seppuku]

the other explanation; it was a hair brained idea to begin with.

However for The Nation, and our resident Thaksin obsessors, that explanation is verboten.

Carry ON

Well lets dissect that a moment..... A hair brained idea?

Expo 2000 - Hanover Germany

Expo 2005 - Aichi Japan

Expo 2010 - Shanghai China

Expo 2015 - Milan Italy

What part of hosting a prestigious event like this do you find hair brain?

Perhaps saner minds prevailed about the benefits of following Chinas' $55 Billion Dollars spend (including investments brought forward, FT says $95 Billion) on Expo 2010. Who in their right mind would want to follow that - apart from the Democrat Party who obviously thought it was a great idea.

[Thai at Heart]

Last year was a one in 75 year flood right? How many years overdue are they for the one in 150?

Building this type of thing before they have their new fangled flood thingamajig in place would be ridiculously risky. It will still be risky after they build it.

As the expo was not until 2020, one would hope the emergency funding approved 18+ months ago would have seen some results by then.

Well we can hope, that what they end up building works at all. Of course that wouldn't have precluded the whole thing getting washed away in 2016 right?

[seppuku]

Agree to sticking on topic and not debating the other stories of the day here..... Hence my hmmmmm next?

I just think it is a missed opportunity for Thailand irrespective of any political allegiances. A well planned and dynamically managed programme could have delivered in 7 years, and with active commercial participation funding need not be such a worry. A chance to show off Thailand on the Global stage thrown away. I bet the good folk in Ayutthaya are majorly peeved.

Do you really think the good folk of Ayutthaya would be peeved by missing out on this (or it's equivalent)?

The Chinese Pavilion Expo 2010

The UK Pavilion Expo 2010

[Sayonarax]

Last year was a one in 75 year flood right? How many years overdue are they for the one in 150?

Building this type of thing before they have their new fangled flood thingamajig in place would be ridiculously risky. It will still be risky after they build it.

As the expo was not until 2020, one would hope the emergency funding approved 18+ months ago would have seen some results by then.

Well we can hope, that what they end up building works at all. Of course that wouldn't have precluded the whole thing getting washed away in 2016 right?

Are you saying Thai's cant build? Funny your in a building built by a Thai right now..

Its just so hard to please the old expats...Wah wah wah.

[geriatrickid]

the other explanation; it was a hair brained idea to begin with.

However for The Nation, and our resident Thaksin obsessors, that explanation is verboten.

Carry ON

Well lets dissect that a moment..... A hair brained idea?

Expo 2000 - Hanover Germany

Expo 2005 - Aichi Japan

Expo 2010 - Shanghai China

Expo 2015 - Milan Italy

What part of hosting a prestigious event like this do you find hair brain?

The enormous amounts of money required to fund an exposition that leaves no long term benefit was harebrained. Oh sure, the boosters of such wanton spending will offer a long list of "benefits". However, here's a reality check. Thailand doesn't have the money to pay for it.

Back in 2009, when the bid was announced, the theme of the event was rolled out to much fanfare; the theme: “Balanced Life, Sustainable Living – Let’s Redefine Globalization.” I mean, really? You don't think that theme in and of itself was asinine? Sustainable living in the land of consumerism? Really? Seriously?

The site of the exposition is not well served by mass transit. Just how would all these thousands of visitors get to Ayutthaya? By rail? By bus?

Right. And who wants to commute 2 -3 hours each way? Could Ayutthaya have handled the tourists? I don't think so.

And then there is the small problem of flooding.

This is probably the most intelligent decision the government has made since being elected.

[OzMick]

Last year was a one in 75 year flood right? How many years overdue are they for the one in 150?

Building this type of thing before they have their new fangled flood thingamajig in place would be ridiculously risky. It will still be risky after they build it.

As the expo was not until 2020, one would hope the emergency funding approved 18+ months ago would have seen some results by then.

Well we can hope, that what they end up building works at all. Of course that wouldn't have precluded the whole thing getting washed away in 2016 right?

Well that comes down to my faith in PTP and their B350 billion budget. The expo is 2020, what has 2016 to do with it?

[OzMick]

the other explanation; it was a hair brained idea to begin with.

However for The Nation, and our resident Thaksin obsessors, that explanation is verboten.

Carry ON

Well lets dissect that a moment..... A hair brained idea?

Expo 2000 - Hanover Germany

Expo 2005 - Aichi Japan

Expo 2010 - Shanghai China

Expo 2015 - Milan Italy

What part of hosting a prestigious event like this do you find hair brain?

The enormous amounts of money required to fund an exposition that leaves no long term benefit was harebrained. Oh sure, the boosters of such wanton spending will offer a long list of "benefits". However, here's a reality check. Thailand doesn't have the money to pay for it.

Back in 2009, when the bid was announced, the theme of the event was rolled out to much fanfare; the theme: “Balanced Life, Sustainable Living – Let’s Redefine Globalization.” I mean, really? You don't think that theme in and of itself was asinine? Sustainable living in the land of consumerism? Really? Seriously?

The site of the exposition is not well served by mass transit. Just how would all these thousands of visitors get to Ayutthaya? By rail? By bus?

Right. And who wants to commute 2 -3 hours each way? Could Ayutthaya have handled the tourists? I don't think so.

And then there is the small problem of flooding.

This is probably the most intelligent decision the government has made since being elected.

So the HSR won't be finished by 2020? and that would be the only thing able to partially justify building it, if only in the short term.

[Thai at Heart]

Last year was a one in 75 year flood right? How many years overdue are they for the one in 150?

Building this type of thing before they have their new fangled flood thingamajig in place would be ridiculously risky. It will still be risky after they build it.

As the expo was not until 2020, one would hope the emergency funding approved 18+ months ago would have seen some results by then.

Well we can hope, that what they end up building works at all. Of course that wouldn't have precluded the whole thing getting washed away in 2016 right?

Are you saying Thai's cant build? Funny your in a building built by a Thai right now..

Its just so hard to please the old expats...Wah wah wah.

You think all the flood defences will be built on time? They haven't even done the EIAs yet.

[upena]

Better to explain why the Thai Government thought they stood a chance

[tragickingdom]

Another bogus editorial from the Nation. The Nation is used to simply taking sides. Do not bother about their corse statements on the front page. They are neither independent nor are they real journalists. They write what the boss wants. Maybe the Nation should explain to the people what the benefit is of pumping billions in an expo besides for the "thai Face"? It is like organizing a world cup or the olympics. ou build the facilities they are used once and 75% is never used again. Or could it be that the designated site is in the hands of some friends of the Nation owners and they cannot make their expected fortune anymore. it is good for the people of Thailand that the government refuses to guarantee. They are the ones that are losing out. If you want a party editor, do it at the premises of the Nation.

[Thai at Heart]

Last year was a one in 75 year flood right? How many years overdue are they for the one in 150?

Building this type of thing before they have their new fangled flood thingamajig in place would be ridiculously risky. It will still be risky after they build it.

As the expo was not until 2020, one would hope the emergency funding approved 18+ months ago would have seen some results by then.

Well we can hope, that what they end up building works at all. Of course that wouldn't have precluded the whole thing getting washed away in 2016 right?

Well that comes down to my faith in PTP and their B350 billion budget. The expo is 2020, what has 2016 to do with it?

Well, it isn't going to be built in a day is it? Not much use if you start building the thing over a 3 or 4 year period and it gets washed away in the first or second year. When do they claim they will have finished the flood defences? 5 years or something like that, which is doubtful anyway considering that this includes numerous damns and the such. So it should just about hopefully finished in 2018? As yet no EIA's have been approved.

Didn't it just take 2 years to finish walls all the way around the industrial estates? Hardly high engineering.

The latest you can bid for this is 2014, so, wouldn't it just be great if they get a couple of years into the construction, and whammo, another catastrophe washes the whole thing away? Might make a little more sense to wait at least until the flood defences get built wouldn't it?

[FarangTalk]

the other explanation; it was a hair brained idea to begin with.

However for The Nation, and our resident Thaksin obsessors, that explanation is verboten.

Carry ON

Well lets dissect that a moment..... A hair brained idea?

Expo 2000 - Hanover Germany

Expo 2005 - Aichi Japan

Expo 2010 - Shanghai China

Expo 2015 - Milan Italy

What part of hosting a prestigious event like this do you find hair brain?

The enormous amounts of money required to fund an exposition that leaves no long term benefit was harebrained. Oh sure, the boosters of such wanton spending will offer a long list of "benefits". However, here's a reality check. Thailand doesn't have the money to pay for it.

Back in 2009, when the bid was announced, the theme of the event was rolled out to much fanfare; the theme: “Balanced Life, Sustainable Living – Let’s Redefine Globalization.” I mean, really? You don't think that theme in and of itself was asinine? Sustainable living in the land of consumerism? Really? Seriously?

The site of the exposition is not well served by mass transit. Just how would all these thousands of visitors get to Ayutthaya? By rail? By bus?

Right. And who wants to commute 2 -3 hours each way? Could Ayutthaya have handled the tourists? I don't think so.

And then there is the small problem of flooding.

This is probably the most intelligent decision the government has made since being elected.

Spot on.

Some people are so obsessed with intent to bash the government at every opportunity that it is seriously affecting their ability to think about any Thai news issue objectively. It's getting beyond tiresome.

[IMA_FARANG]

Simple to explain.

The right people in power were not cut in on the "benefits" of approving the plan.

And of course by "benefits" I mean the "tea Money" and envelopes that were not distributed to the correct current government officials who could have influenced the decision to be positive.

So without their "tea money" the "government" wasn't interested.

[Just1Voice]

Last year was a one in 75 year flood right? How many years overdue are they for the one in 150?

Building this type of thing before they have their new fangled flood thingamajig in place would be ridiculously risky. It will still be risky after they build it.

As the expo was not until 2020, one would hope the emergency funding approved 18+ months ago would have seen some results by then.

Well we can hope, that what they end up building works at all. Of course that wouldn't have precluded the whole thing getting washed away in 2016 right?

Are you saying Thai's cant build? Funny your in a building built by a Thai right now..

Its just so hard to please the old expats...Wah wah wah.

Yes, Thai can build. The questions should be: Can Thai build anything CORRECTLY, with the proper materials, safety features, etcs. Then you will get a different answer.

[Padova44]

What the government has to explain is the opposite of what The Nation is grumpy about. That is, why the government entered the contest in the first place. I love Thailand, I live here -- but the idea Thailand could pull off something like this is as unlikely as George Bush acquiring a brain. Meanwhile, Bangkok is sinking. Slowly, slowly, surely, surely.

[kimamey]

the other explanation; it was a hair brained idea to begin with.

However for The Nation, and our resident Thaksin obsessors, that explanation is verboten.

Carry ON

Well lets dissect that a moment..... A hair brained idea?

Expo 2000 - Hanover Germany

Expo 2005 - Aichi Japan

Expo 2010 - Shanghai China

Expo 2015 - Milan Italy

What part of hosting a prestigious event like this do you find hair brain?

The enormous amounts of money required to fund an exposition that leaves no long term benefit was harebrained. Oh sure, the boosters of such wanton spending will offer a long list of "benefits". However, here's a reality check. Thailand doesn't have the money to pay for it.

Back in 2009, when the bid was announced, the theme of the event was rolled out to much fanfare; the theme: “Balanced Life, Sustainable Living – Let’s Redefine Globalization.” I mean, really? You don't think that theme in and of itself was asinine? Sustainable living in the land of consumerism? Really? Seriously?

The site of the exposition is not well served by mass transit. Just how would all these thousands of visitors get to Ayutthaya? By rail? By bus?

Right. And who wants to commute 2 -3 hours each way? Could Ayutthaya have handled the tourists? I don't think so.

And then there is the small problem of flooding.

This is probably the most intelligent decision the government has made since being elected.

I'm sure there are pros and cons to this bid and I don't know if this was the right decision or not but I don't think that was the main point of the OP.

There may be good reasons for the government to feel that it would be wrong to go ahead and remember that things may have changed over the years since the idea was first put forward. If this is the case why didn't they say so and give those reasons rather than, as appears to be the case, just ignored it?

If they had any reasonable doubts I'm sure they'd have found it easy to find someone to give a statement. The fact that they didn't makes me think they couldn't provide any plausible comments one way or the other.

[kimamey]

Another bogus editorial from the Nation. The Nation is used to simply taking sides. Do not bother about their corse statements on the front page. They are neither independent nor are they real journalists. They write what the boss wants. Maybe the Nation should explain to the people what the benefit is of pumping billions in an expo besides for the "thai Face"? It is like organizing a world cup or the olympics. ou build the facilities they are used once and 75% is never used again. Or could it be that the designated site is in the hands of some friends of the Nation owners and they cannot make their expected fortune anymore. it is good for the people of Thailand that the government refuses to guarantee. They are the ones that are losing out. If you want a party editor, do it at the premises of the Nation.

Why would the Nation have to explain the cost effectiveness or otherwise of this project? They wouldn't be granting the money for it. It was for the government to explain, which if the reasons are so obvious I can't see why they didn't

[OzMick]

Well, it isn't going to be built in a day is it? Not much use if you start building the thing over a 3 or 4 year period and it gets washed away in the first or second year. When do they claim they will have finished the flood defences? 5 years or something like that, which is doubtful anyway considering that this includes numerous damns and the such. So it should just about hopefully finished in 2018? As yet no EIA's have been approved.

Didn't it just take 2 years to finish walls all the way around the industrial estates? Hardly high engineering.

The latest you can bid for this is 2014, so, wouldn't it just be great if they get a couple of years into the construction, and whammo, another catastrophe washes the whole thing away? Might make a little more sense to wait at least until the flood defences get built wouldn't it?

Should all progress until flood defences are in place? Or should we add semi-submersible to the criteria for the HSR?