Centres to help people in two Thai cities cope with climate change

[webfact]

Centres to help people in two cities cope with climate change
Pongphon Sarnsamak
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- Two Thai cities, Chiang Rai in the far North and Songkhla in the South, have joined global efforts to tackle the threat of climate change.

The two "Climate Change Resilience Learning Centres" set up in the provinces aim to prepare local residents for the potential repercussions of natural and man-made disasters.

"These centres will monitor natural disasters across the provinces. Once the centres have detected potential signs of natural disasters like flash floods and severe drought, people will be alerted immediately so they can prepare," Chiang Rai municipality permanent secretary Suranit Ong-la said.

In past decades, Chiang Rai has faced a number of natural disasters including out-of-season rainfall, flash floods, prolonged drought and haze - caused by fires that farmers set to clear land - one of the main problems for people in the North.

Not only are natural disasters a major threat for people, the rapid expansion of city infrastructure and the growing suburban population are putting pressure on local authorities. The disposal of rising quantities of household waste effectively is another problem in the area.

"All existing natural waterways and canals have been covered up by roads and modern buildings. There is no way for floodwater to escape," Suranit said.

To handle these problems, Chiang Rai municipality has devised a number of strategies that involve partnering with the relevant sectors to improve the city management's response capabilities.

Strategies are being developed to deal with the impact of climate change in areas of agricultural capacity, while sustainable and climate-resilient tourism projects are being promoted. Chiang Rai is also promoting itself as a "liveable city" - one that champions efforts to reduce global warming.

"City planning can be a key tool in driving these strategies," Suranit said.

Under such initiatives, the restoration of urban lakes and rivers has been implemented to prevent flash floods from inundating the city during the wet season. The same lakes and rivers can also be adapted to store fresh water during drought.

The Climate Change Resilience Centre is also an initiative developed as part of Chiang Rai's efforts to deal with the impact of global warming. Both centres will assist locals by issuing warnings of imminent natural disasters, while also providing knowledge about preparing for various crises. Farmers, for instance, could be provided with agricultural knowledge on planting crops to help reduce the impact of climate change on their livelihoods. In times of crisis, the centres would also double as shelters with capacity to receive up to 300 people each.

"Handling climate change is not the responsibility of just one person, all sectors must help deal with the shocks and stresses of natural disaster," Suranit said.

She was speaking at a press conference last week organised by the Rockefeller Foundation to launch "The 100 Resilient Cities Centennial Challenge Programme". The programme aims to enable 100 cities around the world to better cope with the impact of natural and manmade disasters.

The 100 cities will be selected by the foundation to receive technical support and recourses for the development and implementation of "urban resilience" strategies.

A business centre and tourist destination like the southern city of Hat Yai, which is prone to flash floods, is already preparing for climate change.

Hundreds of closed-circuit cameras have been installed around the city to monitor real-time flooding. The system will enable authorities to warn local residents and businesses of a possible flood threat, said Somporn Siriporananon, chairman of the Songkhla Chamber of Commerce.

Empowering communities to be prepared for disasters by training them to survey and analyse problems related to disasters will also assist local people by helping to protect their assets and ensuring their safety.


-- The Nation 2013-08-13

[CelticBhoy]

Could they have picked two cities further apart to couple?

[Mampara]

So, dig up the roads, open the canals, and bridge them, tunnel underneath the buildings and open the water ways, (its far cheaper then buying 4 planes for the MP's to travel around in.) and find out who the bright spark was in the City engineers planing department, that allowed this to happen.

[theblether]

They could start by enforcing emission regulations in the country, I am seriously p*ssed off at the amount of times I get covered in a cloud of oil particles as some other poorly maintained tuk tuk or songthaew goes past me.

They have that many road blocks and police checks in the country they could attack this problem right away. That would be the fastest way to improve the local environment for many of us.

[catweazle]

Has anyone noticed that the worldwide crede now has been changed from "Global Warming" ( check out Al Gore's mega villa in Montecito with 40 or so air-conditioners but not one single solar panel on the roof: http://directorblue.blogspot.com/2010/05/exclusive-estimate-carbon-footprint-of.html ) to "Climate Change", simply because none of these "experts" has a clue what's going on? Climate change, yeah - isn't that something going on since this planet exists and most likely will continue until this rock will eventually dry out and die? Isn't climate change something that Thai people managed to cope with (better than westerners) for centuries in the past? Isn't it a fact that this climate change is a natural occurence but the increasing amount of floods in Thailand are a result of not natural occurences but human's destructive interaction i.e. deforestation, mono cultures, changing of the flow of rivers, overfishing, building dams where they not belong, uncontrolled construction and uncontrolled changes to landscapes ( i.e. whole mountains taken away to sell the soil to construction sites ). Why not build centers that would grind all of the above listed man-made mayhem to a halt and fight this problem at the root instead of teaching people to cope with catastrophic events that are a mere result of our own stupidity?

[NongKhaiKid]

They could start by enforcing emission regulations in the country, I am seriously p*ssed off at the amount of times I get covered in a cloud of oil particles as some other poorly maintained tuk tuk or songthaew goes past me.

They have that many road blocks and police checks in the country they could attack this problem right away. That would be the fastest way to improve the local environment for many of us.

stop carabao, and me, from farting too

[Pimay1]

Has anyone noticed that the worldwide crede now has been changed from "Global Warming" ( check out Al Gore's mega villa in Montecito with 40 or so air-conditioners but not one single solar panel on the roof: http://directorblue.blogspot.com/2010/05/exclusive-estimate-carbon-footprint-of.html ) to "Climate Change", simply because none of these "experts" has a clue what's going on? Climate change, yeah - isn't that something going on since this planet exists and most likely will continue until this rock will eventually dry out and die? Isn't climate change something that Thai people managed to cope with (better than westerners) for centuries in the past? Isn't it a fact that this climate change is a natural occurence but the increasing amount of floods in Thailand are a result of not natural occurences but human's destructive interaction i.e. deforestation, mono cultures, changing of the flow of rivers, overfishing, building dams where they not belong, uncontrolled construction and uncontrolled changes to landscapes ( i.e. whole mountains taken away to sell the soil to construction sites ). Why not build centers that would grind all of the above listed man-made mayhem to a halt and fight this problem at the root instead of teaching people to cope with catastrophic events that are a mere result of our own stupidity?

Finally a voice or reason. But there is big money in global warming, climate change, save the animals, save the planet, save the snails, on and on. Don't let the truth get in the way of a good story.

Edited August 13, 2013 by Pimay1

[Bakseeda]

Has anyone noticed that the worldwide crede now has been changed from "Global Warming" ( check out Al Gore's mega villa in Montecito with 40 or so air-conditioners but not one single solar panel on the roof: http://directorblue.blogspot.com/2010/05/exclusive-estimate-carbon-footprint-of.html ) to "Climate Change", simply because none of these "experts" has a clue what's going on? Climate change, yeah - isn't that something going on since this planet exists and most likely will continue until this rock will eventually dry out and die? Isn't climate change something that Thai people managed to cope with (better than westerners) for centuries in the past? Isn't it a fact that this climate change is a natural occurence but the increasing amount of floods in Thailand are a result of not natural occurences but human's destructive interaction i.e. deforestation, mono cultures, changing of the flow of rivers, overfishing, building dams where they not belong, uncontrolled construction and uncontrolled changes to landscapes ( i.e. whole mountains taken away to sell the soil to construction sites ). Why not build centers that would grind all of the above listed man-made mayhem to a halt and fight this problem at the root instead of teaching people to cope with catastrophic events that are a mere result of our own stupidity?

Because, quite simply, there is no bribery and corruption without man-made mayhem.... why have a position of power if you cannot steal..!

[tomross46]

In the USA the EPA is blocking the Keystone pipe line because it might affect the environment. Than we have the DOE wanting to transport nuclear, highly reactive, canisters across the USA and store it in Nevada, but this will not affect the environment. Seems like the politicians are at work, or is that an incorrect word. Some people work and pay taxes, politicians lie, cheat and steal

[canuckamuck]

Sounds like a lovely pile of cash to spread out among the connected, and a project which can't possibly fail. I mean how could you fail when you are fighting an imaginary threat.

I can't blame Thailand for cashing in on a piece of the climate change pie though.

[PoodMaiDai]

Is there a Thai word for city planning?