Prayuth lambastes at town and country planning department

[ginjag]

Can't we just make him PM he seems to be doing a superb job

What constitutes "a superb job", in your opinion?

I mean this guy's flying by the seat of his pants, spouting off about any issue large or small, And, what does he propose re: addressing city planning? All he's done is try to shame professionals by treating them like children, as if he's the father - who's been absent for 8 years - now back to tell everyone that they haven't lived up to his expectations.

and hood sir, POINT OUT WHERE HE IS GOING WRONG??

It's not in his agenda, he must post this way--maybe he has no choice, why knock the army Lo-Po jealous or something, maybe it's because PTP have lost face.

[ginjag]

Can't we just make him PM he seems to be doing a superb job

What constitutes "a superb job", in your opinion?

I mean this guy's flying by the seat of his pants, spouting off about any issue large or small, And, what does he propose re: addressing city planning? All he's done is try to shame professionals by treating them like children, as if he's the father - who's been absent for 8 years - now back to tell everyone that they haven't lived up to his expectations.

So basically, you're envious of a man large and in charge, getting stuff done with courage that NEEDS to be done and HASN'T been done, and is intimidated by no one. Penis envy?

I didn't say that I am envious of herr General, heck I certainly wouldn't want his job, I merely asked what exactly has he accomplished, specifically with regards to "reforms".

Of course he is intimated by no one, he holds all the power, guns and controls everything. He is the single, most powerful person in the Kingdom - who should he fear?

Yes, he's issued a vast number of "orders", made a lot of snap decisions, given away a ton of money - arguably you or I could have done these same things relatively easily if we had unlimited power and control, but what has he done to reform anything?

What constitutes "a superb job"? If it's just being a dictator then yes, he's doing a bang up job. Dictators often "get the job done".

Excuse the expression -but have you got the same sight problem as Stevie wonder ???

[taony]

Obvious to anyone that has looked at a map, but he seems to be the first Thai to ever say something like this out loud. All I can say is FINALLY!!!!

[Kayahammer]

And while they are sorting Bangkok's streets out, how about running a single heavy-duty cable along each road and a junction box at each street, with it's own single 3 phase cable feeding a single phase to each building, instead of the hundreds of individual cables we have now.

Yep, that's the most important thing they are discussing.

Maybe you should be PM

[rebelplatoon]

No matter what he says, I didn t know they made plans. Thought they made it up as they went along and who s on a certain landplot to benefit.

[muchogra]

Most people who hail Gen Prayuth for lambasting the civil servants for poor city planning have not pointed the finger at just the last government. In fact, it's more like directed at all previous governments who had had paid scant attention in this area. Why some troublemakers are doing the finger pointing at Gen Prayuth and at other previous governments is beyond me.

I believe almost all think the city has poor city planning. Imagine Gen Prayuth made similar statements while still just an army chief, would politicians give a damn?

Civil servants are meant to serve the people for the good of the country, but they have not been doing enough due to poor work ethics, corruption, and political influence. It's good that Gen Prayuth is giving them the education to begin doing their duties seriously and properly. Just for comparison, look at how civil servants in HK and Singapore perform, and then look at Thailand.

I think Gen Prayuth should set up an independent commission with some teeth, resembling that of the Independent Commission Against Corruption in HK, to handle corruption and non-corruption cases. Within the commission itself in HK, there's also a separate committee handling complaints filed against officials working within the commission.

In Thailand, people file complaints to the police, but where do you file complaints agains the police? Even if there is, they all seem in the same boat and goes to a dead end. I think an independent commission, as suggested, could do a lot of good to better Thailand especially after the present military leaves the current scene.

Edited June 13, 2014 by muchogra

[tingtongteesood]

Too many dead ends and double backs in the sois. Very frustrating. Also the lack of an 'A-Z' book doesn't help matters any. This should be produced a.s.a.p. Computer maps just don't cut it, an A-Z is much better.

[Benmart]

Can't we just make him PM he seems to be doing a superb job

What constitutes "a superb job", in your opinion?

I mean this guy's flying by the seat of his pants, spouting off about any issue large or small, And, what does he propose re: addressing city planning? All he's done is try to shame professionals by treating them like children, as if he's the father - who's been absent for 8 years - now back to tell everyone that they haven't lived up to his expectations.

I don't know what a superb job is in this case.

The former officials seem to have had a reputation for mismanagement, corruption, inaction, dysfunction and discord.

I don't know the inside story, so I can't comment on the "flying..." comment. From what I have seen, flying is better than doing nothing and has had some very positive results.

Fly by the seat of one's pants - Meaning

Decide a course of action as you go along, using your own initiative and perceptions rather than a pre-determined plan or mechanical aids.

Seems like the former occupants of government may have been "flying" and supposedly had a plan.

[Thai at Heart]

Prayuth, are you listening ? Do what Napoleon did: re-assign house numbers, odd ones on the left, evens on the right, in correct ascending series.

The current addresses in Thailand mean nothing, it's "700m from 7/11 by the scooter shop that used to be there twenty years ago". That's why tourists walk around in circles.

Now. Now.

.which numpty made the roads sois on one side of Sukhumvit twice as far as the other.

Beyond that. Who the hell made Sukhumvit or jaensanit, or other roads run thousands of kms

[kartman]

Too many dead ends and double backs in the sois. Very frustrating. Also the lack of an 'A-Z' book doesn't help matters any. This should be produced a.s.a.p. Computer maps just don't cut it, an A-Z is much better.

Think net's Bangkok City Atlas no good then?.

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

Why would anyone think Gen. Prayuth is flying by the seat of his pants? He has come out with both guns blazing. I'm going to take a wild guess that the general is well aware of the shortcomings of the country, and I'm betting many fellow citizens share his concerns. I'm also going to bet his views are shared by a Personage of Very High Esteem and now has a list of things to fix. It's quite possible that after a consultation with the PoVHE, the General has been given freedom to "Get it done" in a rather un-Thai way.

I too had no idea there was a department of planning. Wonder when it was the last time someone opened the doors and entered the department's offices. That's assuming they can find the address.

Edited June 13, 2014 by Kaoboi Bebobp

[ggt]

Foreign tourists have to walk until they are soaked with sweat!

Anyone every walk around BKK or almost anywhere else in Thailand...and not work up a good sweat...

Heaven forbid...that the tourists get sweaty...can you imagine the smell in the elevators...

[FangFerang]

Thank all the gods for the General! He is going to fix the crooked streets of Bangkok, and make them square each other and be easy to navigate! He is going to clear the sidewalks from street vendors who make it impossible for pedestrians to pass! He is going to bring peace to the South! He is going to make the courts fair forever! He is going to make taxi drivers adhere to the law! He is going to make the police do their job and never take another bribe! He is going to stop all those projects from which the 'wrong people' were going to get gravy money.

There is a rumor, it is at this point just a rumor, that General Prayuth O-cha will cure AIDS single-handedly....

Amen

Edited June 13, 2014 by FangFerang

[FangFerang]

Double post of deepest sincerity -- sorry.

Edited June 13, 2014 by FangFerang

[Thai at Heart]

Why would anyone think Gen. Prayuth is flying by the seat of his pants? He has come out with both guns blazing. I'm going to take a wild guess that the general is well aware of the shortcomings of the country, and I'm betting many fellow citizens share his concerns. I'm also going to bet his views are shared by a Personage of Very High Esteem and now has a list of things to fix. It's quite possible that after a consultation with the PoVHE, the General has been given freedom to "Get it done" in a rather un-Thai way.

I too had no idea there was a department of planning. Wonder when it was the last time someone opened the doors and entered the department's offices. That's assuming they can find the address.

He's probably been posting on here for 10 years and finally did something about it.

[Emptyset]

Why would anyone think Gen. Prayuth is flying by the seat of his pants? He has come out with both guns blazing. I'm going to take a wild guess that the general is well aware of the shortcomings of the country, and I'm betting many fellow citizens share his concerns. I'm also going to bet his views are shared by a Personage of Very High Esteem and now has a list of things to fix. It's quite possible that after a consultation with the PoVHE, the General has been given freedom to "Get it done" in a rather un-Thai way.

I too had no idea there was a department of planning. Wonder when it was the last time someone opened the doors and entered the department's offices. That's assuming they can find the address.

He's probably been posting on here for 10 years and finally did something about it.

The irony is that the sprawling mess that is Bangkok was mostly developed under the auspices of the military governments of the 50s, 60s, and 70s, which were lead by people very similar to the good General P. As if the current planning board has much to do with it. They're probably adding to the mess, but it's not like they can simply rip it up and start again. Or is that what is being proposed here?

Also this again, sounds a lot like something Thaksin would say. One of Thaksin's greatest faults is that like many puu yai he has a penchant for holding fourth on topics he knows little about. This is partly why he made so many mistakes, rushing it to do things believing he had a superior grasp of the topic to the bureaucrats and experts he bullied, when he patently didn't. I'm sure if TS had come out with this, many would point out that if BKK was going to be a compact, easily navigable, tidy city with the clean sweeping streets of Paris or whatever, such a plan would've had to have been made back in the fifties. Can hardly pin it on the current lot. Instead people have been adding to it here and there in an ad hoc fashion, some of them proboably trying to do the best they could within the limits of what was already there.

[garrya]

My God!!! Is this man the only one with brains in this country??

quite likely

[Gandtee]

He is in the position of being able to say what he thinks. Not as is the norm here, where people say what they think you want to hear. How many workers will tell their boss that they think he might be wrong and suggest a better way. Not many I would think. You kowtow to elders and so called superiors. My grandson who is fluent in English told me that his teacher taught the class to pronounce giraffe as giraffy. I asked him if he thought to wait until after class and politely tell her that she had made a mistake. 'No way!' was his reply. 'You don't question your teacher.' Now there are forty kids calling a giraffe a giraffy! Ah well.

[Prbkk]

All we have had so far is common sense and nothing than anyone of this forum could have said. Effecting meaningful change is a different matter altogether. But it's hard to disagree with his criticisms.

[Emster23]

How long before someone accuses the general of "cultural imperialism" in that he is trying to implement concepts like responsibility, accountability, following orders, etc?

[Alwyn]

Can't we just make him PM he seems to be doing a superb job

What constitutes "a superb job", in your opinion?

I mean this guy's flying by the seat of his pants, spouting off about any issue large or small, And, what does he propose re: addressing city planning? All he's done is try to shame professionals by treating them like children, as if he's the father - who's been absent for 8 years - now back to tell everyone that they haven't lived up to his expectations.

So basically, you're envious of a man large and in charge, getting stuff done with courage that NEEDS to be done and HASN'T been done, and is intimidated by no one. Penis envy?

"getting stuff done that NEEDS to be done"? I'd be really impressed if he put a stop to the troubles in the south (or even addressed it) but this is just nonsense. Nobody can intimidate him because they get whisked away to a military lock up if they even speak out of turn. I have no objection with dictators, Tito was a great example as was Castro but everybody seems to be confusing this puffing of the chest and shouting "the city planning is a disgrace" with getting things done - meaningful things anyway.

[ginjag]

Can't we just make him PM he seems to be doing a superb job

What constitutes "a superb job", in your opinion?

I mean this guy's flying by the seat of his pants, spouting off about any issue large or small, And, what does he propose re: addressing city planning? All he's done is try to shame professionals by treating them like children, as if he's the father - who's been absent for 8 years - now back to tell everyone that they haven't lived up to his expectations.

So basically, you're envious of a man large and in charge, getting stuff done with courage that NEEDS to be done and HASN'T been done, and is intimidated by no one. Penis envy?

"getting stuff done that NEEDS to be done"? I'd be really impressed if he put a stop to the troubles in the south (or even addressed it) but this is just nonsense. Nobody can intimidate him because they get whisked away to a military lock up if they even speak out of turn. I have no objection with dictators, Tito was a great example as was Castro but everybody seems to be confusing this puffing of the chest and shouting "the city planning is a disgrace" with getting things done - meaningful things anyway.

Complete OTT post. totally biased and uncalled for, and you condoned PTP if I remember. if not you did not approve of posters criticizing.

[Alwyn]

Can't we just make him PM he seems to be doing a superb job

What constitutes "a superb job", in your opinion?

I mean this guy's flying by the seat of his pants, spouting off about any issue large or small, And, what does he propose re: addressing city planning? All he's done is try to shame professionals by treating them like children, as if he's the father - who's been absent for 8 years - now back to tell everyone that they haven't lived up to his expectations.

So basically, you're envious of a man large and in charge, getting stuff done with courage that NEEDS to be done and HASN'T been done, and is intimidated by no one. Penis envy?

"getting stuff done that NEEDS to be done"? I'd be really impressed if he put a stop to the troubles in the south (or even addressed it) but this is just nonsense. Nobody can intimidate him because they get whisked away to a military lock up if they even speak out of turn. I have no objection with dictators, Tito was a great example as was Castro but everybody seems to be confusing this puffing of the chest and shouting "the city planning is a disgrace" with getting things done - meaningful things anyway.

Ginjag (I cannot post on your last response as there are too many posts) You posted:

"Complete OTT post. totally biased and uncalled for, and you condoned PTP if I remember. if not you did not approve of posters criticizing."

What is OTT with my post? Nothing even mildly offensive but I guess you find anything that you disagree with as being offensive, right? You then ramble on to say I did not approve of posters criticizing... Isn't that exactly what you're doing? You got to be the most close-minded person on this forum

Edited June 13, 2014 by Alwyn

[atsiii]

Prayuth, are you listening ? Do what Napoleon did: re-assign house numbers, odd ones on the left, evens on the right, in correct ascending series.

The current addresses in Thailand mean nothing, it's "700m from 7/11 by the scooter shop that used to be there twenty years ago". That's why tourists walk around in circles.

Yes, addresses don't identify a point on the earth in Thailand; they only identify a general area. From there you must hope your taxi driver (or mail deliverer or ambulance driver!) knows which building it is. Having addresses that identified a unique point on the earth would be a great start.

Edited June 13, 2014 by atsiii

[Emptyset]

Can't we just make him PM he seems to be doing a superb job

What constitutes "a superb job", in your opinion?

I mean this guy's flying by the seat of his pants, spouting off about any issue large or small, And, what does he propose re: addressing city planning? All he's done is try to shame professionals by treating them like children, as if he's the father - who's been absent for 8 years - now back to tell everyone that they haven't lived up to his expectations.

So basically, you're envious of a man large and in charge, getting stuff done with courage that NEEDS to be done and HASN'T been done, and is intimidated by no one. Penis envy?

"getting stuff done that NEEDS to be done"? I'd be really impressed if he put a stop to the troubles in the south (or even addressed it) but this is just nonsense. Nobody can intimidate him because they get whisked away to a military lock up if they even speak out of turn. I have no objection with dictators, Tito was a great example as was Castro but everybody seems to be confusing this puffing of the chest and shouting "the city planning is a disgrace" with getting things done - meaningful things anyway.

I do have a problem with dictators, even the so-called "benevolent" ones. But the rest of your post is spot on. As I pointed out before, when Bangkok was developed from small city of boats gently drifting down khlongs and bicycles into the spawling megalopolis it is today, it was developed under the guidance of generals exactly like Prayuth. They loved "lambasting" people and giving the appearance they were well on top of issues. Many loved them for it. And the results were... exactly as you see now...

[rametindallas]

Can't we just make him PM

Too late, he already declared himself PM.

People like you complain about problems and then complain if someone tries to sort them out.

Well I did not complain about Bangkok city planning efforts, and I have not complained about any efforts to improve Bangkok city planning efforts. That's all in your mind.

All I asked was "what has he - Prayuth - done", in this case, other than to "lambaste"? Essentially, he's the one doing the complaining.

"what has he - Prayuth - done"

Wow, he's had the power for how long? His first responsibility was to defang Suthep and Thaksin's proxies and restore peace and order. Now, step by step and very methodically, he's reorganizing government to perform its duty and be responsive to the people. Slowly, slowly catchee monkey. (patience, brother)

[Thai at Heart]

Can't we just make him PM he seems to be doing a superb job

What constitutes "a superb job", in your opinion?

I mean this guy's flying by the seat of his pants, spouting off about any issue large or small, And, what does he propose re: addressing city planning? All he's done is try to shame professionals by treating them like children, as if he's the father - who's been absent for 8 years - now back to tell everyone that they haven't lived up to his expectations.

From Kindergarten to university and corporate life, Thais are told to shut up and do what theyre told.

You wrote: All he's done is try to shame professionals by treating them like children, as if he's the father

Looks like you are long enough in Thailand to know, how way too many many professionals fill important positions and Im sure you also know how they obtained them

Treating them like children seems just to me. If you remember the recent past, dont you feel that too many armed and blindly angered citizen were acting like a bunch of ill-behaved brats demanding democracy without knowing the true meaning of the word?

As long as the entire society don't undergo drastic changes, and even that will take generations, I believe a father who bangs the fist on the table when necessary, is not a bad option for this country.

That's why I say: go ahead Prayuth!

Hahaha.

They actually have town planning professionals in Thailand.?????

I'd hate to see it if they had amateurs.

[rametindallas]

Thank all the gods for the General! He is going to fix the crooked streets of Bangkok, and make them square each other and be easy to navigate! He is going to clear the sidewalks from street vendors who make it impossible for pedestrians to pass! He is going to bring peace to the South! He is going to make the courts fair forever! He is going to make taxi drivers adhere to the law! He is going to make the police do their job and never take another bribe! He is going to stop all those projects from which the 'wrong people' were going to get gravy money.

There is a rumor, it is at this point just a rumor, that General Prayuth O-cha will cure AIDS single-handedly....

Amen

Your sarcasm is noted.

[englishoak]

Can't we just make him PM he seems to be doing a superb job

Thats likely coming, populist policy got someone else into the hot seat after all.

[ginjag]

So basically, you're envious of a man large and in charge, getting stuff done with courage that NEEDS to be done and HASN'T been done, and is intimidated by no one. Penis envy?

"getting stuff done that NEEDS to be done"? I'd be really impressed if he put a stop to the troubles in the south (or even addressed it) but this is just nonsense. Nobody can intimidate him because they get whisked away to a military lock up if they even speak out of turn. I have no objection with dictators, Tito was a great example as was Castro but everybody seems to be confusing this puffing of the chest and shouting "the city planning is a disgrace" with getting things done - meaningful things anyway.

Ginjag (I cannot post on your last response as there are too many posts) You posted:

"Complete OTT post. totally biased and uncalled for, and you condoned PTP if I remember. if not you did not approve of posters criticizing."

What is OTT with my post? Nothing even mildly offensive but I guess you find anything that you disagree with as being offensive, right? You then ramble on to say I did not approve of posters criticizing... Isn't that exactly what you're doing? You got to be the most close-minded person on this forum

You are bashing for the sake of bashing. I never said it was offensive, What has the Army done to upset your applecart?? is it just something to complain about.

As far as the public reaction is concerned it seems far more easier than the regime 3 years. Military or not.

I hope as soon as the dung is cleaned up reforms are all finalized elections to take place but at this time this is a way off yet.