Turn crisis into opportunity: PM Prayut

[billd766]

I always thought military colleges / academies like Sandhurst and West Point were the very best in preparing officers for their careers and beyond but the Thai Military version must be something really special as it turned out the PM who is proving to be an expert in everything.

You thought correctly, but they don't just turn out efficient "killing machines", they are also taught many other useful skills as well.

After all how many times have the Thai military, to say nothing of the UK and US military, turned out to help their governments (and other governments too) in times of floods, droughts, tornados and nutural disasters worldwide? The Thai military has proved itself time and again, the latest being the earthquake in Nepal.

The Thai Army in particular has extensive experience over the past few decades clearing up the mess that "elected" politicians have got the country in as they managed to do most years. The preparation that elected governments made was to vote a lot of money, form committes, do nothing, call on the Army and most time the money seems to disappear.

All that most governments do is talk a lot and send the military off to do the job, and then they take the credit for the work that the military has done.

After a while and a lot of OJT most people gain extra skills and Army officers seem to be brighter than politicians who never seem to learn from one crisis to the next.

[billd766]

I've been in the water supply and treatment business for 35 years.

1,000 wells to solve a supply problem for rice cultivation (or frankly, for most cash crops) is nothing.

Too little, too late is the phrase that comes to mind.

The credible plan is one phased in over the next 5 to 10 years. That's a more realistic time frame for enhancing reliability of supply, coverage, and conservation.

But hey, I understand the PM doesn't have 10 years. Maybe not even 10 months.

Is anyone taking notes as the Great Leader gives expert advice?

Where were you over the last 20 or 30 years when successive governments talked a lot, spent the money and did nothing.

At least THIS government IS doing something other than sweeping the problem under the carpet.

Previous governments, even the much praised PTP had at least 3 years and what did they acheive. Not a lot, but they did a lot of talking and managed to make money disappear as if by magic.

If you are so clever what is YOUR plan?

Put your money where your mouth is.

[somo]

PRIME MINISTER Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday instructed agencies to "turn a [drought] crisis into an opportunity" by allocating zones to grow suitable plants, while also ordering 1,000 wells to be dug.

Imagine, a leader that may actually do something about water supply and management. Criticize if you like, but digging wells for municipal and farm use does more for Thais than wasting billions on dodgy rice schemes or 500 baht handouts every few years for votes.

"....wasting billions on dodgy rice schemes".

Yes, absolutely.

Those damn Ag. subsidy programs the Opposition has been able to demonize, avoid independent audits so no-one gets confused with facts, and Opposition noise is accepted as gospel, need to end here and now.

If it wasn't for those assistance programs and other efforts at re-distribution of some of the nation's wealth beyond the Bangkok-centric elite, we could have obtained a 4th. Submarine.

I fail to see how paying well above the world price for any commodity, and the allowing it rot in warehouses is good for anyone, but that's just my opinion, and you know what they say about opinions, "they're like a--holes, everyone has one".

It's exactly the same as the EEC does so not that unusual.

[billd766]

"Perhaps the wells will be effective, I don't know"

Yes, they would be, once one drills past higher salt water levels in many areas...It is my understanding that wells cost around 30,000.00 baht each.

"Let us not forget how long it took Yingluck and friends to pay them, oops, they never paid them, the present government did".

To put some details to this generalization.

​There was a process involving bank borrowing for immediate remuneration of farmers, pending sale of the rice.

The anti-democrats in their op-positional ardor against Yingluck, lobbied the banks not to pay....Every bank...even to the degree of protesting in front of the banks seeking to close them. A certain Anand Panyarachun spearheaded this campaign. Why this extreme opposition outside parliamentary debate norms, we can only speculate about.

Now you know the rest of the story in case you had forgotten

I haven't forgotten anything, there was no cash to pay farmers, blame who you like for the governments inability to secure loans. The government did not pay the farmers, and some of them committed suicide, while others were prevented from reaching Bangkok by a red shirt blockade, perhaps you forgot about that. By the way, I haven't bought into anyone's agenda.

The sitting govt was blocked by various legal issues from providing the funding. Not least of which was their stupid idea to hold a snap election which prevented them from extending borrowing.

There were protests and a lot of lobbying to prevent this money being dispersed.

That didn't stop them in 2011, 2012 or even 2013 from obtaining money (and spending it). After all they had an overall majority in the House and the opposition couldn't stop them.

Whose stupid idea (your words) was it to hold the snap election then? It couldn't have been Yingluck's as she was never there.

The money could not be borrowed or dispensed because under the law (do you remember the rules of law) a caretaker can NOT incur any extra debts to the country just in case they don't win the election. The protests and lobbying was aimed at reminding the caretaker government to OBEY the law, something that the PTP was never much good at.

[Maestro]

Removed a nonsensical post.