Thailand needs a Delta Plan
Although it is not my habit to give my opinion on how things are going Thailand have been arranged, I cannot restrain myself this time. Thailand urgently needs a Delta Plan in my opinion.
After the flood of 1953, the Netherlands made such a plan, in which the Zeeland delta was closed off and all dykes were raised to Delta height. In Schiedam, where I lived at the time, an entire neighborhood had to make way for this. And it did, despite protests.
I think four factors stand in the way of such a plan in Thailand:
- Buddhism leads to a certain resignation. Life goes the way it goes and you don't resist that. Wells are only filled in when the proverbial calf threatens to drown in them.
- At the national level, I believe four ministries and countless departments are involved in water management. And at the provincial level you still have the governor, government departments, district chiefs, etc.
- Power relations in Thailand are hierarchical. Subordinates will rarely or never criticize their bosses, they do not take the initiative but wait for instructions. Education breeds that attitude.
- Thais are not very good at anticipation. I see that in the self-construction of a house here in the countryside. A global plan is made and building materials are purchased. Problems are only solved when they arise and then lead to curious constructions.
In the house where I live, a carpenter installed a door during the dry season. It was so tight in the mail that I thought: that goes wrong when it rains. And indeed, the door no longer closes because the wood has not yet worn out. My girlfriend doesn't do anything about it, she reasons: it will close again soon. But I think: the essence of a door is that you can open and close it.
Perhaps there are other factors that play a role. I would like to invite the readers of thailandblog to add to or correct my list if I am wrong.
Hi Dick, I do have one more – and not an insignificant factor, if not the most important. For the local government figures, the annual floods are simply a form of income. They can lend a helping hand to the federal government every year, and of course something is skimmed from every baht for private purposes. A structural solution also pays off, with construction projects and a few kickbacks here and there, but that is only a one-off and at the same time takes away that annual source of income. The joint political will is therefore not there because of corruption. This does not only apply to Thailand, by the way.
No, not on a large scale. A combination of many small scales. And not even with conscious evil in mind. That's just how it works in Thailand with the governments, people don't know any better. If you want to get things done, you have to move around. It's all face and self-interest. And proof? Oh well, it's all neatly processed in the administration one way or another. Just like that farang whose Thai wife buys a nice house in Isan for 2 million baht. Value probably less than 1 million. Also submits the invoices neatly, everything is 'correct'. Don't get me started, I speak from experience when I talk about doing business with the Thai authorities. If you don't believe me, talk to some Thais who might know about it. Not realistic? Sleep tight.
Absolutely Robert, read wiki about Suvarnabhumi and your story sounds very familiar!But some don't want to see it………………
If you want to see figures, Hans, there is no longer any question of corruption…..
@ robert
A cynical addition to my list, but plausible. Recently read a message that farmers must give part of their compensation for the lost harvest to the village chief.
What is also cynical to me is Smith's explanation for the floods. See http://www.dickvanderlugt.nl/?page_id=12404: 'No natural disaster; reservoirs filled with water for too long'
According to him, Egat and the Irrigation Dep have held water for too long, so they now have to discharge at the same time.
The Thais have known this problem for decades!
They even called in Dutch help earlier!… REJECTED!!!
Again…they know everything so well here!
You can be sure that after a few months when the water is gone .. no more chicken talks about this!!
And when the annual monsoon comes, she's in trouble again!!
Besides,,,where are all those BILLIONAIRES with their money!! Especially that one!….
Mai pen rai!!….
The rich become even richer as a result of the flood. Just think: all those affected will soon be buying building materials, electrical appliances, mopeds and so on… from the companies owned by the rich.
Dear Wim, the whining is in the public interest, not just for the fellang, what do you think of all the family members who live scattered across the country, because of work, sometimes far from home and hearth, and who are now victims of the slow and incompetent government confession.
Doesn't mean that you should close your eyes and not express your opinion.
A Delta plan is of course not applicable here.
Our delta works are there before water enters the land from the sea. In Thailand it is just the other way around. One has to manage the water from land (the north) to the sea.
So dredging and enlarging all channels and having the dams discharged in time. That could have been done in April.
Frank
@ Frank. A delta plan is indeed applicable here. What you say has absolutely nothing to do with the sea. Will copy the text here literally.
Welcome to Deltawerken.com
Delta works
The Delta Plan
The Delta Commission
Video: House of Representatives accepts the Delta Act On February 21, 1953, the Delta Committee was established, under the leadership of the director-general of Rijkswaterstaat: Mr. Maris. The goal of the Delta Committee is to draw up a plan that will ensure that two goals can be achieved:
1) Removing water from areas that were regularly flooded at high tides and guaranteeing the safety of these and other areas against the water.
2) Securing the land against salinization.
Minister Algera of Transport, Public Works and Water Management informs the Delta Committee that a choice must be made between raising the existing dykes or closing off some sea inlets. However, a condition for drawing up the Delta Plan is that the Western Scheldt and the Rotterdam Waterway remain open, because these waterways are of great importance for shipping.
@ Frank
I have used the term Delta Plan more in a metaphorical sense. The water problems in Thailand are of course of a completely different order than in the Netherlands. The Netherlands has a lot of experience with dike construction, but not with reservoirs and dams. With Delta Plan I mean: an all-encompassing plan made by 1 body. Also read Voranai's tongue-in-cheek commentary in Sunday's Bangkok Post: We don't know what we're doing. A summary is at: http://www.dickvanderlugt.nl/?page_id=12404
Of the 4 points mentioned, my point 2 plays the most important role.
Not only in the field of water management, but also in the
road construction, rail infrastructure, etc.
What always surprises me is the denial of a problem
if it seems to be temporarily resolved and then don't anticipate the future!
Sincerely,
Lodewijk