Ambassador Kees Rade in the Bangkok Post
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Ambassador Kees Rade wrote an article about green economic recovery after Covid-19 entitled “Recovery after Covid-19: Let's make it green”. The publication of the article coincided with International Climate Change Day, which fell on June 21.
You can read the article at this link: www.bangkokpost.com/
Thailand
From his article I quote the part, which is specifically about Thailand:
“According to Germanwatch's Global Climate Risk Index 2020, Thailand ranks 8th on the list of countries most affected by extreme weather events in the past two decades.
A recent study by Climate Central states that by 2050, more than 12 million people living in and around Bangkok will be below average annual flooding due to a rise in sea levels.
Thailand's current drought is the worst in 40 years and is expected to cost 46 billion baht, according to Krungsri Bank Research.
The design of the nearly 19 trillion baht Covid-2 response package therefore presents a great opportunity to link recovery to sustainability. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha's remarks at the opening of Escap's recent session about the need for this were points in the right direction.”
Conclusion
Kees Rade's conclusion in that article was as follows:
“We are all grappling with the choices to be made in the coming weeks and months to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Our shared aim should be to combine the short-term demands for rapid economic recovery with the longer-term needs to design a more sustainable and climate-friendly development model.”
I agree with our ambassador. That said, let's see what's actually being brought up. Thailand is unmistakably green and it is the most common color, but covered in large areas with unparalleled rubbish. So apart from the weather conditions, an environmental and social vision will also have to be instilled in the minds of many Thai residents. Go ahead, it's no sinecure.