- by Pooky, Thai Intel’s economics journalist
I was not trying to find a way to apologies for Yingluck on her performance on the management of the Thai flood, but I wanted to know about other floods, to draw some lesson and to help me establishment a benchmark on Yingluck. So I did a Google Search, on how other countries have dealt with flooding and the result.
As I was curious, because I remember last year sever flooding of Thailand-and remembered, that Abhisit, was criticized, much along the line of Yingluck currently. The humorous part is, many columnist, said, the Thai people expected more from Yingluck, being the sister of Taksin-the master of management.
- What the poll says:
But a Thai poll beat me to the punch line, and found that the Thais gave Yingluck performance, something like a 40% to 50% passing grade, which is a failed grade, but also found that the Thais does not believe any other politician can do a better job than Yingluck. Other polls found, that the Thais continue to want Yingluck to tackle the flooding crisis.
Yet as one knows, the poll is one thing, but an analysis is something else.
- Back-ground on Thai flood crisis:
This crisis, as it is now accepted, can be placed into two-phase. The first phase is a consecutive of three major storms, drenching and flooding Thailand, not at historic level, but bad enough. The second phase, is the release of water from the maga-dams, as they filled up very quickly, from Abhisit‘s government mis-management of water resources in keeping just so much water in the maga-dams, heading into the rainy season.
Compounding the origin of the problem, is that Abhisit also rejected the request, by the Thai weather department, for ultra-modern weather radar system, and so Thailand only has the capability to predict storms, about a week in advance.
Thus, days after Yingluck has the power to manage Thailand, a crisis hit and it was turning into a crisis of historic proportion. Then as the crisis began to form into a major event, in politics, if anyone cares to remember back, Abhisit was leading the Democrat Party, on a fierce attack of Yingluck-on a variety of non-flood related issues.
While, the three combination, the brewing of a major catastrophe taking place, Yingluck being very new to power, and that fierce political attack on Yingluck took place, there is no hiding the fact that Yingluck was both “Slow to Respond” and “In-effective” in communications in that response.
But are criticism of “slow response and ineffective communications” just a natural reaction to every historic level natural disaster, in every crisis around the globe?
But the question is, is Yingluck performance as the poll indicates, being 40% to 50% or is it something else? And another question is, is it ever was realistic, to expect Yingluck to get a stellar 90% and up level of performance.
- The Building of the Thai Flood Narrative:
The reason I ask this question is, is because the Thai polls, often reflect the general narrative of the public on an issue. But as most neutral analyst knows, the Thai press, which control much of the narrative in Thailand-is both anti-Yingluck and Pheu Thai Party-with a strong dose of anti-democracy leaning.
No where can this be seen more by the repeated calls for Yingluck to invoke the emergency decree and in how the Thai press and journalist, spread rumors and un-substantiated reports-quoting sources and spinning opinion as news. Thus one can argue, that the narrative on the Thai food crisis, does not reflect the real events that took place, but much of it propaganda. Consequently, one can speculate, that the poll result of the Thai public, just simply reflect that propaganda narrative.
- Reality vs Perception:
Thus the question that follows is, how did Yingluck actually do in her management of the flood crisis?
As I read the many article in Google about flooding crisis in other countries, something struck me-many of the criticism, that Yingluck faced, is just very similar to how other authorities and governments in other countries have faced.
Namely, the complain are about “Communication Problems” and “Slow Response and Warnings” and the last one is, “Rescue and Relief Operations.”
These three strong criticism of most flood crisis situation, thus could in fact, indicate the “Natural Response” to a crisis situation, from the public, be it Thailand, USA, Pakistan, UK or other places. And thus, if the three response, are indeed, a “Natural Response” to crisis situation in similar cases all over the globe, one could in theory conclude, that Yingluck “Did Not Fail” at these tasks.
- Bench-marking Yingluck’s performance:
When I remember back to this Thai flood crisis, what I remember the most, is not Yingluck’s communications problems, the speed of her response, or her rescue and relief operations-but what I will remember is the fall of 5 to 10 industrial parks-causing US$ billions in damage.
It is not because I am into business, but because the fall of the industrial parks, strikes me, as the ultimate failure of Yingluck. That is because the fall of the parks, can also be sub-categorized into those that just simply gave no time to prepare, and those that gave ample time to prepare.
What I mean, is that there are several industrial parks, that should not have fallen, because there were ample warning time and thus an objective analysis would tend to confirm that if Yingluck was capable, they should have been saved.
So why did Yingluck fail here, when she could have succeeded?
- The Bottom-Line:
I truly believe, that here lies the real lesson to learn from this flood crisis, in managing other flood crisis in the future if it occurs again. The problem with communications, slow response, and relief operations, are fundamentally, structure that will come with every flooding-and if Yingluck can achieve a stellar 90% here in reality, it will still register poorly with the public.
If Thai Intel readers believe, Yingluck could have saved that few industrial park, then the poll of Yingluck’s performance at 40% to 50%, could be a fair judgement. However, if Thai Intel readers believe, there is just so much water, nothing cold have been done to save them, then perhaps the 40% to 50% performance poll, is just a natural reaction from the anti-Yingluck narrative.
- As always, Thai Intel urge our readers to be the judge, independent of the popular narrative.
- The following is from the Tribune:
Committee to focus on flood reaction
U.S. Rep. Tom Marino will host a hearing of his Homeland Security subcommittee today to examine the response locally to the aftermaths of Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee.
The hearing of the Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response and Communications is open to the public and is set for 9 a.m. to noon at Brooks Hall at Keystone College in LaPlume Twp.
The witnesses will include top officials of the state and federal emergency management agencies and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Mr. Marino, R-10, Lycoming Twp., said he plans to allow the public to submit questions that could be asked during the hearing. Typically, members of the public do not directly address congressional hearings.
“It’s not a fingerpointing, criticizing hearing,” Mr. Marino, the subcommittee vice chairman, said. “It’s to find out what we did right, what we would change in the future and what we can do to prevent the extensive damage or at least some of the damage that’s going to happen in the next flood.”
Mr. Marino said local county commissioners and emergency management agency leaders have “raised issues and questions that they would like us to ask.”
The issues include ensuring that river-depth measurement gauges are working, better advance warning of flooding and the availability of mobile homes as temporary housing, Mr. Marino said.
In Wilkes-Barre, a river gauge failed and left the impression that the Susquehanna River had crested at 38.83 feet when it actually kept rising to a record level of 42.66 feet. In Duryea and elsewhere, residents were surprised by calls to evacuate not long before flooding began. After the flood, Wyoming County officials, among others, repeatedly pressed Federal Emergency Management Agency officials for mobile homes to temporarily house families whose homes were destroyed or badly damaged.
“I know that we’ve gotten calls in the D.C. office because there are still thousands of these trailers sitting around the country and people were asking, ‘What are you going to do with them? Can we buy them?’ ” Mr. Marino said. “I think it’ll be a good thing for the district, bring Washington to the district so they get an idea of what we’re faced with here.”
Subcommittee chairman Gus M. Bilirakis, R-Fla., who represents a district north of Tampa, is expected to attend the hearing.
The scheduled witnesses are MaryAnn E. Tierney, regional administrator, Region 3 of FEMA; Lt. Col. Hugh W. Darville, deputy commander and deputy district engineer, Baltimore District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; Glenn Cannon, director, Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency; Marita C. Wenner, volunteer chairwoman, Pennsylvania State Disaster Committee, American Red Cross; James Brozena, executive director, Luzerne County Flood Protection Authority; and James Good, owner of Arey Building Supply in Wysox.
Read more: http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/committee-to-focus-on-flood-reaction-1.1238452#ixzz1fNOSGyCj
Related articles
- Yingluck Analysis: 7) Is it wise for Yingluck, Pheu Thai Party & Red Shirts to shut-down their political machine facing Thai flood crisis? (thaiintelligentnews.wordpress.com)
- Royalism & Flood: 3) Thai King charity head gets bitched at for joining Yingluck’s Thai flood solution body (thaiintelligentnews.wordpress.com)
- Political Analysis: 4) Abhisit visits flood hit Thai media to beef-up relations & talks of a troubled Thai people (thaiintelligentnews.wordpress.com)
- Natural Disaster: 2) Yingluck and Thai military put differences aside to help Thais hurt by flooding (thaiintelligentnews.wordpress.com)
- Natural Disaster: 4) Yingluck, Abhisit, Prayuth & Sukhumpanh shows “Raw Emotion & Spirit” (thaiintelligentnews.wordpress.com)
- Media News: Matichon, Bangkok Post & TNN “Clash Heads” on Yingluck’s Thai flood management (thaiintelligentnews.wordpress.com)
- Disaster Politics: 5) Taksin in Denmark, Abhisit in Maldives, Yingluck in Quagmire & Yellow Shirts in Rumor Hell Hole (thaiintelligentnews.wordpress.com)
- Natural Disaster: 10) Controversial poll gives Yingluck 9 from 10 & Controversial Taksin gives torch to Yingluck (thaiintelligentnews.wordpress.com)
Leave a Comment
No comments yet.
