This column covers "developing stories" meaning that you can expect additional stories on the same subject in the near future. The material that follows was written using much of the same language as your Bangkok Post writers use in their stories.

August 9, 2005

LOCAL

Keeping commuters waiting

The government’s plan for an integrated mass transit system faces significant hurdles

The parking area for the BTS skytrain at Mor Chit is fully occupied as more commuters opt to go by rail during the wet season, when the city's traffic jams can be horrendous.— NATTHITI AMPRIWAN
The photo here should be strong evidence for those in charge of mass transit in Bangkok that they should redouble their efforts to extend both the BTS Skytrain and the subway systems to reach the majority of Bangkok commuters. Just think of the savings in both fuel and time that would result.

As it is, there is a lot of talk about extending the systems, but not much concrete action and it seems quite clear that the various groups involved are far from agreement.

The latest word from the government is that it wants to take over ownership of the whole mass transit system, integrating both the elevated and underground components into one seamless whole. A holding company is to be set up for this purpose in the next three months.

The problem, of course, is that there are many private companies involved in the systems and they have plans of their own. Major shareholders in BMCL, the company operating the subway, for example, recently announced a plan to list on the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET).

The owners of the BTS concession also plan a SET listing and they are optimistic about their financial prospects when the Skytrain is finally extended into the suburbs. Thus far, neither group has been impressed with the relatively paltry offers the government has suggested for giving up their concessions.

Further complicating matters are jurisdictional issues. Unlike the subway system, which operates under the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA), a state enterprise, the Skytrain project is under the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority (BMA). The BMA, in turn, is controlled by the opposition Democrat Party, so the government’s plan could easily become bogged down in local and national politics.

Moving back to the present, a Bangkok Post reader writing to Postbag last week pointed out that the existing system still has problems of its own. Take a close look at the photo of the BTS parking lot, he says. It’s a mess.

“You currently run a gauntlet of badly parked, or possibly abandoned, cars on entering the area first thing in the morning. On your return you can’t be sure that your car is still intact as people have pushed another car into yours in order to get out or into a space. Many unfortunate souls have returned to find their car missing entirely, as there is a high rate of car theft…

“When the car park was changed from a muddy field to what we see today, the planning was to have buses pull into the car park's first lane to help clear Phahon Yothin Road. This hasn’t happened and now cannot happen as your photo clearly shows that the ‘bus lane’ is now full of cars.”
Still, we have to remain optimistic. We do have a new transport minister, after all. Let’s see what he can do.

commuters
people who travel a long distance from home to work every day
integrated
joined together to work as one system
mass transit
of transportation systems like subways, trains and buses which carry large numbers of people
hurdles
problems or difficulties
redouble their efforts
to make twice as much effort as before; to work much harder

concrete
real or definite
seamless
fully integrated; perfectly smooth
list
(of a company) to have shares publicly traded on a stock market
optimistic
expecting good things to happen or expecting that something will be successful

prospects
chances of being successful in the future
paltry
too small to be considered important or useful
concession
a right given by the government to do a particular kind of business
jurisdictional
involving legal power or authority

bogged down
not able to make progress
run a gauntlet
have to deal with a serious of difficulties
abandoned
left; no longer wanted
intact
complete; whole

INTERNATIONAL

Striking it rich

An Irish mother wants privacy after winning 115 million euros

Police struggle to hold back protesting workers trying to break through barricades erected at the Royal Plaza where, in July, some 1,000 workers rallied to demand the daily minimum wage be raised to 233 baht.— APICHIT JINAKUL

By all reports, last week began quietly for 46-year-old Delores McNamara, a mother of six from Limerick, Ireland. It ended under a flash of bright lights as she braved a massive media reception to accept a check of 115 million Euros (about 5.5 billion baht). Ms McNamara had won the Irish National Lottery.

What is she going to do with all that money? She refused to say. All she wanted, said her solicitor David Sweeney, was some privacy to let what had happened to her sink in.

“Up to now, Dolores has lived a very happy and contented life among her family, friends and neighbours and it is her sincere desire that she and her family will return to normality as soon as possible,” Mr Sweeny said.

Watch to see if she begins speaking to the media this week. In the longer term, let’s hope she adjusts better to her new-found wealth than previous lottery winners have.

The biggest winner of all time, Andrew Whittaker, who won a $300 million jackpot (about 12 billion baht) two years ago in the US, has been arrested twice for drunken driving in the past 18 months. He also faces charges that he attacked a bar manager, and is accused in two lawsuits of making trouble at a nightclub and a racetrack.

Who says it’s easy being rich?

braved
faced something unpleasant without showing fear
media
radio, television, newspapers, etc.

solicitor
lawyer
privacy
the state of not being watched or disturbed by other people

sink in
to fully understand
contented
satisfied

jackpot
the most valuable prize in a game or lottery
lawsuits
legal complaints

•This lesson was prepared by Acharn Terry Fredrickson, BA Stanford, MA (TESL) University of Minnesota, Manager/Editor of the Learning Post at the Bangkok Post and general editor of this programme.

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