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.
LOCAL
Mounting criticism
Government critics may have forced the government to backtrack a bit
with its emergency decree, but they are still not satisfied
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About 2,000 people rally in front of city hall in Yala's Muang district in support of the government's emergency executive decree<.— TAWATCHAI KEMGUMNERD |
The seems to be a huge disconnect between ordinary people and members of the news media over the government’s decision to make use of an emergency decree to quell the continuing violence in the deep South.
According to a recent Abac poll, 72.6 percent of the people questioned in Bangkok supported the decree, and in the three southern border provinces, where most of the trouble has occurred, support jumped to 86 percent. I’ll bet if you carried out the same poll among those reporting the news, the result would be almost the exact opposite. Why?
Of course, you could begin by questioning the polls themselves. You wonder, for example, just how many interviewers dared enter a district like Yaring in Pattani where schools were closed last week after a director was ambushed and killed. Still, modern polls are seldom way off the mark, so it is likely that the public generally does support getting tough against those perpetrating the violence. The decree allows for some very strong measures indeed.
What worries those covering the situation, however, is that these strong measures are too often used against innocent people. Under the emergency decree, power can be even more easily abused. One of the decree’s key provisions is that it exempts those enforcing it from criminal prosecution or civil proceedings no matter what they do. The danger here is that the situation will continue to deteriorate and, worse yet, that it might spread beyond the deep South.
It is not just the media that is voicing such concerns. Prominent academics, lawyers and human rights activists have also indicated their strong opposition.
Add to that list former prime minister Anand Panyarachun, the chairman of the government’s National Reconciliation Commission. The real problem, he pointed out last week, lies with state officials. He accused them of inefficiency and said they lacked the ability to bring those carrying out the violence in for punishment. Meanwhile, he said, these same officials continue to generate mistrust and hatred among the local people.
Mr Anand also had a warning for Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra if he insisted on implementing the decree. “The biggest concern is that the decree can lead to another crisis. If there is no efficiency, there will be considerable chances for mistakes. If there is a mistake, the prime minister cannot deny responsibility,” he said.
Thus far, the opposition to the decree has been strong enough to cause the government to back off using some of its most controversial provisions. For example, Deputy Prime Minister Visanu Krue-ngarm announced that, for the time being, state officials would not impose curfews, ban public assemblies or forbid the sale of critical news publications.
This backtracking was not enough to satisfy the Bangkok Post editorial staff, however. Last Wednesday’s main editorial accused the Thaksin government of stubbornly following a policy of military force in a situation that required a much more delicate approach.
“It has been clear since violence has gripped the deep South over the past 18 months that the present administration favours harsh measures in dealing with the southern insurgency. The executive decree confirms this preference for a forceful approach,” the editorial said.
“Instead of hastily imposing new measures,” the editorial continued, “the government should first look at what has gone wrong with its policy and be more critical about the way state officials have implemented it.”
Watch to see if the growing criticism of the decree begins to erode the public’s support for it. And watch to see if the situation continues to deteriorate or if it actually starts to improve as a result of the government’s tough policies.
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mounting
growing; increasing
backtrack
to change an earlier decision, statement or opinion
decree
an official order from the government that becomes law without having been passed by the parliament
disconnect
separation; difference of opinion
quell
to stop something, especially violence or a protest
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ambushed
attacked from a hidden position
off the mark
inaccurate; wrong
perpetrating
committing a crime or doing something wrong
abuse
to use power unfairly
provisions
conditions or arrangements in a legal document or a law
exempt
to make it possible for someone not to be covered by a requirement such as a rule or law
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prosecution
the court process of trying to prove someone is guilty of a crime
civil actions
non-criminal court proceedings where the punishment is not jail
deteriorate
to get worse
implementing
carrying out
for the time being
for a short time, but not permanently
ban
to not allow; to forbid
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assemblies
gatherings of people
delicate
require great care and sensitivity
insurgency
an attempt to take control of a region or country by force
hastily
quickly (especially too quickly)
erode
to gradually reduce or destroy
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Drying up
Thailand’s water problems are probably not short-term
Like HM the King, that person needs to be a water management expert and someone who is willing to listen to the people who are likely to be affected by the projects designed to alleviate water shortages. As Sanitsuda Ekachai pointed out in a perceptive feature last Tuesday, the local people often have very efficient and equitable water distribution systems in place that can be ruined by projects designed by city-based bureaucrats.
The biggest worry at the moment is how to cope with the almost insatiable water needs of industries along the Eastern Seaboard. Several weeks ago, it was revealed the water levels in the primary reservoirs feeding the area were alarmingly low, so low in fact, that several major industries began making plans to cut back on production.
With economic growth rates already falling below government targets, that is the last thing the prime minister and his economic advisors wanted to happen. As a result, we are seeing a crash 400-million-baht programme to build 290 artesian wells. That, plus recent rainfalls, should be enough to get the region through the immediate crisis. says Wanchai Lawatanatrakul, chief executive of the company supplying water to the Eastern Seaboard
PTT Plc and the Siam Cement Group, two of the country’s largest industrial groups, seem unconvinced. Both have contingency plans for trucking in water in the short-term and last week, they proposed financing a massive 2.6-billion-baht project for constructing new water pipelines in the long-term. The pipelines would link the Prasae reservoir and Prasae river in Rayong to the Nong Plalai reservoir, one of the two key reservoirs servicing factories in the region.
Many other ambitious plans are on the drawing board, ranging from building new pipelines to diverting water from rivers outside the area. You have to wonder, however, how long such water resources will last as the both the Thai economy and population continue to grow. This is a story you are going to read about again and again in the Bangkok Post.
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alleviate
to make less serious or severe
perceptive
showing good understanding
equitable
fair and reasonable
bureaucrats
government officials
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insatiable
always wanting or needing more of something; never satisfied
revealed
made known
reservoirs
natural or artificial lakes where water is stored
alarmingly
causing worry or fear
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crash programme
a project that involves a lot of hard work and effort over a short period of time
artesian wells
holes made in the ground where water rises by natural pressure
contingency plans
plans for events that may possible happen
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link
to connect
on the drawing board
in the planning stage
diverting
causes to change direction
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INTERNATIONAL
Pulling out?
There is a good possibly both the US and the UK
will reduce their forces in Iraq next year
For the UK, a partial pullout would seem to make good sense. British soldiers are largely stationed in one of the more secure areas of Iraq and withdrawing only 3,000 of the 8,500 troops currently there would save more than a billion dollars per year.
From the US standpoint, a reduction in troop levels seems almost a necessity. With 135,000 troops still in Iraq more than two years after the war began, the US military is seriously stretched. It would find it very difficult to cope with another hot spot elsewhere in the world.
Many US soldiers are on their third tour of duty in Iraq and the military has also had to depend very heavily on its reserve forces, soldiers who never expected to go to war when they signed up. Ominously, the continued fighting is making it very difficult to recruit new soldiers and since the US has an all-volunteer army, this is a serious problem.
So, what will happen when the foreign forces do start to leave? Hopefully, by that time Iraq will have a new constitution and a newly elected government. It will also have an army and a police force capable of maintaining order. If it doesn’t, prospects appear grim. All Iraqis could expect then would be a prolonged insurgency or even a civil war. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen.
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credible
that can be believed or trusted
rumours
information that may not be true
necessity
something that must happen or be done
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stretched
having to do more than can be done efficiently
ominously
suggesting that something bad will happen
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recruit
to persuade to join a group or organisation
volunteer
a person who does a job without being required to do it
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grim
unpleasant and depressing
prolonged
lasting for a long time
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•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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Last modified: July 25, 2005
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