All members and organisers of the recent aid missions to Nepal deserve praise and respect. Especially as there's more work to do in the wake of the second 7.3-magnitude quake that hit the Chautara district close to Everest yesterday. The toll from that shock cannot yet be dertermined. From the moment news of the first killer quake two weeks ago reached Thailand, there was no lack of sympathy for victims and survivors alike. Voluntary donations to aid funds quickly surpassed the government's contributions. And while there was plenty of support for home-based help, a few groups and individuals stepped up and "walked the walk" in search, rescue and aid missions into Nepal.
The military and government did their part. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha's staff, and the Foreign Ministry under Deputy Prime Minister Tanasak Patimapragorn led the efforts. Other ministries rushed to share the burden. The government set examples, no doubt. The facilities they were able to provide, particularly transportation, were crucial. Without the help of the Royal Thai Air Force, almost all aid teams and their equipment would still be on the ground in Thailand.
The swift response to the April 25 Nepal quake was impressive in another way. While there never has been a shortage of kind hearts and volunteer workers after a disaster, the 7.8-magnitude Nepal earthquake showed a different side to this urge to help. As recently as the 2004 tsunami, the local response to disasters has been widespread and well-intentioned, but not well planned or organised.
The different groups involved in the Nepal aid effort, from government and civil society, were professional in a way never seen before. On April 24, there was no sign that either the government or private sector could raise and move a search and rescue effort in a day. Yet on April 26, piles of aid were already alongside the air force transports. Teams designated to head to Nepal were well coordinated, and importantly there was no infighting. Similarly, they hit the ground running when they finally arrived in Nepal, and fanned out to areas where their specific talents could be used — medical, engineering and more.
This was an extremely important display for the country's future. Eventually, there will another large disaster in Thailand. Citizens and visitors both can be confident the response will be faster and better organised than ever. The post-tsunami effort to help victims was better and more efficient than before. But in the wake of that giant disaster, it is obvious how much more training and planning has been achieved.
The debriefing of all those involved in the Nepal aid effort will no doubt reveal weaknesses and problems. That is what after-action reports and meetings are for. This is the overall responsibility of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation. The DDPM was only established and properly funded after the tsunami. It has thankfully had no major disaster to deal with at home. It liaises with the Asian Disaster Reduction Centre, with headquarters in Japan and offices in virtually every country in Asia.
Forward planning for unknown disasters never has been a strong point in this country.
Agencies of both the government and private sector have showed in the past two weeks how much better prepared they are. Whether it is an epidemic like Ebola or avian flu, it is clear that the aid response will be better than ever. Continual training is necessary but our disaster response is clearly improving.