Danny Marks
University of Hong Kong Assistant Professor
Danny Marks is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Asian and International Studies of City University of Hong Kong.
2011 flood lessons go unheeded
Almost 10 years ago, the Thai government faced another huge crisis and unnatural disaster: the 2011 floods which killed over 800 and caused over US$45 billion (1.5 trillion baht) in damage. The damage and losses would have been significantly lower if the Yingluck Shinawatra government had responded more effectively. While the responses needed to the coronavirus certainly differ from a mega-flood, there are numerous lessons that the current Prayut Chan-o-cha government can learn from the mistakes made during the floods and thus how to best handle a crisis. But have they?
Capital's shrimp farmers drowning in wastewater
If you recently ate fresh seafood in Bangkok, there's a good chance some of it came from Bangkok itself. The idea that seafood is cultivated in a city considered a concrete jungle might be surprising. But Bangkok's district of Bang Khunthian touches the Gulf of Thailand and in Bang Khunthian's sub-district, Tha Kam, the vast majority of land is used to farm seafood, particularly shrimp. A district officer estimates that 70-80% of Bang Khunthian's residents are aquaculture farmers. Many have earned their livelihood through this means for generations.
Understanding Bangkok's traffic woes
Anyone who lives in Bangkok won't be surprised to know that the navigation company, TomTom, recently ranked the city among the world's worst for traffic congestion. The transport sector also contributes greatly to Bangkok's overall carbon emissions: a quarter of its emissions -- higher than the global average -- come from this sector and is driven by private automobile use.
Kick the addiction
On average, Thais use eight bags each per day, which equates to almost 200 billion bags per year - many of which are wasted and none of which are needed.
Dump dirty coal
The government could curb demand for electricity, live up to its pledges to cut emissions by 20% - but most of all stop Egat from building more coal-fired plants.
After the floods, have lessons been learnt?
While much of the media attention in Thailand is focused on the latest bout of "red-yellow" political tensions, it is worth remembering that about two years ago much of Central Thailand was submerged in floodwater, causing millions to suffer.
So where's the green in Thailand's green growth?
Yesterday in Bangkok, government officials from Thailand and three of its neighbours wrapped up a meeting with the Asia Development Bank (ADB) which discussed green growth in the Greater Mekong Subregion.