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What Not To Say To The Wsj At An Apec Meeting


Gadfly

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Thailand's economic head, Mr. Kittiratt, who doubles as commerce minister and Deputy PM, had this to say to the Wall Street Journal at the APEC meeting in Hawaii in response to foreign investors's concerns about damage to their facilities in Thailand:

 

Mr. Kittiratt, who doubles as commerce minister, acknowledged his concern that foreign companies, the main engine of Thailand's economic growth, could leave the country out of fear of another flooding disaster. But he insisted that the government is not to blame for the catastrophe—and even cast some of the responsibility on the foreign companies whose supply chains have been disrupted by the flooding.

 

"If you ask me whether the government is responsible because of its malpractice, mismanagement or ignorance, I have no evidence to believe so," Mr. Kittiratt said. "The Thai government is one of the suffering parties. Part of the responsibility would have to be accepted by businesspeople, too."

 

What better way to instill investor confidence in Thailand.

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Thailand's economic head, Mr. Kittiratt, who doubles as commerce minister and Deputy PM, had this to say to the Wall Street Journal at the APEC meeting in Hawaii in response to foreign investors's concerns about damage to their facilities in Thailand:

 

Mr. Kittiratt, who doubles as commerce minister, acknowledged his concern that foreign companies, the main engine of Thailand's economic growth, could leave the country out of fear of another flooding disaster. But he insisted that the government is not to blame for the catastrophe—and even cast some of the responsibility on the foreign companies whose supply chains have been disrupted by the flooding.

 

"If you ask me whether the government is responsible because of its malpractice, mismanagement or ignorance, I have no evidence to believe so," Mr. Kittiratt said. "The Thai government is one of the suffering parties. Part of the responsibility would have to be accepted by businesspeople, too."

 

What better way to instill investor confidence in Thailand.

 

The last weeks have shown that the Thai government has is very open about showing its incompetence. monkeydance.gif

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Hi,

 

Actually, come to think of it, he is not 100% wrong. Certainly some blame is to be put on those business men who sold the land knowing full well it was in floodplains. Of course, it could be argued that the gov should have stepped in, but well... nothing a brown envelope can't handle :)

 

Sanuk!

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Hi,

 

Actually, come to think of it, he is not 100% wrong. Certainly some blame is to be put on those business men who sold the land knowing full well it was in floodplains. Of course, it could be argued that the gov should have stepped in, but well... nothing a brown envelope can't handle :)

 

Sanuk!

The King criticized 16-17 ago not to build industrial- and housing estates in flood areas. But i guess that it is unlikely, that foreign companies had heard of this - and if so I am pretty sure that the Thai sales agents, connected politicians and buerocrats did everything to play this down.

 

Anyway, this is not a Thai specific problem. This happens all over the world. Hundred of years of knowledge about the impact of natural disasters on local communities is being ignored today.

 

Best example is the Tsunami in Japan: in the area where the Tsunami hit several stone signs can be found in the mountains close to the sea: "do not build houses below this stone". The stones mark the heights of a past Tsunami wave.... Only one village did follow the old knowledge and no house was destroyed there.

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In Australia we go on what's hanging in the lower branches of trees.

Old car tires, row boats, skeletons of sheep etc are usually a sure warning not to build in the vicinity.

 

Skeletons of sheep, I like that. It is a bit of a give away though, isn't it?

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