Only 'efficiency' will thwart crises

Thailand’s chances of thwarting another flood crisis will largely depend on its management abilities, a key thinker in the country’s water-resource management efforts surmised.
“My duty is to present the best plan possible, and I believe that with the right management, the country should be able to survive the rainy season next year,” Pitipong Peungboon na Ayutthaya said in a recent interview. He chairs the government-appointed subcommittee on planning short-term measures for water-resource management.
When asked if he was confident in the plan, he said: “Yes, from a technical viewpoint.”
However, he said that even the best plan would not work if it was not managed properly.
Severe flooding ravaged many provinces in the country during the wet season this year, submerging millions of rai of farmland and seven industrial estates.
With many Bangkok districts being declared disaster-hit zones, these floods were described as among the worst in Thai history.
Therefore, attention is focused on Pitipong’s subcommittee, which, after all, is expected to introduce an effective measure soon.
“Our main plan is almost ready now,” he said, adding that a working panel, led by Dr Srisuk Chandrangsu, is drafting the main plan.

SHOULD BE READY IN TIME
Pitipong believes the plan can be implemented in time for the next wet season.
“It can be done if the budget for the plan is approved next month,” he said.
According to him, the plan will mainly deal with measures such as channelling run-off out of Bangkok and its adjacent provinces quickly.
“We will also focus on information management to accurately identify risky spots and issue easy-to-understand warnings in advance,” Pitipong said.
He wondered if people really understood when warnings were issued in relation to mean sea level.
“I don’t understand that myself. I can’t measure the sea level. I can’t measure the height of my home in comparison to the sea level either,” he said, adding that it would also be necessary to identify which agency should manage emergencies at critical times.
“If the management is efficient, the floods will not pose too serious a threat. If it hits, the flood-water level will not be too high and it won’t stay for too long,” he said, adding that poor management aggravated the situation this year.

WATER MUST GO SOMEWHERE
The retired government official said the key to flood prevention or mitigation involved an efficient drainage system, an accurate early-warning system and an efficient |crisis-management system.
However, Pitipong explained that his subcommittee was focusing on short-term measures and |could not tackle mega projects like the construction of flood motorways.
“But my subcommittee will recommend how embankments can be improved, if canals should be dredged or enlarged and if irrigation structures can be turned in to drainage systems,” he said.
According to him, his panel’s recommendations should be implemented in two phases, with the first phase being completed next year and the second being completed in 2013.
Pitipong said that though his team focused on short-term measures, it did have regular discussions with another panel tasked with planning short-term measures for water-resource management.
Asked whether his experience as a former permanent secretary for Agriculture and for the Natural Resources and Environment helped in his task, Pitipong said: “Yes. I’ve learned that no matter what we do, we have to engage the public. Let people know what we are planning and listen to their comment. When all sides cooperate, the results will be good.”