Korn speaks out against high-speed rail deal
Re: “Bt170-bn loan on track for high-speed rail link”, The Nation, yesterday.
I wonder what has inspired all of these election-boycotting former Democrat MP’s to suddenly grow a set?
Smarter Than You
Perhaps the realisation that it’s not only Yingluck and Thaksin who can do a bad deal when negotiating with our financially astute northern neighbours?
In which case, good for Khun Korn for speaking up, as so many former Pheu Thai MPs failed to do when the no-oversight Pheu Thai financing loan was on the table.
The Nation reports that: “Korn Chatikavanich, a former finance minister of the Abhisit government, said yesterday the Thai-Chinese train project should be financed as a joint venture between Thailand and China. He said such a huge investment could lose money and the Thai government would have to set aside a budget to subsidise the service once it is operational.”
In particular, Korn correctly identifies that it is important to give China a real (ie, financial) incentive to send enough freight down the new route, to help it achieve break-even and then profitability. If Thailand presses ahead on its own with the Thai section of the project, then China will be less committed to using it.
All the fluff about it being justified by the improvement in domestic travel to Isaan is of course merely to aid selling the investment to the Thai people.
Ricardo
I like that the Democrats are speaking up.
I like that the public are putting up a fight to preserve universal healthcare.
I like that various experts and academics are questioning the rail deal.
All of this doesn’t erase history though.
Korn and his party were major enablers of the situation Thailand currently finds itself in – always seeking a shortcut to power, good of the country be damned.
From the Japan Times of January 14, 2014:
“But nothing will be served if the Democrats and other opponents continue their campaign to boycott elections. It can only lead to a choice of mob rule or an army takeover, either of which would be disastrous for Thailand.
“Wise Democrats, if there are any, would talk to Yingluck and her allies to set terms for the election and for the behaviour of the parliament that is elected. True democrats have to trust the people or there is no meaning in it.”
Smarter Than You
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