The Thailand floods do seem to be diminishing at last, although several areas remain underwater and cleaning up is going to occupy many people for some time. Still, with the problem slowing draining into the Gulf, it’s time for the blame game to start and the Democrats have kicked things off by demanding the impeachment of various ministers for screwing up the relief effort.
Has the government, led by puppet Yingluck, screwed things up? Of course they have, massively. But would a Democrat government, led by puppet Abhisit, have done any better? Of course they wouldn’t. They both have figureheads capable of smiling, but the MPs of both parties are the usual self-serving rabble who would be initially surprised, and then spectacularly incompetent, when faced with any challenge that required putting the needs of the country before their own self-interest (and it has always been so, in every country. Katrina anyone?).
After the 1995 floods, plans were drawn up to construct dykes and barriers and assorted mechanisms to cope with a future deluge. And in 1996 these things were actually built. And then years of corruption and incompetence saw waterways being replaced with industrial parks and housing estates, and diversions built to ensure that any future floods would avoid the houses and interests of prominent people. Allegedly.
And then it rained again and here we are. And next year billions of baht will be thrown at the problem, some of which will actually be spent on remediation, which will then be diminished over time, and then it will rain again.
Anyway, the floods are old news and we are now heading towards the next Thailand saga, the imminent return of Thaksin. Latest leaked news is that the cabinet, which met when Yingluck was away so she could deny all knowledge, have drawn up the terms of a proposed pardon. The exact words are: “people over sixty who happen to be overseas and whose name begins with ‘T’ are to be pardoned.” Well, not exactly that, but it might as well be.
Trigger much huffing and puffing from the usual suspects; the Democrats and PAD (you know, the ones who occupied the airport). Expect much disruption over the next month or so, and more fun and games if Mr. T. makes it back.
And what is a foreigner in this country meant to make of all this? One option is to spend your days on the Thai Visa forum, spewing out your opinions which are of no consequence to an audience who don’t read them because they are all too busy recording their own intransigence. The other option is to just sit back and enjoy it. I prefer the latter, it’s less effort.
Comments 🔗
2011-11-19| Pomtong saysWell spoken, Spike.
As we are guests in this country it’s not up to use to propose unheard options of how to do it better.
2011-11-19| Spanky saysThe only value of Thai Visa is a consolidated source of news links otherwise I skip reading. The armchair pundits over there are highly annoying. You can only shrug and go it’s Thailand and move on.
I do feel bad for the average Thai with no pony in the race who consistently get screwed over. Then again a lot of places are like that where the average person is a secondary thought to their leaders.