Columbo Reception Meeting

A group of Columbo participants from Sri Lanka took official visiting at the National Municipal League of Thailand.  I was asked to welcome them.  Here some photos of our friends.  The president of the NMT and Mr. Thanongsak, a secretariat together gave a welcome speech for the group.  Mr. Jirapat Sukhanite present a brief history of the NMT and its services.

the 4th UCLG ASPAC Congress 2012

The 4th UCLG ASPAC Congress 2012

The UCLG ASPAC composed with several local government associations and leagues from several countries in the Asia and Pacific region.  It will take the annual meeting of executive bereau and council every year. This year the meeting hold in Jakarta, Indonesia.  

Opening Ceremony 

Reception Party hosted by the Government of Jakarta 

Waiting for dinner 

Low Carboon Municipality in Thailand

It's believed that "city" is major source of Green House Effect which cause climate change and higher temperature.  To help this earth is reducing the GHG (Green House Gas) both at global and local level.

The Municipality League of Thailand cooperated with several experts from Thai academic institutes and funded by European Union has recently launched the project named  "Low Carbon Municipality" aiming to gathering outstanding local resource persons to be trained on the GHG issues and best practices of GHG emission reducing.  69 experts from several sectors such as well-known universities, NGOs, IGES, and the municipalities.

3 days meeting was held during 4-6 July 2012 at Cum Sade Resort in Kanchanaburee as the first meeting for more clarified on their roles, schedule arrangement and clearly scoping on procedure.

First day,  the group took an eco visiting on eco-management of Cum Sade Resort in late afternoon before arranging themselves on bed near the River Kaew surrounding with green trees.

Second day, Opening session by Dr. Natrika Wayuparb, the director of Strategy Office from Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organisation who provide a very comprehensive presentation on the overall picture of GHG and issues addressed by international concerns. That's the best part of the day ever. Next, some of best practices from Japan was presented by Miss Shom Teoh, associate researcher from the IGES ( Institute from Global Environmental Strategis).  Dr. Pantitta Srisomphong, a lecturer from Payao University, presented on "Local Carbon Tourism Management on Sufficiency Economy Concept" which is about how happiness can be achieved by managing local carbon tourism.  Last, session in the afternoon, the team was discussed on action plans, project schedule, procedural arrangement.  The discussion focused on tasks, responsibility, and concerns.  On meeting, I have found that Mr. Somchai and Mr. Vinitchay Amaralikit were both the key leaders who took great supports on the project.  I must give them the greatest gratitude regarding to their strong efforts to establish this project.

Dinner was on the raft house which dragged by a small boat along the Kaew River.  It's one of the great moment of the day.  Each team member expressed their sincere attitudes and true critiques on the project which I believe that it will be major positive factor to bring project's achievement.  Regarding to the project's goals, I should make some recommendation as follow:
1. The project should included more cities and towns near Bangkok.
2.  The organisation structure of the project team should horizontal than vertical line.
3.  Teams shall be respected equally without strong hierarchy.
4. The training curriculum should composed with: the GHG issue, best practices, know-how, and key to success.  This must be a package of comprehensive handbook.
5.  Networking is most importance that must be designed its communication channel which most appropriate to the group.

Who're Ready for Asian Community?

Who're Ready for Asian Community? 

Asian Community fewer is everywhere, in Bangkok Post, in Thai Rat Newspaper, on television, on radio, in class rooms, in seminars,  on the streets, in the coffee conners, in fresh markets, cities, towns, villages, and bra bra bra... 

Mr. Surin Phitsuwan, ASEAN secretariat announced that Asian Community now is not only dream but it's will be come real very soon. Therefore, every countries in Asian shall prepare for it.  Consequently, the Thai government has realized about this significance of readiness for incoming type of regional changing.  Foreign Policy is fully speed to make all domestic competencies in term of market improvement, public service efficiency and effectiveness reengineering, rural community urbanization, but political architecture and stable government is not included.  No need to discuss on this, it shows on T.V. everyday.  

All sectors have realized  how they were asked to prepare for the Asian Community certainly and how they should react to their future, yes!   A school in a small district away from Bangkok, the school director told his teachers that everyone must able to speak English or at least one of Asian language. And everyone must speak English a day in a week because we are going for Asian Community.  In a village, District officials visited community's leader and local people told villagers that they should know English, speak English because we will join the Asian community.  While on most tables have been discussing on the impacts of Asian Community, they have been also comparing on this matter with neighbor countries, for instance, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Cambodia including Singapore and the rest of Asia. Their concerns are advantages and disadvantages amongst them, not in term of cooperation and agreement types but it is in term of competitiveness amongst them.  I am saying that the clash of civilization(Huntington, 1993) is not active only in domestic environment but it can spread to the whole region. Of course, you versus me, they versus us, rich versus poor, have versus have not, will become the regional issues that is possible to create more serious conflicts due to differences on similarities. 

Thailand has full support to join the Asian Community. The nation-state is ready for it. However, there is still some minor obstacles on the preparation in business firms. The question is how Thai business firms improve their products and services to access into the Asian market? How Thai business firms increase their capacity and competencies to gain more advantages for maximum benefits from new emerge Asian market? (I leave the governments with the decision makers and their representatives, for me no need to discuss)  The following experience may be the answer. 

My breakfast is always hot coffee.  Espresso is my favorite one.  That day, fresh coffee was empty. One of my college offered me to drink an instant coffee that he bought from Laos a week ago.  That's O.K. better than hang over.  

Surprise me!.  What I see on the coffee pack which original from Laos the country on the less developed country's list are; four languages on pack, Muslim food symbol.  Look! the coffee product from local producer in Laos used 4 languages (English, Laos, Thai, Vietnam) for foreigners plus Muslim symbol for all Muslim in the world.  This product attempted sell around the world not only in Asian countries. When compare with the same product in Thailand I have found that Hao Chong Coffee is only two language (English, Thai) and Muslim food symbol.  


So, why this is a case?  Thailand is ranked as NICs that is going to be advanced in the near future. But recent uneven politics on current new constitutional architecture has not been designed yet due to lack of consensus amongst political movement groups. Amongst the major political interest groups are conservative and new progressive groups that actively influence how the new constitution should be rewritten.  Apart from the uneven politics, the slow responding to this case of Thai enterpreuner is considered as obstacles to gain advantages regarding to less or no far vision.  In fact, not many Thai business firms use English in market, so don't mention about other languages. The following photos show the comparison between Thai and Laos on coffee products. 

Picture 1:  Dao Coffee 3 in 1 Lao's product, there are four languages on pack (Laos, English, Thai, Vietnam)

Photo 3:  Kao Chong Coffee 3 in 1, Thai's product. You can see that it has better packaging but it is only one language while Lao's coffee product has four.  

Photo 4:  The same brand coffee product with only two langauges (Thai and English).  

It is clear that Thailand are not ready to Asian Community Market when compare to Laos.  The pictures illustrated that coffee product from Lao displayed four languages while Thai's coffee product used only two languages one is the national language and English.   It means at least more than four countries can access to Laos goods whereas only english used countries can access to Thai product.  Also, it assumes that Laos is ready to join the Asian Community than Thailand.  

Building Phrabudhachinaworn

Making merit for most Buddhists is normal.  Some people give food to monks every morning, some contribute their money to temples, some go to the temple to pray every evening, some making mediation for a few day.   This are the way most people do.  However, building Buddha image is one of the most value of merit making because it is difficult.  It's believe that if any person can build Buddha image, that person can be able to go to heaven.

Call for meeting, Phra Maha Ridhichai, me, and local people to discuss and make the procedure for the ceremony.

It's miracle when we step down to find location to build the cement base for buddha image size 59",  the spot light appeared on the photos.  It believed that those spot lights were both good and bad spirits, angles, who waiting for our merit regarding to buddha's building.

The ritual today is Braman for the purpose of buddhism

When I and some villagers were conduct some buddha images and other magic things inside the cement base, the cloud was getting dark and rain.  

Villagers join the ceremony

All value things were put in the old jar inside the base

Comparative Politics@ Nareasuan University

Once again, I did teach the Comparative Politics for the class of 34 undergrad student at Nareasuan University.  It's the intensive course which hold only four weeks to complete the study course. 
Class was on one building but I went to another building.  Starting from 9:00 a.m. till 4:00pm, I completed the definition of comparative politics and some of the theoretical documents.

In class, we talked and discussed a lot on the Thai current issue instead of comparative topic.  However, it needs to understand where we are, I mean Thai politics before we step further to other countries to compare.  The System paradigm such as political system, political culture, political socialisation, and so on are pretty much important for this class.  In fact, the basic approach for political comparison is "SIMILARITIES & DIFFERENCES". This is mean and method.  It is the way com pare one country to another country.  In term of the similarities, we shall select the most similar countries to compare in order to sort out the differences. In reverse, we select the most different countries to compare in order to sourt out the similarities.  Later, we frame our comparison by implementing the suitable paradigms or approaches for instance, system thoery. 

Time passed very quick.  Finally, the class was assigned to do two tasks for this course: Group paper and individual paper.   I eariler assigned them these tasks so that they can have enough time to complete their tasks before the final exam.

Flooding in Kamphaengphet 4-11 Oct 2011

Late afternoon of 4th October, the Kamphaengphet Governor (Mr. Wanchai Suthin) called the emergency meeting due to the heavy rain making the water over dam's restriction.  The dam must release big amount of water over 100 cubic meter which caused the water level on the Ping river will be high and flood into many areas in Tak, Kamphaengphe, and Nakhornsawan. 

The meeting started the first day of working on flooding protection and other issues related to water. According to the Local Flooding Disaster Plan, there are 3 levels of severe:

• Level 1: Local body is able to manage and control the situation
• Level 2:  The situation is over local capacity, the the provincial authority shall respond to the situation
• Level 3: Provincial authority can not control the situation, the expert team shall be bring into the desk of decision maker.

Kamphaengphet Town is local administration which has area cover 14 square kilometers. Ping river is the main river that run pass through the the town from the north to the south of the town.  The town located about 99 kilometers below the dam. Therefore, the water level on the bank relies on the water outlet flow from the dam and the water flow from some streams flow into the river before it run through the town.

The first day(4 Oct. 2011), we made plan to flight against the incoming flooding in the evening after meeting with the Governor.  According to the plan, we must build the barriers to block the water from flooding into the north and south of the town since it is lower than other area. It's marked as risk area.

The barrier in the north part was a 500 meter dam and covered with sand sacks both sides and laid small rocks on the surface of the dam to make it stronger and hard enough for Back Hoe to drive on.  We surveyed more risk area to lay down the sand sack at people's backyard, garden, and water ways. More government agencies were recruited to cooperate on this matters for instance, the military unit, police, communities, rescue team units, and hospital.  While we were working on protection barriers, the water increased dramatically. 

Courtesy to Mr. Toom Tam

In the morning (5 Oct 2011), the water is higher than critical level, it's 4.5 meter. The town announced to warn public to leave up valuable things higher from the floor and provide sand sacks to local residents to protect their houses from flooding.  It's noticed that when crisis public interest less important than private interest.  I don't want to say much. So let's see my gallery on the event.

Courtesy to Mr. Toom Tam

Giving a brief explanation on the crisis and its solution.

Courtesy to Mr.Toom Tam

City Mayor on T.V. "Spring News" but I was not in scence.

The river was rising to the peak rapidly; as a result, the barrier was scrumble in several parts of the town. The water flood into twon very quick while our man were exhault and less labour. We need to make public announcement to warn and evaculate people to the save place. So, I decided to call for the meeting and invite Mr. Jirasak, the Deputy Governor and other executive directors of involved government agencies to hear the situation and to make decision to evacuate people and to approve my purposed emergency plan.  The resolution was remove people and valuable things to the save place as plan and build new barrier. 

          My great effort is only to protect the town and mitigate disaster. Of course, merging various approaches I have learned with practical working experiences to scope the phenomenon and Q&A approach was also using to tackle the crisis. Starting from asking how much water to come? Where it will come into the town? How can we stop or make it slow down? What types of barriers to stop water? etc. Who or which organisations will be put in place? What type of communication? Moreover, "What-If "approach was a powerful tool to make a future scenario and plan-making. 

The rich gave to those who were suffering, this is the best story to be told on this crisis.

I spent the rest of the day trying to check and gave score to student's examination paper.

Ranger in roll to hear our City Mayor gave a speech of sincere thank, honorable salute, and farewell when the crisis was gone. Our great missions have completed.