36 replies to this topic

[lvdkeyes]

I don't see what this has to do with Siam's name being changed to Thailand (Freedom Land).

[Beer Chang]

It doesn't, just reminded me of childhood memories.

[lvdkeyes]

OK< I just got confused.

[eleothegreat]

Speaking of Corruption.

Here's a wake up call for all countries.

The other day, my country - the Philippines was devastated by Bagyong (Typhoon) Ondoy. And for a country where the government can spend thousands of dollars (millions of pesos) on Presidential dinners abroad, where politicians can spend millions of pesos in political campaigns, mansions, jets, cars and even zoo animals, where the government can spend billions to pay for foreign trips, where each local government can spend millions and millions of pesos for other projects - they were only able to produce two life boats to help rescue almost thousands of residents that were trapped in a flooded village.

Now, we have to deal with the aftermath - and that includes waiting for the floodwaters to go down, cleaning up of debri, drying out of stuff, giving and recieving of relief goods - and identifying those who have been casualties of this horrendous event. Some of these things we could have easily prevented. The last one, most especially. Death could have been prevented if the government had proper rescue plans and equipment. But no, there weren't any.

Last Sunday, I watched the news as they played an amateur video of a family riding on the roof of their house as it was being washed away by the raging river. As they passed under the bridge, the roof they were on and the house was totaled - causing them to be swept away by the strong currents. People on the bridge were throwing ropes to those who were in the water - and you could see those men swimming for their lives trying to reach the ropes that were held out to them.

At first glance, it looked hilarious because they looked like they were surfing on the river. Not only did the event sink in eventually the next day when they showed a footage of the same bridge. The water had already subsided, and on the river bank right under the bridge - there lay two bodies, that of a six to eight year old girl and a young teenage boy.

The next day, on a nation-wide noontime show called Wowowee, a survivor of the said ordeal came to the show. They interviewed him. He was one of those who were on the roof, riding and holding on for dear life. He says his wife, his six year old daughter and his three year old son (who's birthday is today), are still missing. They were all on that roof with him as they were carried away by the raging waters.

They lived near the river, and on the day of the flood, they stayed on top of their house because they could no longer get to safety. The man's six cousins came with ropes in order to help them. The ropes, however, were too short. The waters came in and carried away his house.

The man's family are not the only casualties - there are scores more. 73 have died and more than 300,000 have lost their homes or have been displaced - and the number is still growing.

Suppose rescue teams came early? Suppose local villages were provided with equipments so that they can easily and quickly rescue neighbors and villagers. Suppose local governments provided mass education and mass evacuation drills to everyone in order to teach them what to do in times of calamities.

It may all seem idealistic. All these efforts cannot ultimately stop a typhoon or any other natural disaster from happening - but these can at least help prevent further loss of lives.

If we don't do anything - there's only one thing for certain, chaos and death. I believe this is high time for the government to take action. And In the next few days, we get to see how the government deals with this.

I hope that they take this as a lesson for the future - and I hope the world does, too.

People from around the world can also help victims of Bagyong Ondoy by visiting this site:

http://www.abs-cbnne...ow-you-can-help

You can also donate through paypal:
http://technology.in...tims-via-Paypal

[Beer Chang]

eleothegreat, on 28 September 2009 - 09:08 AM, said:

If we don't do anything - there's only one thing for certain, chaos and death. I believe this is high time for the government to take action. And In the next few days, we get to see how the government deals with this.

y.inquirer.net/infotech/infotech/view/20090927-227196/Help-Ondoy-victims-via-Paypal

The government probably can't do worse than the Katrina response.

Heckuva job Brownie.

[WannaGo]

I have to echo what Beer Chang said about Katrina. The situation you are describing in the Philippines sounds very much like the federal response, or lack thereof, to Hurricane Katrina. Delaying the decision to evacuate until the last minute, sending survivors to undersized and ill-equipped shelters and failing to respond quickly with proper supplies cost more than 1,500 lives. If not for the hard work of the US Coast Guard -- the one federal organization that responded with efficiency and competence -- in rescuing more than 35,000 people, the number of dead would have been much higher.

Hopefully, once it's all sorted out, there will be more justice meted out for the people of the Philippines than the people of New Orleans and the U.S. got after Katrina. So Michael Brown lost his job and Kathleen Blanco decided not to see re-election as governor. Woo hoo, justice served! I'm sure the families of all the dead feel much better. I'll never understand how that idiot Ray Nagin managed to get re-elected in '06. I think a lot of the deaths in New Orleans can be laid directly at his feet for his waffling on the evac order.

Eleothegreat: One caution on giving money to aid the victims of the flooding. In the wake of Katrina and after the 2004 tsunami hit Asia, there were all kinds of scam artists (see here and here) popping up to solicit money, ostensibly to pass on to the Red Cross, but in fact, they were stealing it. Not saying that's the case with those linked above, just noting that generally, it's better to give directly to the Red Cross or other relief agencies than to groups promising to pass on donations.

[Wino]

WannaGo, on 30 September 2009 - 12:54 AM, said:

Eleothegreat: One caution on giving money to aid the victims of the flooding. In the wake of Katrina and after the 2004 tsunami hit Asia, there were all kinds of scam artists (see here and here) popping up to solicit money, ostensibly to pass on to the Red Cross, but in fact, they were stealing it. Not saying that's the case with those linked above, just noting that generally, it's better to give directly to the Red Cross or other relief agencies than to groups promising to pass on donations.

Good point, WannaGo. I find it best to give directly. Scam artists are everywhere (sometimes I think Thailand has more than it's fair share). This scum are some of the lowest of the low.

[Thaimo]

As crazy as this sounds, many well-meaning foreigners were stopped from voluntarily trying to help after the Phuket tsunami. Why? They didn't have a work permit.

It makes no sense of any kind, but that really happened.

[Wino]

Hard to believe that Thai's would enforce work permit rules in a time of disaster. Makes no sense. I have also heard that some native English speakers wanted to volunteer to help with English classes in a Thai school. No can do without a work permit. Is that crazy?

[Thaimo]

Wino, on 04 October 2009 - 12:16 AM, said:

Makes no sense.

There is a common oxymoron used by a great many foreigners in Thailand. "Thai logic." There is so much that makes no apparent sense to us. The examples posted in this thread are only a few on a very long list. Many of us who reside in Thailand gave up long ago trying to understand why they do these things the way they do, but if you are going to be in Thailand for any appreciable length of time you better get used to it. I no longer get frustrated by any of it. I just laugh, shrug my shoulders, and accept Thailand for the way it is.

I will give you another Thai logic example and I challenge you to figure it out. I don't know if this applies to all of Thailand, but in Pattaya you can buy liquor whenever you wish, but you cannot buy liquor between 2pm and 5pm.

I don't even try to understand these things anymore.

[lvdkeyes]

That 2pm to 5pm ban on alcohol sales was Thaksin's brilliant idea to keep kids from buying liquor after school. That's the logic, however dumb it is to us.

[Thaimo]

lvdkeyes, on 04 October 2009 - 02:33 AM, said:

That's the logic

Or lack of same. I wonder what he thought would prevent kids who want buy liquor from simply buying it the day before or on their way to school in the morning. I wonder why the rule did not provide for adults being able to buy liquor when they wish and if there is any question about the age of the customer, just require them to show ID.

Kids are cunning. If they really want liquor they'll find a way to get it, with or without such restrictions.

[lvdkeyes]

It all makes as much sense and when the blur out a cigarette on TV when it reaches someone's lips, but not before. I am an avid anti smoking advocate, but this is crazy.

[eleothegreat]

Wino, on 02 October 2009 - 12:27 AM, said:

Good point, WannaGo. I find it best to give directly. Scam artists are everywhere (sometimes I think Thailand has more than it's fair share). This scum are some of the lowest of the low.

yes, aside from scam artists, there are some other lowlifes taking advantage of the situation, stores and individuals selling cans of sardines and packs of noodles (the usual staple that evacuees can afford to buy and eat in times of crisis) at three to four times the price. Of course people are forced to buy even if the prices sky rocket since they're all homeless and hungry! Tsk tsk.

[finebyme]

I am from the PI. One may not want to live in the Philippines because of the mad condition of corruption here but you may reconsider to visit and find out how its being lived and compare it with your own. I am kidding. But you can visit you know that.

[finebyme]

What's up with that Thai logic? There are advantages to it, aren't there?

[lvdkeyes]

I think it's a face saving mechanism.