Reconstruction from Flood Damage in Thailand —
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Revival of Industry — Reconstruction from Flood Damage in Thailand — 23 Revival of Industry Achieving Symbiosis between the Economy and the Natural Environment Seeking an Industrial Model that Maintains Harmony between the Farming and Manufacturing Industries Thailand Chao Phraya River Bangkok Located approximately 4,600 km south of of rice and other crops formed the nucleus of fledged industrialized nation. In fact, while Japan, the Kingdom of Thailand is often called its national industry until the latter half of the farming accounts for over 40% of the working a “land of smiles.” In the mountainous areas 1980s, when the government shifted gears to population, it contributes no more than 12% to the north rises the country’s highest peak result in a fully industrialized country. of their GDP, whereas manufacturing accounts of Doi Inthanon (2,565 m), while the Chao for about 34% of Thailand’s GDP and as much Phraya River Delta spreads across its central By welcoming with open arms foreign as 90% of its exports, despite the fact that it region to form one of the world’s largest grain companies and direct investments from constitutes only about 15% of the working belts. The local climate is tropical, with a hot Japan and Western countries, the Thai population*1. One could say that Thailand has season beginning in March and a rainy season economy experienced rapid growth in the aspects of both an agricultural country and an lasting from June to October, which is followed 1990s. Although the Asian currency crisis industrial country. by a rather cool, dry period. Extremely stemming from the country in 1997 caused abundant in solar radiation, the country’s its economy to temporarily become sluggish, It was this beautiful nation that was struck by year-round temperature is about 30 degrees a V-shaped recovery trend was achieved massive flooding about six months after the centigrade. Blessed both geographically and and high growth has been sustained ever Great East Japan Earthquake occurred. in terms of climate, Thailand boasts fertile since. Thailand’s manufacturing industry, in soil that makes the country the world’s largest particular, has developed so dramatically that *1 Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan A flood-damaged neighborhood (north of Don Muang Airport, near Lak Hok, Pathum Thani Province) exporter of rice. It is safe to say that farming it may very well be said that it is now a full- (MOFA) web site 24 25 Revival of Industry Houses and utility poles hit by flooding (Sai Noi, “Send Drain Pump Nonthaburi Province) Vehicles to Thailand!” Draining water from a marketplace (near Lak Hok, A Japan Disaster Relief Expert Team Rushed to the Site Pathum Thani Province) Saha Rattana Nakorn Industrial Estate (ooded on October 4) Chao Phraya River Ayutthaya Rojana Industrial Park (ooded on October 9) Ban Wa (Hi-Tech) Industrial Estate (ooded on October 13) Factory Land Industrial Estate Bang Pa-in Industrial Estate Traces of water can even be found on the Reclining (ooded on October 15) (ooded on October 14) Buddha. (Wat Lokayasutha, Ayutthaya Province) Nava Nakorn Industrial Estate Bangkadi Industrial Estate (ooded on October 17) Nakhon Nayok (ooded on October 20) Sai Noi Pathum Thani Lak Hok District Nonthaburi Don Muang Airport Province King’s Dike Bangkok Chachoengsao Water purification plant at the Nava Nakorn ■ Suvarnabhumi Airport Flood damage map of Bangkok and its suburbs Industrial Estate at the time of flooding (data courtesy of JETRO web site) Samut Prakarn Flooded farmlands (Sai Noi, Nonthaburi Province) sea surface temperature across the equatorial part of Thailand’s capital city of Bangkok in by idly. They have since built not only dams*4 accelerated redevelopment projects, which Eastern Central Pacific Ocean falls between November. but also the “King’s Dike,” a levee that encloses resulted in a significant decline in their water- July and October*3. As a result, precipitation Bangkok to prevent floodwaters from the north holding capacity. Also, the floods lingered along the upper basins of the Chao Phraya The 2011 Thailand floods were heavily from pouring into the city, and constructed over several months for various reasons, such River, which runs through the country, was reported by the Japanese media, but in drainage canals and flood gates. However, the as the country’s geographical features and the Underlying Causes of the Floods about 50% higher than in normal years due reality the country has experienced flooding rainfall in 2011 was “beyond expectations.” characteristics of the Chao Phraya River, which Switchover from Farming to Manufacturing to the kind of downpour that occurs “only on numerous occasions. Over the past 10 By early October, the storage capacities at flows very slowly due to its extremely low and Distinctive Topography once every 60 years” (Thai Royal Irrigation years, Thailand has suffered nearly 30 floods most of the country’s dams had reached their gradient*5. Department). Originating in the north of the that each claimed over 100 victims, and limits. Knowing that it could worsen the The 2011 Thailand floods affected country in July, the floods gradually moved such disasters now occur with even greater situation in the lower reaches, the government *2 As announced by the United Nations Interna- ■ Flood-damaged provinces approximately 13 million people in 63 of the southward, affecting virtually every province frequency than in the past. Delving a little was forced to release water to prevent the tional Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) (as of November 24, 2011, country’s 77 provinces. Claiming 813 lives*2, in the central lowlands by September. The further back into history, the country was also dams from collapsing, thus triggering the *3 It is believed that “La Niña” happens periodically data courtesy of JETRO and is not the result of abnormal weather. Due to web site) this natural disaster wreaked tremendous floodwaters from the Chao Phraya River visited by severe floods that each took more severe floods. When rivers overflowed in the its frequent occurrence in recent years, however, damage of a magnitude never before seen advanced further south to inundate the historic than 400 lives in 1983 and 1995 (coincidently, past, the vast paddy fields served as natural some suspect a cause-and-effect relationship with in the country. The direct cause behind city of Ayutthaya (a UNESCO World Heritage the year of the Great Hanshin-Awaji reservoirs and halted the spread of damage, global warming. the severe flooding was heavy rainfall from site) in October and the industrial estates Earthquake), which spread as far as Bangkok. but some of these fields and wetlands had *4 Also intended to supply water to farmlands dur- ing dry months. numerous typhoons triggered by La Niña, an where many Japanese manufacturers are based. been transformed into industrial estates and *5 The difference in elevation between Ayutthaya in ocean-atmosphere phenomenon in which the The raging waters finally reached the northern Of course, the Thai Government has not sat residential districts through government-led the north and Bangkok is only 2 m. 26 27 Revival of Industry “Send Drain Pump Vehicles to Thailand!” Drain pump vehicles in full operation Team members met daily to report on progress A banner thanking the Thai people for their A Japan Disaster Relief team of drainage experts at work (Sai Noi, Nonthaburi Province) with their work. support for reconstruction after the Great East Japan Earthquake Bangkok Escapes Flood Damage. on how Bangkok was damaged by the floods, involved in the development of the drain for driving the vehicles on the road. In so the Thai floods, he volunteered to travel to Panuwat Triyangkulsri Water Damage at some 450 Japanese the most severe damage was in fact suffered by pumps mounted on the vehicles. Conventional doing, I was often impressed by the instant and Thailand and caught a flight from earthquake- Director, Ministry of Industry Companies in Industrial Estates local cities, and most of the 800 victims were pumps of equivalent capacity weighed no less accurate responses from my counterparts—so afflicted Sendai to another disaster site in the Kingdom of Thailand living outside of the capital city. Also, one sharp than 800 kg, and thus cranes were needed long as we made arrangements in Japan, we Thailand. Our editorial team arrived in Bangkok in mid- distinction between this instance of flooding for their installation. This made it no easy could leave them to take care of the rest because December. Contrary to the sensational headlines and previous disasters was the existence of task to transport them to disaster sites and they have talented people and systems there “Before draining work began, the water at the of some Japanese newspapers proclaiming numerous industrial estates. Director Panuwat operate them there. After painstaking efforts to that work.” Rojana Industrial Park was about 1.5 m deep,” Kei Jinnai “Bangkok Submerged,” not a trace of flooding Triyangkulsri of the country’s Ministry of enhance the mobility of the pumps by reducing remembers Kobayashi. “The entire area was Director, Training Division was to be found at the center of the capital city. Industry stated that, “The Thai economy their weight to about 30 kg, Kubota came up Unlike previous instances of international covered by the floodwaters, and so we had no Secretariat of Japan Disaster According to local residents, it was only the suffered a major blow due to damage in the with drain pumps that could be installed and emergency assistance, this case saw a “hybrid” choice but to feel our way around. Our local Relief Team, JICA northeastern regions and the riverside areas industrial estates.” The floodwaters poured into removed without the use of heavy machinery.