A Do-What-We-Want Law in Thailand May Enable New Airport Runway

[webfact]

A Do-What-We-Want Law in Thailand May Enable New Airport Runway
by Chris Anstey, Tony Jordan, Chris Blake

- Article 44 gives junta power to bypass regulatory requirements
- Planned runway is part of broader infrastructure plan

BANGKOK: -- In a move that may be cheered by tourists but faulted by democracy campaigners, Thailand’s military junta aims to use a special-powers rule to speed up the approval of a new runway at Bangkok’s increasingly stretched main airport.

The measure known as Article 44 makes any action the junta takes "lawful, constitutional and final" and it has been used for everything from banning protests to giving soldiers authority to arrest people. It has also been invoked to kick off a slew of infrastructure projects that the slowing economy badly needs.

"We may proceed with the third runway as soon as possible," Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith said in an April 29 interview. "Article 44."

Full story: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-05-03/a-do-what-we-want-law-in-thailand-may-enable-new-airport-runway

-- Bloomberg 2016-05-03

[WhizBang]

Yeah, why not. Maybe appoint yourself ruler for life, while you are at it.

Democracy gets further away with each passing day in Thailand.

[jacksam]

Yeah, why not. Maybe appoint yourself ruler for life, while you are at it.

Democracy gets further away with each passing day in Thailand.

Yep and a good thing!

[phoenixdoglover]

With all of these accellerated and streamlined projects, kickbacks could be substantial.

If kickbacks happened.

In Thailand.

Given the transparency of contract awards.

Not that Section 44 would be used for any nefarious purposes.

[billphillips]

If and when the current "government", for one reason or another, ceases to hold power .... a very different opinion of what's legal and constitutional may be put forward. It's not unusual for a current government to go on a witch hunt of the previous regime. Especially if they have the support of the majority.

Another runway is needed? I'll have to bow to superior knowledge on that point but my last visits to BKK did not support the need. It would appear though that supporting services such as check ins, immigration and security checks need a hell of a big upgrade. Even with the ever decreasing number of tourists using the airport, the wait to get in or out is increasing al of the time.

[marcusd]

The 3rd runway is actually something IATA and international authorities have said is needed as Subi has issues with the current runway apparently. I read it somewhere but don't bookmark things like this.

The runway needs repairs all the time and pilots have issues so that is why and planes do get queued due to many coming at the same times.

AHA thank you to google here are a few

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-iata-thailand-airport-idUSKCN0VS11Z

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-35613792

So now they are doing it or Bangkok would be a NO GO area after next year and that would damage the lovely tourism.

Where would they get more Old British people to thump at Songkran?

[wabothai]

3rd runway for Chinese airplanes only.

[Tomtomtom69]

Yeah, why not. Maybe appoint yourself ruler for life, while you are at it.

Democracy gets further away with each passing day in Thailand.

Yep and a good thing!

Might not be such a bad thing, to be honest. Democracy isn't everything. Especially in developing countries. Look at India. Horrible infrastructure. Nothing gets done.

Consider China by contrast. Amazing infrastructure, Shanghai and Guangzhou look more modern than any American or European city. When they want to build something, they just build it. They don't have time for the whining and complaining of local residents. They just get on with the job.

Might not be a bad idea for Thailand to start doing the same thing. I mean, this new runway has been talked about for years, the land is available, what's been holding them back? There's a perfectly good strip of grass between those two main runways. Slap some concrete onto it and there you have it, a new runway. Or perhaps some sort of parallel runway might be better, don't know. Whatever the solution is, it can't be that hard. Just get on with the job. An airport as busy as Suvarnabhumi needs at least 3 runways.

[BSJ]

What's the good of having Sec:44 if you can't take it out once and a while for a spin!

[Srikcir]

If and when the current "government", for one reason or another, ceases to hold power .... a very different opinion of what's legal and constitutional may be put forward. It's not unusual for a current government to go on a witch hunt of the previous regime. Especially if they have the support of the majority.

Another runway is needed? I'll have to bow to superior knowledge on that point but my last visits to BKK did not support the need. It would appear though that supporting services such as check ins, immigration and security checks need a hell of a big upgrade. Even with the ever decreasing number of tourists using the airport, the wait to get in or out is increasing al of the time.

Another runway is needed?

Yes, as a backup emergency runway (aka 3rd runway). It's an operational issue following the International Civil Aviation Organisation's warning on safety standards.

Original plans for the Bt10 billion 3rd runway called for submittal by AoT to the PM Cabinet to be included in the FY 2010 budget. But funding was delayed due to completion of the environment impact assessment, compensation to nearby residents for noise and pollution from 3rd runway, and lawsuits by the same. While the NLA has budgeted for major improvements for the airport for FY 2016, I'm not sure the runway itself has yet been funded.

It's not unusual for a current government to go on a witch hunt of the previous regime.

It would be when the previous government was a military coup d'etat who always re-writes the constitution.

[billphillips]

Previous persons associated with military take over include ..

Jorge Rafael Videla

42nd President of Argentina

Also take a look at the 1980 Turkey trio who fell from grace.

Many more available from Google, take the time to look, it's interesting. Granting oneself immunity has no value for obvious reasons. Rewriting a constitution whilst I------y holding office is likewise.

Thanks for the info on the runway.

[namatjira]

I thought they could already do whatever they wanted.....who is going to stop them ?

[tuanku]

Yeah, why not. Maybe appoint yourself ruler for life, while you are at it.

Democracy gets further away with each passing day in Thailand.

Yep and a good thing!

Might not be such a bad thing, to be honest. Democracy isn't everything. Especially in developing countries. Look at India. Horrible infrastructure. Nothing gets done.

Consider China by contrast. Amazing infrastructure, Shanghai and Guangzhou look more modern than any American or European city. When they want to build something, they just build it. They don't have time for the whining and complaining of local residents. They just get on with the job.

Might not be a bad idea for Thailand to start doing the same thing. I mean, this new runway has been talked about for years, the land is available, what's been holding them back? There's a perfectly good strip of grass between those two main runways. Slap some concrete onto it and there you have it, a new runway. Or perhaps some sort of parallel runway might be better, don't know. Whatever the solution is, it can't be that hard. Just get on with the job. An airport as busy as Suvarnabhumi needs at least 3 runways.

Nail houses in China. People refuse to move because they are offered compensation at a level that would never allow them to replace their homes. If this is the model you like for Thailand, good on you, but your "amazing infrastructure" carries a heavy price for a lot of ordinary people while enriching further those who need and deserve no enrichment.

The trouble with making it possible to make decisions on these projects without proper consideration of the consequences, is that they may well turn out to be bad decisions with unexpected and dangerous consequences, Environmental impact statements and other checking procedures are designed to make stupid decisions less likely. And given what we've seen so far do we really believe this junta is not likely to make stupid decisions?

As other posters have pointed out, it is fine to make up laws saying nothing you do is illegal, but later on, there is nothing to prevent others from deciding that the process by which those laws were made is itself illegal and so the new laws have no meaning.

To take an extreme example, i am sure Nazi Germany had laws enabling it to set up and run Auschwitz and other camps - but those laws did not mean much after 1949, did they?

[Jonmarleesco]

The Tories seem to manage without an Article 44, if it's something sufficiently in their interest.

[Jonmarleesco]

Yeah, why not. Maybe appoint yourself ruler for life, while you are at it.

Democracy gets further away with each passing day in Thailand.

Yep and a good thing!

Might not be such a bad thing, to be honest. Democracy isn't everything. Especially in developing countries. Look at India. Horrible infrastructure. Nothing gets done.

Consider China by contrast. Amazing infrastructure, Shanghai and Guangzhou look more modern than any American or European city. When they want to build something, they just build it. They don't have time for the whining and complaining of local residents. They just get on with the job.

Might not be a bad idea for Thailand to start doing the same thing. I mean, this new runway has been talked about for years, the land is available, what's been holding them back? There's a perfectly good strip of grass between those two main runways. Slap some concrete onto it and there you have it, a new runway. Or perhaps some sort of parallel runway might be better, don't know. Whatever the solution is, it can't be that hard. Just get on with the job. An airport as busy as Suvarnabhumi needs at least 3 runways.

Suvarnabhumi has been open less than ten years. A prime example of Thai myopia; one Thaksin wanted pushed through on his watch - though given the time it had been on the drawing board, it did need a push. The existing runways were showing signs of cracking/subsidence months after it opened.

So far as whining locals are concerned, I take it you would have no issue with any disputed major development going up outside your front door? Fracking, for example?

[flyingdoc]

Maybe a second airport on Samui while they are at it !!

[sanukjim]

Yeah, why not. Maybe appoint yourself ruler for life, while you are at it.

Democracy gets further away with each passing day in Thailand.

You are so wrong about any democracy in Thailand.When Thaksin was here it is said that he was just about two months from passing laws that would have made him PM for life.We have lived here through several major and miner coups.The army will go away soon but are staying a bit longer so as to make sure that Thaksin or his family will not be a political factor here again.The voting (and vote buying) will return and every thing will be back to normal.

[Berty100]

The 3rd runway is actually something IATA and international authorities have said is needed as Subi has issues with the current runway apparently. I read it somewhere but don't bookmark things like this.

The runway needs repairs all the time and pilots have issues so that is why and planes do get queued due to many coming at the same times.

AHA thank you to google here are a few

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-iata-thailand-airport-idUSKCN0VS11Z

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-35613792

So now they are doing it or Bangkok would be a NO GO area after next year and that would damage the lovely tourism.

Where would they get more Old British people to thump at Songkran?

And what makes you believe that the 3rd runway will be problem free?

[baboon]

Yeah, why not. Maybe appoint yourself ruler for life, while you are at it.

Democracy gets further away with each passing day in Thailand.

You are so wrong about any democracy in Thailand.When Thaksin was here it is said that he was just about two months from passing laws that would have made him PM for life.We have lived here through several major and miner coups.The army will go away soon but are staying a bit longer so as to make sure that Thaksin or his family will not be a political factor here again.The voting (and vote buying) will return and every thing will be back to normal.

And there was me thinking this thread was about a third runway at Suvarnabhumi. How foolish can one be.

[brianinbangkok]

Yeah, why not. Maybe appoint yourself ruler for life, while you are at it.

Democracy gets further away with each passing day in Thailand.

Yep and a good thing!

......

To take an extreme example, i am sure Nazi Germany had laws enabling it to set up and run Auschwitz and other camps - but those laws did not mean much after 1949, did they?

1949 ?

So WW2 ended in 1945 Aug/Sep depending on victory over Ger/Japs.

Neurenburg trials 1945/1946

Whats in 1949 ?

Just asking ☺

[tuanku]

Yeah, why not. Maybe appoint yourself ruler for life, while you are at it.

Democracy gets further away with each passing day in Thailand.

Yep and a good thing!

......

To take an extreme example, i am sure Nazi Germany had laws enabling it to set up and run Auschwitz and other camps - but those laws did not mean much after 1949, did they?

1949 ?

So WW2 ended in 1945 Aug/Sep depending on victory over Ger/Japs.

Neurenburg trials 1945/1946

Whats in 1949 ?

Just asking ☺

Timeline not so clever, point still valid - just saying.

Probably didn't mean much after 1945 either if that makes it better.

[tuanku]

Yeah, why not. Maybe appoint yourself ruler for life, while you are at it.

Democracy gets further away with each passing day in Thailand.

You are so wrong about any democracy in Thailand.When Thaksin was here it is said that he was just about two months from passing laws that would have made him PM for life.We have lived here through several major and miner coups.The army will go away soon but are staying a bit longer so as to make sure that Thaksin or his family will not be a political factor here again.The voting (and vote buying) will return and every thing will be back to normal.

" just about two months from passing laws that would have made him PM for life."

Yeah right!

Said by whom with what evidence? It was also said that he sat on the throne in the Grand Palace and wanted to replace the King. There were people who would have said anything at all to get the army to mount a coup.

Look at his actual record of achievements! Alongside the war on drugs (which the RTP and the King supported at the time), and the Tak Bai and Kru Se atrocities, which were enthusiastically perpetrated by the very Army in power now with largely the same Generals pulling the strings, his record (not just the talk but the achievement) on Health Care, Education, Energy, poverty alleviation, agriculture and rural communities foreign policy and Economics is better than any other Prime Minister Thailand has ever had, bar none.

Most of those reforms and improvements were reversed immediately after the 2006 coup.

Sure there was massive corruption - no one can rise to that level in politics and society without it so it comes with the territory, but warts and all he is a prettier picture than anyone the General can offer and he had ability and was able to get others with ability to work with him. And he was the people's choice which should surely count for something!

I've been here through the Democrat years, the coup years (2 so far) the appointee government years and the Thaksin years, and I can tell you which of those I preferred and during which I believe more of the population was most prosperous and happiest,

Demonise if you like but for God's sake acknowledge the achievements as well otherwise you cannot be taken seriously.

[marinediscoking]

Yeah, why not. Maybe appoint yourself ruler for life, while you are at it.

Democracy gets further away with each passing day in Thailand.

You are so wrong about any democracy in Thailand.When Thaksin was here it is said that he was just about two months from passing laws that would have made him PM for life.We have lived here through several major and miner coups.The army will go away soon but are staying a bit longer so as to make sure that Thaksin or his family will not be a political factor here again.The voting (and vote buying) will return and every thing will be back to normal.

" just about two months from passing laws that would have made him PM for life."

Yeah right!

Said by whom with what evidence? It was also said that he sat on the throne in the Grand Palace and wanted to replace the King. There were people who would have said anything at all to get the army to mount a coup.

Look at his actual record of achievements! Alongside the war on drugs (which the RTP and the King supported at the time), and the Tak Bai and Kru Se atrocities, which were enthusiastically perpetrated by the very Army in power now with largely the same Generals pulling the strings, his record (not just the talk but the achievement) on Health Care, Education, Energy, poverty alleviation, agriculture and rural communities foreign policy and Economics is better than any other Prime Minister Thailand has ever had, bar none.

Most of those reforms and improvements were reversed immediately after the 2006 coup.

Sure there was massive corruption - no one can rise to that level in politics and society without it so it comes with the territory, but warts and all he is a prettier picture than anyone the General can offer and he had ability and was able to get others with ability to work with him. And he was the people's choice which should surely count for something!

I've been here through the Democrat years, the coup years (2 so far) the appointee government years and the Thaksin years, and I can tell you which of those I preferred and during which I believe more of the population was most prosperous and happiest,

Demonise if you like but for God's sake acknowledge the achievements as well otherwise you cannot be taken seriously.

I would love to go back to the Thaksin days. My business did better than any other time period. This coup is killing it, the long curfew, E shine bombing and the stupid things the PM says keeps people away. I'm waiting for sanctions that will probably finish it for good.

[dcnx]

Just build 2 runways and get it out of the way. Then for kicks, build a space station.

[MaiChai]

Previously this was a cobra swamp (former name). People only move to the airport area because the land was reclaimed and an airport built there. Thus why does it need environment assessment?

[jerojero]

Another 100 billion. Trillion deficit upcoming soon!

[tuanku]

Previously this was a cobra swamp (former name). People only move to the airport area because the land was reclaimed and an airport built there. Thus why does it need environment assessment?

Maybe because people are not the environment?

Maybe because there are people now and they want to build a runway now, not back then?

maybe because airplanes don't drop out of the sky onto the runway but pass low over considerable areas before landing?

If they don't take the trouble to do an environment assessment, we only find out if it should have been done after all when the thing is built and it's too late.

your question is rather like; if i crossed the road yesterday and didn't get run over, why should I look before I cross today?

[kblaze]

Yeah, why not. Maybe appoint yourself ruler for life, while you are at it.

Democracy gets further away with each passing day in Thailand.

You are so wrong about any democracy in Thailand.When Thaksin was here it is said that he was just about two months from passing laws that would have made him PM for life.We have lived here through several major and miner coups.The army will go away soon but are staying a bit longer so as to make sure that Thaksin or his family will not be a political factor here again.The voting (and vote buying) will return and every thing will be back to normal.

You speak like the Army-run govt doesn't have the same faults as the Thaksin-led governments. Here's just a random smattering, a small sample you could say

Corruption/Wasteful spending - The Blimps, recent T-90 tank/aircraft purchases from Russia, submarines that are useless (luckily derailed at last moment), world's most generals per capita, in all categories the Army is a bloated, mass of bureaucratic blundering. Remember the microphone corruption scandal? Rajabhakdi park? GT200?

Nepotism - Check. Prayut's brother given Permanent Sec of Defense, Prayut's brother appointing his son to a paid mid-ranking position. Son wasn't even in the army.

Populism - Check. 'Village Funds' coffers refilled. Risky loans for farmers. Cash handouts for farmers. Rural-focused aid programs. All shades of Thaksin. Just google "Prayut government, stimulus" and see how many measures have been passed to help the poor.

Results? Well, its hard to compare economies - the world was different during Thaksin's reign. But regardless, Prayut has been in power for two years now and the country's financial projections are only deteriorating. Regionally, we are the worst of the lot when it comes to GDP growth outlook, according to the World Bank.

Thaksin was a thug who should be in jail. But he was what "the people" wanted. Votes paid for - sure. But they were still cast. And, more importantly he never had the power of Section 44.

[Tomtomtom69]

Yeah, why not. Maybe appoint yourself ruler for life, while you are at it.

Democracy gets further away with each passing day in Thailand.

Yep and a good thing!

Might not be such a bad thing, to be honest. Democracy isn't everything. Especially in developing countries. Look at India. Horrible infrastructure. Nothing gets done.

Consider China by contrast. Amazing infrastructure, Shanghai and Guangzhou look more modern than any American or European city. When they want to build something, they just build it. They don't have time for the whining and complaining of local residents. They just get on with the job.

Might not be a bad idea for Thailand to start doing the same thing. I mean, this new runway has been talked about for years, the land is available, what's been holding them back? There's a perfectly good strip of grass between those two main runways. Slap some concrete onto it and there you have it, a new runway. Or perhaps some sort of parallel runway might be better, don't know. Whatever the solution is, it can't be that hard. Just get on with the job. An airport as busy as Suvarnabhumi needs at least 3 runways.

Suvarnabhumi has been open less than ten years. A prime example of Thai myopia; one Thaksin wanted pushed through on his watch - though given the time it had been on the drawing board, it did need a push. The existing runways were showing signs of cracking/subsidence months after it opened.

So far as whining locals are concerned, I take it you would have no issue with any disputed major development going up outside your front door? Fracking, for example?

The airport's already there, it's surrounded by empty grass, what more needs to be resolved? Locals who were impacted by aircraft noise when the airport was built did not get their way (they wanted a curfew on night time flights just like in Sydney, Frankfurt and many other airports around the world) but the authorities didn't listen to them. Another runway wouldn't have any additional impact - if you live near an airport and complain about the noise, that's your problem.

[Tomtomtom69]

Yeah, why not. Maybe appoint yourself ruler for life, while you are at it.

Democracy gets further away with each passing day in Thailand.

Yep and a good thing!

......

To take an extreme example, i am sure Nazi Germany had laws enabling it to set up and run Auschwitz and other camps - but those laws did not mean much after 1949, did they?

1949 ?

So WW2 ended in 1945 Aug/Sep depending on victory over Ger/Japs.

Neurenburg trials 1945/1946

Whats in 1949 ?

Just asking ☺

Timeline not so clever, point still valid - just saying.

Probably didn't mean much after 1945 either if that makes it better.

What's with westerners always bringing up the Nazis into every discussion.

We're talking about Thailand here. It's 2016, not 1945. I know most TV members were already old back in 1945 and are probably about 100 now but seriously, start living in the present and coming up with relevant examples please?