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Thanawat: Land bridge risks seen through environment, past lessons for climate change

Thanawat: Land bridge risks seen through environment, past lessons for climate change

Prachachat•General•17d ago

Reader Briefing

Environmental expert Dr. Thanawat warns Thailand's land bridge project needs a proactive environmental strategy and lessons from past economic and climate crises to succeed.

  • •Environmental expert Dr. Thanawat discussed the Land Bridge project, emphasizing the need for a strategic environmental approach.
  • •He drew parallels to past economic crises and climate change impacts, highlighting structural risks and lack of strategic continuity.
  • •Dr. Thanawat questioned the project's feasibility given unchanged thinking and suggested exploring alternative economic stimulants.
  • •Historical trade routes and the environmental consequences of similar projects like the Panama Canal were cited.

Overview

  • •At a seminar organized by the Transport Institute of Chulalongkorn University, the focus shifted to the environmental strategy and historical analysis for Thailand's Land Bridge project.
  • •Dr. Thanawat declared his participation as an independent academic, free from affiliations with Chulalongkorn University or the Royal Society, to express his views directly.
  • •Dr. Thanawat advocates for a proactive environmental approach, setting environmental considerations as a primary factor in project planning, unlike traditional reactive methods.
  • •Dr. Thanawat cited Thailand's GDP growth fluctuation before and after 1997, referencing World Bank data on the extended development time if 5% GDP growth isn't maintained.
  • •Dr. Thanawat questioned the logic of a larger, more ambitious land bridge project when the fundamental approach to thinking remains unchanged.
  • •Thailand ranks 22nd globally for carbon emissions but is among the top 10 most impacted by Climate Change, particularly after the 2011 floods when it ranked first in losses.
  • •Dr. Thanawat reviewed global trade routes over 2,600 years, noting the historical significance of the Isthmus of Kra (Golden Peninsula) as an intercontinental trade hub.
  • •Dr. Thanawat traced the historical attempts to build strategic routes from King Rama I's reign through to the current government of Srettha Thavisin, highlighting a recurring issue of strategic continuity.

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Source: Prachachat (Original)

Key Quotes

Dr. Thanawat Jarupongsakul
"Thailand is building this land bridge for the third time. We think the same, but the dreams are bigger, grander. How is this possible when the way of thinking remains the same?"
ประเทศไทยกำลังทำแลนด์บริดจ์เส้นนี้เป็นเส้นที่ 3 เราคิดเหมือนเดิม แต่ความฝันใหญ่ขึ้น อลังการขึ้น มันเป็นไปได้อย่างไรในเมื่อวิธีคิดยังอยู่ที่เดิม?
Dr. Thanawat
"Whatever we are considering, it might not be the ultimate solution like the land bridge alone. There might be other options that can stimulate the economy better if we consider all dimensions sufficiently and deeply."
อะไรก็แล้วแต่ที่เรากำลังจะคิด มันคงจะไม่ใช่ Solution สุดท้ายอย่างแลนด์บริดจ์เพียงอย่างเดียว มันอาจจะมีตัวเลือกอื่นที่ช่วย Stimulate เศรษฐกิจได้ดีกว่านี้ หากเราพิจารณามิติต่างๆ ให้ครบถ้วนและลึกซึ้งพอ

Key Entities

Person

Dr. Thanawat(อ.ธนวัฒน์)
An environmental expert and academic who spoke critically about Thailand's Land Bridge project.
King Narai the Great(สมเด็จพระนารายณ์มหาราช)ℹ️
A past monarch of Siam associated with a historical proposal to cut a canal across the peninsula during the Ayutthaya period.
General Prem Tinsulanonda(พลเอกเปรม ติณสูลานนท์)ℹ️
A former Prime Minister and military leader under whom historical considerations for strategic routes, including the Southern Economic Corridor (SEC), were made.

Organization

Transport Institute of Chulalongkorn University(สถาบันการขนส่ง จุฬาลงกรณ์มหาวิทยาลัย)
The organizing body of the seminar where Dr. Thanawat presented his views on the Land Bridge project.
Chulalongkorn University(จุฬาลงกรณ์มหาวิทยาลัย)ℹ️
The academic institution with which Dr. Thanawat was previously affiliated and mentioned in the context of his independent commentary.
Royal Society(ราชบัณฑิตยสภา)ℹ️
An academic body mentioned in relation to Dr. Thanawat's independent role in the seminar.
World Bank(ธนาคารโลก)ℹ️
An international financial institution cited for providing data on Thailand's GDP growth and development projections.
NCPO Government(รัฐบาล คสช.)
The military government that initiated the Southern Economic Corridor (SEC) project, a precursor to current strategic route initiatives.
Srettha Thavisin Government(รัฐบาลเศรษฐา ทวีสิน)ℹ️
The current administration of Thailand, under which the Land Bridge project has been further discussed.

Place

Suez Canal(คลองสุเอซ)ℹ️
A major artificial sea-level waterway mentioned as a historical comparison for maritime infrastructure projects.
Panama Canal(คลองปานามา)ℹ️
A transoceanic waterway mentioned as an example of the potential technical and environmental challenges in large-scale canal construction.
Sunda Strait(ช่องแคบซุนดา)ℹ️
A maritime passage mentioned for comparison regarding the travel time and logistic efficiency of the proposed Land Bridge.
Lombok Strait(ช่องแคบลอมบอก)ℹ️
A key maritime passage in Indonesia compared against the proposed travel times of the Land Bridge for commercial shipping routes.

Law

SEC (Southern Economic Corridor)
A strategic economic development initiative, previously known as SEC, that has been revisited in the context of Thailand's land bridge and connectivity plans.