Ruling the waves

Singers J Jetrin and Joey Boy are tireless in their efforts to bring help to flooded communities

Pop star Jetrin "J" Wattanasin and rapper Apisit "Joey Boy" Opasiampisit may be best known for the careers in the music industry but both are also champions in the world of sports.

Jetrin picked up top prize in the Timed Slalom race at the 1999 Jet Sports World Finals while Joey Boy is a member of Thailand's national paragliding team and will be taking part in the para motor competition at next year's Asian Beach Games in Haiyang, China.

With Central Thailand looking more like a river than dry land, they've both be putting those sporting skills to good use over the last weeks.

Jetrin has been riding his jet ski round the sois to help those in need while Joey Boy has given up admiring the landscape from above and is cruising around the streets either in a large truck or a rubber dinghy.

"Most of people I've rescued are old, paralyses or suffer from kidney or heart disease," says Jetrin, who's now 41.

"Me too," says Joey, adding, "that's why I'm now known as grandma's pet."

Both have rescued and evacuated victims from almost all flood-affected areas but agree that the streets around Buddhamondhol and Lam Luk Ka are the most terrifying.

"The areas along buddhamondhol Road like Aksa, Thawee Watthana and Kanchanapisek have been the hardest because of the deep and fast-flowing flood-waters and all the small sois. 

Lam Luk Ka Khlong 2 and 3 were extremely difficult because they were still surprisingly full of people. The water was chest high.

"We recently joined up with a volunteer medical team from the First Army Area and went with four army trucks, four boats and two jet skis to Wat Udomrangsi School in Buddhamondhol Sai 3. That was hard," says Jetrin.

"I check news of the flooding in the morning to try and find how deep the water is. If it's very high, I use the boat. If it's waist deep or lower, I drive a big truck. 

But some areas like Buddhamondhol Sai 2 are both low and high, which makes getting around a lot more difficult," says Joey.

"I used my motor rubber dinghy to rescue people with the help of doctors from the military and from Sawang Prateep Foundation. J transported a doctor on his jet ski and sometimes the doctor was giving shots to sick people in front of their houses," he adds.

The garbage and pollution have taken their poll on both jet ski and dinghy though Jetrin points out that he isn't using a competition standard jet ski for rescue operations but a more solid, factory standard model. He's grateful to Tri Petch for their donation of an Isuzu D-max pick-up.

"I damaged a propeller one night in the Lam Luk Ka area. It was about 9pm and very dark because there was no power. I was jittery because two crocodiles had escaped from a flooded farm. When I'd been there before I'd heard chickens clucking. 

It turned out okay though, but when I went back the next day to deliver 300 survival kits, the chickens weren't clucking anymore," says Jetrin. "Now, I have to carry a weapon to protect myself against crocodiles!"

Both Jetrin and Joey have been making full use of Facebook and Twitter to communicate and spread news of what is needed.

"Twitter is very effective. Today, I have 170,000 Twitter followers and expect 15 per cent of them to spread my information to other people, says Jetrin, whose followers on Twitter include Dome Pakorn Lump and TV hosts Patcharasri "Kalamare" Benjamas and Woody Milintachinda.

"I personally follow media people like Suthichai Yoon, Jomquan Laopet and Sarocha Pornudomsak. Tweeting is great," says Jetrin, who also uploads photos and video clips to his own website JJetrin.com.

Joey Boy too is an avid Twitter fan. "I always check news of flooding through my Twitter account @joeybangkokboy," he says. "I set up my fund, 'Ya Yom Na', meaning don't lose courage, and take donations from my Twitter followers."

Jetrin and Joey often join forces with other volunteer teams, among them Smile, Jetrin's own Flood Fight, Sawang Prateep Sriracha, and Nok Air chief Patee Sarasin.

"We regularly make an appointment for 7am then move after an hour, because it can taken three or four hours to get to a flood-affected area, which would take 30 minutes in normal times. 

use Google Maps to check the directions and when we get there I scout around the area on my jet ski then suggest the best route for the boats to take," says Jetrin.

With the water now receding in some areas, Jetrin and Joey are now planning for to help the recovery efforts.

"I will be raising money for the flood-affected victims and helping to meet their needs for bottled water and canned food. I will produce a second set of 1,000 'Flood Fight 2' t-shirts. The new set will be distributed to all NYLA branches at Siam, Esplanade and centralworld," says Jetrin. 

"We used the money from sales of the first set to maintain the equipment and buy survival kits. I'd like to thanks the Twitter follower who donated 200 packs of water and the owner of the khao kha moo shop at Ram-Indra km10 who provides me with 300 packs every day."

What lessons should Thais learn from this year's floods?

"We need a good water management system, that's for sure," says Jetrin.

"Thai people should be more aware about the dangers of global warming," says Joey.

While both will part company pretty soon after flooding is over, they will be back on stage together early in 2012 at "Sea-Mix on the Beach". It takes place at Ocean Marina Yacht Club Pattaya on February 25.

Yingluck and Thaksin plead ignorance about amnesty

Leading figures, including former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, appear to have distanced themselves from the government's draft decree for a royal pardon to mark His Majesty the King's 84th birthday.

Thaksin, seen as the main beneficiary of the decree, has been denying any knowledge of the government's push to pardon him from serving his two-year jail term after being convicted for abuse of power.

"It's at the full discretion of His Majesty," he told Reuters on Wednesday in Dubai in reference to the pardon issue.

He said he did know what the Cabinet discussed at its confidential meeting on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said on the sidelines of the Asean Summit in Bali that the vetting of the decree was still incomplete and that the authorities had not drawn up the list of names eligible for pardon.

"It's normal for a royal pardon every year before the King's birthday ... They have to work on the legal [aspects]. After that, the committee will select the names. So there are still many processes ... It's not done yet," Yingluck said in an interview with CNBC.

The Senate Committee on Monarchy Protection called on the government to review and cancel a controversial clause granting pardon to fugitives.

Senator Pornpan Boonyarattapan said there was no legal precedent to pardoning fugitives or those convicted for corruption and drug trafficking.

She said senators opposing the decree would on Monday petition the Privy Council and the Office of His Majesty's Principal Private Secretary to review the pardon provisions before submitting them for royal endorsement.

Pornpan said the committee would summon Yingluck for clarification next Friday.

According to the law on the parliamentary committee's authority, a person who ignores a summons from the committee for investigation is liable to up to three months' jail and/or a Bt5,000 fine.

At a rally in Lumpini Park, the leader of the multicolored shirts, Tul Sitthisomwong, yesterday said he would submit a signed petition at 9am on Tuesday to the prime minister at Government House when the Cabinet meets.

The group asked the Justice Ministry and all related people to stop the process requesting royal pardon for Thaksin for three reasons:

The petition for royal pardon for Thaksin is illegal when signed by an unauthorized person, as the prime minister did not attend the meeting, while never before has a fugitive received a royal pardon.

Submitting an illegal petition would put His Majesty the King in an awkward position and if it were rejected, some people might feel offended, Tul said.

A fugitive who has not shown any sorrow for wrongdoing and conducts himself in a way that threatens the country does not deserve a royal pardon.

The People's Alliance for Democracy will on Monday hold a rally against the draft decree reportedly aimed at securing a royal pardon for Thaksin.

PAD spokesman Parnthep Puaphanpong posted a message on his Facebook page that the yellow-shirt movement would stage a rally in front of the Council of State on Monday from 10am to 6pm.

The Cabinet has approved a draft decree to seek royal pardon for convicts on the occasion of His Majesty the King's birthday. Thaksin's opponents claim the decree's criteria would make the former prime minister eligible to receive royal pardon for his two-year jail term.

Democrat Party deputy spokesman Mallika Boonmeetrakul circulated a letter urging the Privy Council to oppose the decree.

The House Committee on Reconciliation, chaired by Matubhum leader Sonthi Boonyaratglin, made clear at its first meeting that the proposed pardon for Thaksin was not part of the process for mending fences among rival camps.

Sonthi said his committee would rely on the report of the Truth for Reconciliation Commission to guide its work.

Committee deputy spokesman Nakorn Machim said the pardon issue was under the government's jurisdiction without any linkage to the legislative branch.

Deputy Army chief General Dapong Rattanasuwan said the military had no involvement in the pardon issue.

"All military leaders are busy assisting flood victims," he said.

Water management will require years of investment, Dutch expert advises

Thailand should turn the flood crisis into an opportunity by introducing a comprehensive flood and water management system, Dutch water-management expert Adri Verwey said.

"The will is very important," said Verwey, who was dispatched by the Netherlands government and spent weeks in Bangkok helping the Flood Relief Operations Centre (FROC).

Verwey, who is leaving Thailand this weekend as it begins to appear that inner Bangkok will be spared, said it would take Thailand years to ensure that Bangkok becomes a safe and stable environment in terms of flood risk.

Verwey, who spoke at the Dutch Embassy on Thursday evening, said that a comprehensive flood and water management system in central Thailand will stimulate the economy.

He believes Thailand does not need to relocate its capital, as proposed by some 20 Pheu Thai Party MPs, adding that it can learn from the Netherlands and other nations which face a similar threat. "Don't rush," Verwey said. "Bangkok can still go on for quite some time [as the capital]."

Dutch Ambassador Joan Boer said he hopes the flooding will serve as a "tipping point" for Thai society in committing itself to making citizens feel safe from flooding. 

Boer added that his home in the Netherlands, dating from the 1780s, is two meters below sea level, but he feels completely safe. The ambassador said his government is more than willing to assist 

Thailand in learning from its successes as well as failures in tackling flooding over the decades. The envoy added, however, that it took 50 years of investment to build what exists in his country today.

Verwey, who said industrial estates like Lat Krabang could be spared if sluice gates and flood barriers are properly maintained over the next seven days, added that Thailand may not need a new water authority as some have suggested. 

What is essential, however, is for the Kingdom to have a "clear rule" that governs the way various authorities talk with one another. "We try to make water [a] non-political issue in Holland."

Asked if it is now safe for residents of inner Bangkok to remove their flood defenses, Verwey said it was up to individuals. 

He added, however, that since there are so many sandbags in Bangkok and surrounding areas at the moment, the selling price would be low, while holding on to them a little longer might fetch a better price.

It might be worth noting, however, that as of Thursday evening, the Dutch Embassy on Soi Ton Son Road was still protected by sandbags outside its gates.

Coping with climate change

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon saw the extent of Thailand's flood problem for himself this week. Now he intends to use it as a case study to press world leaders to commit to climate change initiatives at the "make or break" global summit in South Africa later this month. 

That should strike an emotional chord with the delegates in Durban because some of them held a preparatory workshop here in April and observed a moment's silence to honour the 53 Thais who had just died in the floods in the South. They had no idea of the horror that was to come.

Although the Bangkok climate change meeting failed to provide a breakthrough, the two-week South African summit must deliver constructive results, if only to justify its carbon footprint. 

Failure cannot be an option because the expiration of the Kyoto Protocol next year means that time has nearly run out for any kind of comprehensive climate deal to replace it. 

Global leaders must rise to the occasion because taxpayers cannot afford to sponsor any more expensive talking shops at which they "agree to disagree".

Unfortunately, the success rate of international conferences which pit the interests of the developing and developed worlds against each other is disturbingly low.The world is a selfish place, with national interests regularly being given precedence over global concerns. 

The dilemma is how to get these to converge. Remember that the historic Earth summit in Rio in June 1992 did show that it was possible. It successfully tackled the environmental, economic and social challenges facing the international community at that time. 

Its sequel, 10 years later in Johannesburg, was supposed to find ways of achieving sustainable development to combat poverty. Instead it was a resounding flop. What we hope to see in Durban is the kind of positive attitude that leads to successful compromise.

Some basic reform and new blood is needed. The delegates who always arrive at these conferences with closed minds and wallow in negativity should be told to stay at home. 

Keeping them company should be the time-wasters who talk a lot but never commit to anything and those who see the trip as a junket, displaying more interest in local beaches, nightlife or shopping venues than the conference agenda. Screening the delegates beforehand might help. 

And who wants to listen to the same lengthy speeches, wake-up calls and tired position papers which say nothing new?

Great things were expected of the Copenhagen climate change summit two years ago and what a disappointment that turned out to be. 

Plenty of sound and fury after a huge build-up, and then it all fizzled out in a clash of vested interests and bruised egos. 

The Cancun summit last year "glimpsed new horizons", to use the words of the host, Mexican President Felipe Calderon. 

That summit coined the term "ecocide" and, at the last minute, established the Green Climate Fund intended to raise and disburse US$100 billion a year from 2020, to help poor nations overcome the impact of climate change.

One way to obtain worthwhile progress at major international meetings is in quiet discussions between delegates meeting in corridors, coffee shops or venues outside the main conference halls. 

Another alternative would be greater use of video-conferencing and choosing locations that are less exotic than Bali, Barcelona, Poznan, Cancun and Durban to save money and avoid obvious distractions.

Mr Ban is right to call for a heightened sense of urgency. Climate change is not some vague future threat; it is a time-bomb that is already ticking.

Sorayuth & the Great Bangkok Flood

Suranand Vejjajiva on Thailand's No 1 TV news personality & what it takes to achieve success in Thai TV (plus balanced critique).

Sorayuth, a hero in this age of reality TV by Suranand Vejjajiva

Watching television on the current flood relief operations, one sees all sorts of personalities competing to get, in Andy Warhol's expression, their "15 minutes of fame". 

Politicians, academics, government officials, NGOs, reporters and broadcasters - all have become water experts overnight (including myself, of course, on my own political commentary talk show.

But one individual and one television channel stand out, getting far more than their share of 15 minutes: Sorayuth Sutha-sanajinda, the popular news anchor, and Channel 3 where he works.

Mr Sorayuth rose to stardom with his direct questioning style mixed with dramatic pose and prose. His popular morning news show, Rueng Lao Chao Nee or "stories to be told this morning" is cleverly designed to suit the Thai way of life, which revolves around the neighborhood coffee shops or stalls where groups of friends and neighbors gather to discuss the news of the day, dubbed sapha kafae or coffee council.

In terms of style, Mr Sorayuth does not report news like other news anchors. He has mastered his storytelling skills and is able to talk in a way that people feel they are gathering around the table and actually are with him in the flesh. 

More of a talk show than straight news, Mr Sorayuth bundles opinions and news facts to convince the audience of his stories in the way we all do when we talk to friends and try to make them agree with our views. 

He (with his editors) picks popular topics catering to the interests of common people on the street - somewhat like the combination of tabloid and news that makes a newspaper like Thai Rath the number one print in this country.

Over the years, Mr Sorayuth and Channel 3 have developed a winning formula of news reporting, storytelling and reality TV into a package that keeps audiences glued to the screen. Rueng Lao Chao Nee is at the top of the ratings chart. 

Lives are laid out, traumatic experiences dramatised, while funny stories become the talk of the town, while abuses of power and scandals are exposed. Copycats at other stations fade in comparison to the master of the game, who is adept at heightening the sense of excitement, fear, happiness, and sadness even to the point of tears, as the news of the day flows.

And like Thai Rath, Channel 3 and Mr Sorayuth's popularity became an influence that has drawn in sponsors. It is rumoured that any product Mr Sorayuth endorses, or even merely mentions, on his show will sell like hot cakes. His words can literally turn into gold.

Channel 3 also cleverly mixes other styles of news show to follow up and maintain ratings after Mr Sorayuth's morning show. The news-breaks at the top of the hour and the midday news hour are more of a straight news reporting type but still with flare and dramatization.

Kitti Singhapat and his late night news hour, Khao Sam Miti, or "news in 3 dimensions" provides more substance both in terms of reporting and analyses but also maintain the heightened dramatic aspects from field reports. If life is a box of chocolates, then Channel 3 has it all for you, a different taste for every personality.

Since the flood last year, and more so with the scale of the disaster this year, Mr Sorayuth and Channel 3 have taken even a more aggressive role not only in reporting, interviewing and commenting on the news, but also in flood relief operations. 

Channel 3 has become the leading news organization in relief work: receiving donations, putting together survival bags to be handed out to flood victims, searching for and rescuing stranded people and their pets, all under the non-stop rolling of the cameras churning out moving pictures as if everybody were part of a reality TV show.

Mr Sorayuth is the leading man. He is out in the field talking, interviewing, reporting, telling stories and helping victims tirelessly into the night, with clips to be shown on his morning show. 

He now has a sidekick (every hero has a sidekick) in Ko Tee the popular comedian, fat and short but cute and funny. Together they venture out on their mission to save the world. It is a winning package made for television.

Is it wrong for Channel 3 to do relief work? No, of course not; well, not entirely. It is good that a profitable organization like Channel 3 helps out the flood victims. I sincerely commend Channel 3's management in taking charge of a charitable venture. 

They are trusted by many among the general public who donate in millions, and have received cooperation from the agencies, government and non-government, which willingly provide coordinated assistance.

And although I must admit there is a funny feeling when I see Channel 3's big logo on the relief supplies (since it is definitely a way of advertising), it is much better than the government's survival bags marred in power abuse and scandals. Speaking of which, the government's Flood Relief Operations Command (Froc) has a lot to learn from Channel 3. Froc has fumbled and bungled their operations and its public credibility is low.

On the other hand, to be fair, Channel 3 has the advantage of being a corporation. Coordinating their operations is easier than the various government agencies running around Froc protecting their own turf and interests. Each agency wants to propagandist its own work and not remain under Froc's umbrella. 

The Army, Navy, Interior Ministry, individual politicians - all want to gain credit for themselves. Even the police wear T-shirts saying "Police". Froc and the government get all the blame, the agencies get the credit, even as they tap Froc for budget and authorization.

It is also easier for Channel 3 and Mr Sorayuth or any other reporter to pick out a case to help, float in with cameras rolling and do their dramatic search and rescue. They need only a few cases a day to make their news show a success. Froc cannot do spot work and thus cannot compete in that sense. Froc may have helped thousands, but none of it was advertised.

In a separate issue, many have criticised Mr Sorayuth and Channel 3's approach to dramatising the news. I do agree with them to a certain extent. In some instances, I think Mr Sorayuth and his team should respect individual rights a bit more - waking people up at night and shoving a microphone or camera in their face just to get a story is not right. 

And in many ways Mr Sorayuth overextends himself from the role of the media to intervening in incidents which could backfire in terms of public interest. Channel 3's management should evaluate carefully and set a clear line of policy.

I would not say Mr Sorayuth and the news team at Channel 3 are media heroes. But in this day and age of soap operas and reality TV, I just sit back and enjoy the show.

Suranand Vejjajiva served in the Thaksin Shinawatra cabinet and is now a political analyst

(Source: Bangkok Post, COMMENTARY, Sorayuth, a hero in this age of reality TV, 18/11/2011, Suranand Vejjajiva, link)

TV News and Entertainment Industry Vocabulary

reality - actually happening ความเป็นจริง

reality TV - a type of TV program with unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, "documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded... exploded as a phenomenon around 1999–2000 ... at times utilizing sensationalism to attract audience viewers and increase advertising revenue profits... 

Participants are often placed in exotic locations or abnormal situations, and are often persuaded to act in specific scripted ways by off-screen story editors or segment television producers, with the portrayal of events and speech manipulated and contrived to create an illusion of reality through direction and post-production editing techniques" (See Wikipedia)

age - a period in history (a long period of time)

this age of reality TV

relief - help for improving a bad physical condition or a bad situation การผ่อนคลาย, การบรรเทา; การช่วยให้พ้นภัย; money, food, medicine etc. that is given to help people in places where there has been a natural disaster, war, etc. เครื่องบรรเทาสาธารณภัย

flood relief - helping people who are in difficult situations because of the floods

current - of the present time ปัจจุบัน

current flood relief operations

personality - a famous person คนที่มีชื่อเสียง

Andy Warhol - (1928-1987) famous American "pop artist" as well as celebrity during the 1960s and 70s (See Wikipedia)

15 minutes of fame - being famous for a short time, "the expression was coined by Andy Warhol, who said in 1968 that 'In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes.' The phenomenon is often used in reference to figures in the entertainment industry or other areas of popular culture, such as reality TV and YouTube" (See Wikipedia)

academics - professors and lecturers at universities and colleges

NGO - Non-Governmental Organization, organizations that are not connected to the government or companies that do different kinds of work to help people (See Wikipedia)

broadcasters - radio or TV stations that send programmed over the airwaves for people to listen to or watch in their homes การแพร่ภาพกระจายเสียง

all have become water experts overnight - all have become experts very quickly

individual - a person (considered separately from their society or community) บุคคล

stand out - easy to be seen or noticed (appears as different from all the others)

one individual and one television channel stand out

share - to have or use something at the same time as someone else ใช้ร่วมกัน

getting far more than their share of 15 minutes

news anchor - "a person who presents news during a news program in the format of a television show, on the radio or the Internet. News presenters can work in a radio studio, television studio and from remote broadcasts in the field, also called a "news presenter" (See Wikipedia)

rose to stardom - become a famous celebrity

direct - A affects D

direct questioning style - ask people difficult questions they may not want to answer

dramatic - exciting and impressive

pose - 1. staying in a certain nice position to take a photograph (not a usual or natural position); 2. pretending to be a certain way to create a certain impression or to make people think or believe something

prose - normal everyday writing you find in newspaper articles, for example (not poetry)

dramatic pose and prose

cleverly designed to suit the Thai way of life

stalls - large tables or small shops with an open front from which goods are sold in a public place แผงขายของ

dubbed - given a name ตั้งฉายา, ตั้งชื่อเล่นให้

dubbed sapha kafae or coffee council.

In terms of style, ... - as for its style ... , describing its style ... , looking at its style ...

mastered - learned how to do something well ทำจนชำนาญ

skills - a type of work or task requiring special training and knowledge ทักษะ ความสามารถเฉพาะทาง

mastered his storytelling skills

gathering - a party or a meeting when many people come together as a group การรวมตัว, การประชุม

gathering around the table

actually - really 100% is true and exists

flesh - skin

in the flesh - when a person is there (with the "flesh" of their body)

actually are with him in the flesh

talk show - a TV show with many well-known guests who talk about different topics with a talk show host (See Wikipedia)

straight - not mixed with other things (example: Never drink straight rice whiskey before driving your car.)

straight news - only news (not mixed with other things such as entertainment)

bundle - many things gathered together into a group

opinion - ความเห็น, ความคิดเห็น

fact - ส่วนของข้อมูล; ความจริง, ข้อเท็จจริง, ความเป็นจริง

bundles opinions and news facts

convince - saying things to make a person believe something

audience - the people who watch an event happen; the group of people gathered in one place to watch or listen to a play, film, someone speaking, etc. ผู้ชม

convince the audience of his stories - make the people watching his show believe in his stories (and what he is saying, his message)

editor - the person who makes the decisions about what to publish in a part of a newspaper or magazine (See Wikipedia)

catering to - giving people what they they want

interests - the things that a person is interested in; wants to see and know more about

catering to the interests of - providing people with the things they are interested in, that they want to see and hear about

common people - ordinary people, people who are like most other people (not rich people, famous people, professors)

common people on the street - same as "common people"

picks popular topics catering to the interests of common people on the street

combination - the mixture you get when two or more things are combined การรวมกัน

tabloid - a type of popular newspaper with small pages which has many pictures and short simple reports หนังสือพิมพ์ขนาดเล็กที่รวมเรื่องสั้นต่างๆ ไว้

the combination of tabloid and news that makes a newspaper like Thai Rath the top circulation newspaper in this country

circulation - newspaper circulation, the number of people who read a newspaper each day, a newspaper's readership (See Wikipedia)

formula - a certain way to do something; a series of steps to achieve a result; a procedure

winning formula - a formula that leads to success

developed a winning formula - created a formula that leads to success

keeps audiences glued to the screen - the show is so interesting that people do not want to stop watching it (for any reason)

ratings chart - the list of top TV shows or songs (in order of most to least popular)

at the top of the ratings chart

trauma (noun) - 1. a very shocking and upsetting experience (psychological trauma); 2. an injury such as a broken leg (physical trauma)

traumatic (adjective)

traumatic experiences dramatised

the talk of the town - everyone in the town or city is talking about this

exposed - made known; uncovered เปิดเยต่อ

abuses of power and scandals are exposed.

copycats - people who only do what other people do, copying what others do, imitating them

fade - to slowly disappear, lose importance or become weaker อ่อนลง,หายไป,ค่อย ๆ ตาย

master - a man who is very good at something ปรมาจารย์

fade in comparison to the master of the game

adept - very skilled at

heightening the sense of - creating an increased feeling of

adept at heightening the sense of excitement

to the point of tears - almost makes you cry

influence - affect what people do or think อิทธิพล

sponsor - a company paying for a program or event (and getting advertisements and publicity in exchange)

drawn in sponsors - gets companies interested in being sponsors

Mr Sorayuth's popularity became an influence that has drawn in sponsors.

rumoured - people are saying that something is true (but there has not been an offical announcement yet, so don't knwo whether it is true or not)

endorse a product - say that a product is good

mention - say something about something (while you are talking about something else)

sell like hotcakes - sell very large amounts of the product

It is rumoured that any product Mr Sorayuth endorses, or even merely mentions, on his show will sell like hot cakes.

X literally means Y - X means Y exactly (not just being used to describe; used as metaphor or simile)

His words can literally turn into gold.

maintain - keep in good condition รักษา

maintain ratings - keep the TV rating high

TV ratings - (See Wikipedia on broadcast ratings and audience measurement)

news-breaks at the top of the hour - the short presentations of breaking news every hour on TV (between TV programs)

flare - 1. ; 2. when flames jump up and a fire gets bigger ความโกรธที่เพิ่มขึ้น

with flare and dramatization

substance - based on accurate or true information มีมูล

provides more substance

analyses

heightened - increased (example: heightened drama and excitement)

firld reports - reports from where an event is taking place (not back in the office or television studio)

heightened dramatic aspects from field reports

scale - size (relative size)

disaster - something very bad that happens and causes a lot of damage or kills a lot of people ความหายนะ ภัยพิบัติ

the scale of the disaster this year - meaning: this year's disaster was very big (bigger than usual)

aggressive - done with great energy and intensity; forceful, determined, and eager to succeed (See glossary) ก้าวร้าว ซึ่งมีความมั่นใจสูง

role - function or position that someone or something has in an activity, situation, organization, society or relationship บทบาท

taken even a more aggressive role

flood relief operations

donations - money given by people to help some project or organization financially

victims - people who are killed injured or harmed in some way from an accident, natural disaster, crime, etc.

survival bags to be handed out to flood victims,

stranded - left somewhere with no way of going anywhere else ปล่อยเกาะ ถูกทิ้งไว้ cannot leave a place (due to bad weather or hoards of protesters, for example) ถูกปล่อยเกาะ

rescuing stranded people and their pets,

the non-stop rolling of the cameras churning out moving pictures as if everybody were part of a reality TV show.

the leading man - the main actor in a drama (movie, TV show)

sidekick - friend who travels along with a person on their adventures

venture - to go somewhere, especially someone that is unpleasant, dangerous or exciting เสี่ยงภัย ผจญภัย

mission - an important job, especially a military one, that someone is sent somewhere to do งาน

venture out on their mission to save the world.

charitable - giving money to the poor and disadvantaged; having a kind attitude towards people and wanting to help them rather than criticism them ใจบุญ เมตตากรุณา

I sincerely commend Channel 3's management in taking charge of a charitable venture.

donate - to give something such as money or goods to an organization, especially to a charity, school, political party, etc. บริจาค

donate in millions

cooperation - work together towards a goal ความร่วมมือกัน การทำงานร่วมกัน

provide - to give someone something that they want or need

coordinated - working together to achieve a goal ทำงานร่วมกัน

assistance - help (given to someone)

received cooperation from the agencies, government and non-government, which willingly provide coordinated assistance.

admit - to agree that something is true, especially when you are unhappy, sorry or surprised about it ยอมรับ

I must admit ...

logo - a special design or way of writing the company's name put on all products and advertisements

Channel 3's big logo on the relief supplies

marred - ruined, destroyed Rising Uncertainty “Foreign investors are used to

abuse - to use or treat someone or something wrongly or badly, especially in a way that is to your own advantage ใช้ในทางที่ผิด doing something you are not supposed to do, spending money on something you are not supposed to spend on

power abuse - having the power to control events and then control events in a way that is not moral or right (for your own or your cronies benefit or to hurt other people)

scandal - a shocking and immoral event or situation that everyone knows about (involving a politician, celebrity or other public figure) (See Wikipedia)

the government's survival bags marred in power abuse and scandals

credibility - believability, when many people believe that what you say is true; the degree to which something can be believed or trusted ความน่าเชื่อถือ,ความน่าไว้วางใจ

bungled - done in a careless or stupid way ผิดพลาด

Froc has fumbled and bungled their operations and its public credibility is low.

advantage - a condition giving a greater chance of success ความได้เปรียบ

Channel 3 has the advantage of being a corporation

turf - the territory or things that you or your group controls

interest - some way you can benefit from a situation or something that you own (example: ownership interest in a corporation, acting in your own interest)

protecting their own turf and interests

propaganda (noun) - inaccurate information that a political organization or government publishes to make people believe certain things

propagandist (verb)

under the umbrella of - included within an organization; under the authority or leadership of

under Froc's umbrella - included in the FROC organization

credit - 1. when people see you as the person doing some good thing; 2. loans เครดิต เงินกู้ money that you owe someone (a bill that grows until you pay it off at the end of the month, for example)

all want to gain credit for themselves.

tap - use

budget - the amounts of money that an organization has available to spend on different things during a period งบประมาณ (See Wikipedia)

they tap Froc for budget and authorization.

float in with cameras rolling

search - to look somewhere carefully in order to find something ค้นหา

rescue - to save someone from a dangerous situation ช่วยชีวิต

search and rescue

spot work - work at a certain location

Froc cannot do spot work - meaning: Froc has responsibility for all situations (cannot pick and choose the best)

issue - an important subject that people are arguing about or discussing ประเด็น

approach - a way of doing or dealing with some problem or thinking about something วิธีการทำให้ถึงจุดหมาย การจัดการกับปัญหา

extent - size ขนาด

to a certain extent - not completely, not 100%, from 1% to 99%

agree with them to a certain extent

respect - to accept the importance of someone's rights or customs

rights - something you are legally or morally allowed to do or have สิทธิ์ (See Wikipedia)

should respect individual rights a bit more

media - public ways of communicating news and information: television, radio, newspapers, magazines, the internet สื่อ

overextend - do more than you can handle or be successful with

incidents - events which are either unpleasant or unusual เหตุการณ์

intervening in incidents - getting involved in events (such as helping people in the flood)

overextends himself from the role of the media to intervening in incidents

backfire - to have the opposite effect or result than the one you intended ส่งผลตรงข้ามกับที่หวังไว้

public interest - what is best for all people in a society (the public)

backfire in terms of public interest.

clear - easy to understand

policy - 1. a set of ideas and plans used for making decisions; 2. a set of plans or action agreed on by a government, political party, business, or other group นโยบาย (See Wikipedia)

line - a way of dealing with or thinking about something or someone over a long period of time; a position or long-term strategy

policy line - a policy theme or set of policies over time (that are consistent and share something in common; not changing all the time)

Climate change 'key driver of extreme weather': UN

Man-made climate change has already boosted heatwaves and flood-provoking rainfall and is likely to contribute to future natural disasters, according to a report by UN scientists unveiled Friday.

But the toll from these extreme weather events will depend as much on the measures taken to protect populations and property as the violence of Nature's outbursts, it warned.

The report, released 10 days before climate talks in Durban, South Africa, is the UN's first comprehensive review of global warning's impact on weather extremes and how best to manage them.

"We can actually attribute the increase of hot days in the past few years to an increase in greenhouse gases," said Thomas Stocker, co-chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which published the report at a meeting in the Ugandan capital, Kampala.

"And it is virtually certain that increases in the frequency and magnitude of warm daily temperature extremes, and decreases in cold extremes, will occur in the 21st century," he said at a press conference.

"Heavy precipitation will become more frequent in many regions of the world," he added.

Heat and rain extremes under three carbon pollution scenarios -- ranging from a sharp reduction in emissions to business-as-usual -- were reviewed in the report.

All three increase along a similar trajectory up to 2050.

But towards the end of the century these pathways diverge dramatically, with far higher and more frequent heatwaves and rainfall peaks in a world saturated with greenhouse gases.

For the high-emission scenario -- the path the world is on now -- one-in-20-year heat peaks would occur every five years by about 2050, and every year or two by the end of the century. Precipitation extremes increase in a similar fashion, the report showed.

Qin Dahe, also an IPCC co-chair, said the panel was likewise "more confident" that climate change is boosting glacier retreat, a major concern for nations in Asia and South America dependent on glaciers for water.

But for other extreme weather events such as cyclones, scientists are still unable to pin down the impact of climate change, due to lack of data and the "inherent variability and variations in the climate system," Stocker said.

"Uncertainty cuts both ways. Events could be more severe and more frequent than projections suggest, or vice versa."

Some studies have suggested that warmer air and sea surface temperatures combined with greater moisture in the air will intensify tropical storms.

The 20-page document released Friday summarizes the conclusions of an underlying 800-page report, three years in the making, that reviews thousands of recent peer-reviewed scientific articles.

It was written by some 200 scientists, and approved this week by the 194-nation IPCC, which gathers government representatives as well as experts.

"It goes without saying that this [report] is yet another wake-up call," the European commissioner for climate action, Connie Hedegaard, said in a statement issued in Brussels.

"With all the knowledge and rational arguments in favor of urgent climate action, it is frustrating to see some governments do not show the political will to act."

"This report should leave governments in no doubt ... that climate change is, through its impact on extreme weather, already harming the lives and livelihoods of millions of people," said Bob Ward of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics.

City Hall clears up backsplash from relief muddle Flood-hit tenants given breathing space after Bangkok governor clarifies cash aid requirements

City Hall is stepping in to clarify details of the government's scheme to provide financial help to flood victims, after confusion arose about how it will work.

On Nov 8, the cabinet approved a proposal to grant 5,000 baht in financial help to each flood-affected household.

But questions have arisen as to why only the legal owners of flooded houses are entitled to receive the aid, and what documents should be submitted along with their application for assistance.

The government says 621,355 households in the capital have been hit by the floods. The cabinet has decided to set aside about 3.1 billion baht to help them.

Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra said he had told all 50 district offices to start registering flood victims under the programme.

Two types of flood-affected households were defined as: those flooded as a result of a sudden incident that damaged a house; and prolonged flooding of at least seven days which damaged property.

In both cases, the houses or properties must be located in areas declared flood-affected zones, said the governor.

The legal house owner is required to submit a copy of his or her house registration document and ID card with authorities. Tenants are required to submit a copy of their rental contracts and ID cards. Flood victims should visit http://www.bangkokgis.com/flood or call 1555.

A total of 32 districts of Bangkok are regarded as flood zones: Bang Kae, Bang Khen, Bang Kholaem, Bang Phlat, Bang Sue, Bangkok Noi, Bangkok Yai, Chatuchak, Din Daeng, Don Muang, Dusit, Kannayao, Klong Sam Wa, Klong San, Klong Toey, Laksi, Lat Krabang, Lat Phrao, 

Min Buri, Nong Chok, Nong Khaem, Phasicharoen, Phra Nakhon, Rat Burana, Sai Mai, Samphanthawong, Sathon, Taling Chan, Thawi Watthana, Thon Buri, Wang Thonglang and Yannawa.

MR Sukhumbhand said he had told district staff to try their best to ensure convenience for applicants.

If flood victims did not have their registration documents with them, staff should check the house registration database for them.

As for unregistered residential buildings, their owners could call on witnesses to establish their ownership rather than relying on house registration documents, said MR Sukhumbhand.

"Flood victims should be able to receive payments from Dec 20 onwards, and City Hall will not impose a deadline of relief applications as we realise that flooding situations are different across the city," said the governor.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration is also drafting legislation to allow additional assistance of 1,500 baht per household for flood victims in Bangkok, he said. Service points could be opened in flooded areas to help with registration.

The first applications for flood relief aid could be sent to the government by tomorrow, said Bangkok city clerk Charoenrat Chutikarn.

Pictures of flooded houses were not required to be submitted along with applications for financial assistance, but the application form must be signed by credible witnesses, he said.

After verifying the applications, the BMA would forward them to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation for final approval before the Government Savings Bank handles the payments, he said.

The process should take no longer than 45 days from the day applications are received, said Mr Charoenrat.

Sanyan Chantharat, an adviser to the Bangkok governor, said although flood victims are not required to submit pictures of their flooded houses, such images would make it easier for officials to verify applications.

"For unregistered houses, owners can submit water and electricity bills as evidence [of ownership]," he said.

Piboon Wekhawakayanon, who is chief of the Nong Khaem district office, said staff there had so far received more than 2,000 applications from property owners and also tenants for financial assistance.

Applications for relief can be submitted from 8am to 4pm every day, Mr Piboon added.

BoT rejects bond swap US T-bills 'enjoy higher standing'

The Bank of Thailand dismissed the suggestion of investing foreign reserves by swapping them for government bonds to finance a flood prevention system.

Prasarn Trairatvorakul, the central bank governor, yesterday ruled out Thai government bonds as a better investment option than US Treasury bills for foreign reserve management.

"An argument against our policy is that US Treasury bills offer a low yield of just 1.9% to 2% for a 10-year term. But the T-bill's credit standing is different from that of the Thai government bonds in the market," he said.

One of the best options for the government to raise funds for financing this project would be through borrowing from the local market, as yields for bonds with long-term maturities have declined, he said.

"Yields for 10-year government bonds are now slightly higher than 3.44%. The cost is lower than for US-dollar-denominated loans, which are now at 4.3% for the same maturity. There is ample liquidity," Dr Prasarn said.

The low yield and depreciating trend of the dollar have become a concern among central bankers worldwide as they are forced to conduct most of their international trade and investment assets in that currency.

Economist Virabongsa Ramangkura, who serves as chairman of the Strategic Committee for Reconstruction and Future Development set up by the government, said earlier that the proposal to swap government bonds would offer a viable alternative for the central bank's official reserve management.

Dr Prasarn said the official reserves were adequately high to cope with the government's purchases of dollars from the market to finance imports.

"The government's domestic borrowing would in turn reduce the central bank's burden to issue bonds to absorb liquidity from the market and reduce pressure on our balance sheet," he said.

Dr Prasarn said commercial banks' interest-free deposits with the central bank stood at 2 trillion baht, underlining that market liquidity is high.

"Law prevents the Bank of Thailand from injecting baht into the system except in cases of monetary policy. But the central bank is currently absorbing liquidity from the market, not giving it out," he said.

Official reserves stood at $181.8 billion on Nov 11, unchanged from end of October. At the end of last year they stood at $172 billion. He added that the central bank reduced its intervention in the market as appreciation pressure on the baht subsided.

Teerana Bhongmakapat, dean of Chulalongkorn University's economics faculty, said the government should finance the investment with the budget or issue bonds to the market to ensure fiscal discipline.

"The government should avoid similar problems happening in some debt-laden European economies," he said.

"This happens when the central bank gets involved in public investment financing and blurs fiscal liability from government spending, undermining the central bank's ability to conduct monetary policy."

Critical clean-up Ways in which to reuse sandbags after flooding

It's expected the flood situation will steadily improve and everything should be dry by mid-Dec. However, there is much clean-up work to do. 

Most notably, the dismantling of sandbag flood barriers and concrete walls. Muse asked what your thoughts were on how we should handle this job and what to do with all the sand and bags afterwards. Here are your answers.

Sand, for a start, comes in many grades, and not all grades are good for construction. However, the highest quality sand which hasn't been submerged for a long time can be used as raw material to make glass objects and bottles. 

The sand from each particular flood barrier should be reused to restore damaged public places, such as monasteries, schools, religious sites, roads and bridges in the vicinity. 

In addition, the inclusion of other building materials and supplies are also needed for each restoration project. 

It's also important that this process is carried out as soon as possible to prevent further deterioration of the quality of sand.

High quality sand that wasn't used or did not come into contact with contaminated water could still be used as soil and fertilizer. 

Also, the cloth, plastic and polythene sheeting from the sandbags can be pressed and used in land reclamation works, which is more Eco-friendly than other types of waste disposal materials.

Or the State could stage an auction for construction companies to bid for all the used materials.

But most of all, I hope managing the use of these materials will be conducted in the best interests of everyone in the community and the country, without any political agendas."

SOMWUT S.

Company employee

A natural disaster leaves a trail of property destruction, and many times it leaves thousands of its victims with a damaged sense of balance. 

In addition to restoring buildings and replacing material possessions, victims may need to devote time to restoring their own emotional equilibrium during the recovery period. This can be especially important for children who do not have years of life experience to guide them.

During a flood, all of our energy is directed towards saving our homes, our businesses, our communities. But what happens after the floodwater recedes? How do we cope with the damage that's been left behind?

Focusing on the present can help us work through many of life's setbacks, both big and small. Spending time wondering 'what could have been' or thinking about 'if only' will cause more stress because the situation is in the past and out of our control.

I would imagine that all the materials used to make flood barriers amounts to thousands if not millions of baht. So the question now is what are we going to do with it all when it's dry again?

We need to learn acceptance. So often, we worry about things that we cannot control. Face that fact. If we cannot control a situation or occurrence, then learn to accept that as a reality. Conserve our energies for the things we can control.

Some might think, 'Is the government responsible for the flood disaster?' If I may, 'yes', to some extent. If the government has any sense of responsibility I would suggest it offer to buy back (at a reasonable price) the sandbags and other materials and put it to good use. 

I imagine right now a lot of cement and sand is needed to rebuild all that has been destroyed by the massive flood.

Here are some ideas on what to do with used materials:

- Restore buildings, especially the foundations and those with major cracks on the walls

- Repair buckled walls and floors

- Build new homes for the flood victims

- Repair roads

- Reinforce flood-prone houses

- Repair canals, reinforce existing riverbank walls or build them higher

- Fix damage in condo basement and repair leaking basements

- Make tiles, pacers and bricks

- Cover holes and uneven walkways

Last but not least, donate all the sandbags and cement to charitable organizations that are helping flood victims to rebuild their homes. One of them is Habitat for Humanity."

MARY JOSEPHINE LEONG

Retired regional merchandising/sourcing manage

I think the most practical use for the sand and cement would be to construct much needed pavements in Bangkok that have sunk over time. Sand could be put in sandboxes for kids, while cement, when it's wet, would not be much use for anything.

Trying to resell the sandbags back to the companies where they were purchased is a sheer waste as they would buy them back for a mere pittance. 

Another constructive way to put them to good use would be to build walls around moo bans, apartment buildings, schools, etc., as well as raise the level of sub-sous, which are the first to flood after heavy downpour."

RACHEL BOONPRASERT

Kindergarten teacher

Next week: News of a secret Cabinet meeting that resolved to endorse a controversial royal pardon that could allow the return of fugitive ex-premier

Thaksin Shinawatra to be pardoned of all his misdeeds is indisputably the hottest headline of the week, which has even overshadowed the news of receding water levels.

Whether or not the decree will come to pass and effective is another matter, however. 'Muse' asks what your thoughts are on the cabinet resolution.

Send your answers along with name, address and profession to muse@bangkokpost.co.th by Nov 22 to compete for a special prize.