Rapid Assessment for Resilient Recovery and ... - GFDRR

ties and local governments. Immediately after, the DALA assessment sector teams carried
out plausibility reviews of the data, including triangulation and independent verification of
the data, through field visits and surveys in the affected flooded areas.
Baseline data across the various sectors of the economy were reviewed to provide the
best possible reference for the analysis. This included desk reviews of available information,
identification of information gaps, and possible sources for filling them. Sectoral teams
undertook brief field surveys of selected, affected areas where extensive consultations
non-governmental organizations, business owners and other stakeholders.
In addition to the above, a special sample survey of industrial and trade shops – including
those in the informal sector – was undertaken in cooperation with private sector associations
to obtain information on their special damage, losses and needs.
2.3 Principles for Resilient Recovery and
Reconstruction
In the aftermath of the flood disaster, the focus will necessarily be on establishing a recovery
and reconstruction program that responds to the immediate effects of the disaster.
The challenge ahead is to ensure a medium- and long-term focus, and non-structural as
well as structural elements are incorporated so that the opportunity to reduce vulnerability
to future disasters is not lost in the race to reconstruct physical damage as quickly as
possible. International experience in responding to disasters has ensured a number of
lessons learnt for recovery and reconstruction. While the institutional arrangements for the
implementation of recovery and reconstruction programs inevitably differs across countries
and regions, a core set of guiding principles has emerged from these lessons and experiences
which should be considered in Thailand’s 2011 flood resilient recovery and reconstruction
program. The following principles are the most relevant:
Include non-structural measures, in addition to structural measures, in recovery plans
such as legislation and policy reviews, improved institutional arrangements, coordination
mechanisms, communications strategies, and community-engagement in planning and
prevention.
Ensure a holistic socio-economic focus for recovery and reconstruction that goes
beyond responding to the economic impacts of the damage and focuses on promoting
resilient livelihoods, establishing social support systems that function in times of crisis,
and supporting the vulnerable.
Establish strong leadership and institutional frameworks that can manage disasters
when they hit. This requires strong engagement at all levels of government, and with civil
society.
Focus on prevention and disaster management rather than control. Particularly in the
context of climate change, disasters will happen. Ensuring sectors are resilient, and the
population is ready to manage disasters is more effective than trying to avoid their
impacts. This can start with establishing a medium- to long-term resilience strategy now
that focuses beyond the recovery period, and builds disaster risk management planning
into sectoral strategies and programming.
THAI FLOOD 2011 RAPID ASSESSMENT FOR RESILIENT RECOVERY AND RECONSTRUCTION PLANNING
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