Rapid Assessment for Resilient Recovery and ... - GFDRR

1. Establish sentry posts at non-flooded industrial estates and ensure situation
updates are made every hour to the command center;
2. Under emergency situations, allow BOI-promoted industries to relocate
machinery and raw materials if their premises are flooded, by being flexible
with the documentation. However it is important to track relocated machinery
and raw materials, and to ensure these are transported back to the original
project site the moment production is restored;
3. Exempt import tax only for replacement machinery and damaged raw materials,
for those entities that were not insured against flood damage;
4. Facilitate visa applications for foreign experts in coming to Thailand during the
recovery process;
5. Permit enterprise owners to delay paying utilities and telephone costs until the
business is up and running again;
6. Beef up security teams to prevent theft within the flooded industrial estates and
industrial parks;
7. Follow up with insurance companies in flood compensation claims in order to
help enterprises recapitalize their operations;
8. Organize training courses for workers and provide food allowances during
business stoppages and help source workers to work in industries facing labor
shortages;
9. Rehabilitate business operators affected by the flood especially SMEs and
OTOP businesses; and,
10. Provide loans to business operators through the Government Savings Bank and
other commercial banks.
The abovementioned support has been approved by the Cabinet. The challenge now lies
in the details and selection, as there are conditions applied in screening enterprises to
determine eligibility for this assistance package. Nevertheless, the government is aware
and committed to facilitate the approval process. There are more assistance packages
being considered by the government at the higher level to help enterprises in the recovery
and reconstruction stages. Given that industrial input as percentage of overall country GDP
is substantial, the impact to the country is wide ranging, with social, political, economic
impacts which affect the stability of the country as a whole.
Recommendations for Resilient Recovery and Reconstruction
Strategy for Short-term Recovery (up to 6 months)
1. Improving access to finance and/or providing grants for micro- and small-size
industries to accelerate recovery and reconstruction (especially to those with
almost no productive assets left)
• For repair or replacement of equipment, rebuilding facilities, and cleaning up
efforts
• To support liquidity of enterprises
• To retain workers (such as compensation during business stoppages);
2. Provision of temporary shelters for employees/workers of industries, local
enterprises;
3. Logistical support specifically for those in prolonged flood affected areas, so
that they can continue to operate as a part of the supply chain;
42 THAI FLOOD 2011 RAPID ASSESSMENT FOR RESILIENT RECOVERY AND RECONSTRUCTION PLANNING