The Khon Kaen Model: eschewing Bangkok-centric development

The Khon Kaen Model: eschewing Bangkok-centric development??????????????????????? Many sides in Thai politics have long agreed on the need to expand development into the provinces and reduce overcrowding in Bangkok. Yet inequality between the capital city and Thailand s next most prominent cities what this article calls "secondary cities" remains high, a situation not helped by how the central government allocates development funds. The phrase "Khon Kaen Model" connotes two rather disparate meanings. The first is deeply political. In 2014, the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) used "the Khon Kaen Model" to refer to a group in the province allegedly amassing forces and weapons to terrorise the citizenry. The group was arrested on 23 May 2014. But local administrators, academics and entrepreneurs 1/9

refer to the Khon Kaen Model to capture the northeastern city s unique private sector-driven approach to infrastructure development. The province of Khon Kaen is home to a first-class secondary city: situated in the heart of Isaan, connected to other parts of Thailand via high-speed railway, and on its way to being connected internationally via an airport. Khon Kaen also falls in both the East West Economic Corridor and a sub-section of the North South Economic Corridor. Four cities, from four respective provinces, could be classified as secondary cities in Thailand s northeastern region: Khon Kaen, Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat), Udon Thani and Ubon Ratchathani. Yet Khon Kaen has only recently been one of the centres of the Northeast that it is now it is the only of Isaan s "big four" whose development does not spring from being a former monthon (former administrative subdivisions used in the country during the early 20th century). When one examines the Northeast s former administrative centres from which lesser satellite cities were managed the monthon of Udon, Roi Et, Ubon and Nakhon Ratchasima one might be surprised to find that Khon Kaen at the time had a relatively low population density compared to the monthon. The patronage of Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat (in office 1959 63) was instrumental in kick-starting Khon Kaen s rapid growth. Indeed, the first ever edition of the National Economic and Social Development Plan (1961 66) was drafted in Khon Kaen itself (the 12th and latest National Economic and Social Development Plan spans 2016 21). While the Plan s schemes to reduce poverty were oriented toward snuffing the appeal of communism, which had found particularly receptive hearts in Thailand s Northeast, infrastructure projects nevertheless accelerated Khon Kaen s growth over a few short decades. The Ubol Ratana Dam, opened in 1966, began producing adequate electricity to sustain largescale industry, commerce, services and irrigation. Several factories sprung up in the vicinity of the dam to take advantage of the availability of both water and electricity, producing goods from sugar to paper. Khon Kaen University, the foremost educational institution in the Northeast, opened with an agricultural and engineering faculty in the hopes of steering students towards these skills. Meanwhile, Srinagarind Hospital now administers medical services not only to the Isaan population but patients from neighbouring countries. Perhaps transport infrastructure has most accelerated the emergence of Isaan s secondary cities. The heart of the Northeast s connectivity lies in the Northeastern Railway Line and Mittraphap Road ("Friendship Road") which pass through four provinces: Nakhon Ratchasima, Udon Thani, Nong Khai and Khon Kaen. Mittraphap Road, built with financial assistance from the United States and opened in 1957, initially served as route for transporting ammunition to the Vietnam War but it also conveniently provided a conduit for transporting Isaan s crops and other agricultural goods. After the construction of the Railway (the Bangkok Ayutthaya line opened in 1896 but other lines were progressively added until 1958) and Mittraphap Road, Khon Kaen exploded into a junction for flows of goods and people. 2/9

But the distribution of wealth in Khon Kaen is distinguished by it never having been a monthon, meaning there is no clear class of privilege descended from former governors who took advantage of monopolies over governance to establish a base of wealth and land ownership. Khon Kaen s relatively short history translates into a diverse population that has been buttressed by the migration of peoples in search of economic opportunity, including a notable Sino-Thai business community. Many of Khon Kaen s upper class do not have long ancestral roots in the province ties may extend back only as far as a generation or two. Despite this, or because of it, the fraternity that characterises Khon Kaen s "newly wealthy" is remarkable. These new elites are knitted together in networks that revolve around the province and a kind of regional pride. Many graduated from the Demonstration School of Khon Kaen University or Khon Kaen Wittayayon School (Isaan s leading secondary schools) these groups placed faith in regional education standards and resisted the trend of migrating to the capital city. Others pursued higher education in Bangkok or abroad but returned to contribute to the province s development. A society of Khon Kaen s elite now partake in a tradition of "gathering around the Chinese dinner table", whereby they take turns each month to host each other over for dinner. These elites repeatedly tell me that they view each other not as "rivals in business" but as "friends in business". In the past, Khon Kaen s elites whether formally in the case of MPs or informally in the case of chao pho appeared satisfied to leave the province s development to the fate determined by the central government s distribution of funds. While expectations remain low that the central government will invest in Khon Kaen s internal transportation infrastructure, the inception of a new economic elite has blossomed alongside changes in local leadership. The laying of plans to unleash Khon Kaen s development potential has been subsequently driven by networks of entrepreneurs, municipal officials and local academics, who proactively bypass neglect from the central government through public private partnerships to provide public services. Phiraphon Phatthanaphiradet, the Khon Kaen mayor from 2000 12 (and from a family of mall tycoons), espoused a governance philosophy based on the "triangle that moves that mountain" theorised by Dr Prawet Wasi: the development of a city relies on a coalition between three sectors 1) the municipal government 2) civil society 3) the scholarly community. Khon Kaen s municipal government under Phiraphon exhibited a genuine interest in supporting political participation, winning a number of national awards including from the King Prajadhipok's Institute. This philosophy was passed onto the current Mayor of Khon Kaen, Teerasak Teekayuphan (formerly the vice-mayor, Teerasak graduated from the same high-school cohort as Phiraphon. His family migrated from the province of Yala to Khon Kaen for business purposes). Teerasak has recruited academics such as Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rawee Hanpachern to lead the designing of municipal development initiatives the well-publicised "Khon Kaen Smart City" development blueprint first emerged four years ago as a partnership between the municipal government and Khon Kaen University s Faculty of Architecture. On the other hand, private businesses are providing the extraordinary capital required to administer, provide and build the 3/9

infrastructure underpinning mass services. Public transport infrastructure in Khon Kaen such as an ambitious 26km light rail line is being funded and spearheaded by the Khon Kaen Think Tank (KKTT), a group of Khon Kaen s 20 leading "new gen" businessmen. The group counts among its ranks Suradech Taweesaengsakultha, an automobile tycoon, and real-estate magnate Channarong Buristrakul. Each member contributed 10 million baht to establish the think tank and pool capital for building up the city s infrastructure. The group of business magnates remembers well that "mobility drives the city", but are no longer content to wait for the benevolence of the central government. That Khon Kaen lags behind Bangkok when it comes to development is here perhaps beside that point: development communities on the ground have their eyes on following a unique path to prosperity. As one Khon Kaen citizen explained to me with pride, We re going to do better. We re not following Bangkok s vision of the future". Still, the "Khon Kaen Model" of private-sector driven development has met with some friction from both the central government and local communities some cannot help but be suspicious of wealthy tycoons openly cozying up alongside politicians. When push comes to shove, it cannot be denied that the members of KKTT see business opportunities in the process of developing Khon Kaen. There have been accusations that some have exercised leverage in determining the locations of light-rail stations to push up investment in their real estate. Still, it was something of a win-win situation when KKTT, via the Cho Thavee Corporation, began trialling modern "smart bus" services in Khon Kaen (allowing Cho Thavee to in turn leverage its experience providing bus services to win a tender to supply buses to the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority). Having worked alongside municipal governments in several committees to draft city development plans, both in Isaan and in other regions, I can say that I have never seen anything like "the Khon Kaen Model" wherein the local government and the private sector are so proactively sidestepping the central government. How the Model unfolds is well worth watching. Still, I too cannot help but ask whether the future of Khon Kaen s development is being left in the hands of one small capitalist group. Moreover, what does the bright future foretold by the Khon Kaen Model mean for other cities with far fewer comparative advantages than those with which Khon Kaen has been blessed?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? (East West Economic Corridor)???????????????????????????????????? (North South Economic Corridor)?????????????????????????????????????????????????? 50??????????????????????????????? 4/9

????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 1 (??.2504-2509)??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? (Friendship Road)???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 5/9

?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? (secondary city)?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? (??.)???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 6/9

??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? (????????????????????? 2543?????????????????????????????????????? 2555)?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 1????????? 2?????????? 3????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? (????????????????????????)??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????.??.?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 4????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????.???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? (Mobility Drives City)?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? (East West Economic Corridor)??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? (LRT)???????????????????????????????????????????????????? KKTT (Khon Kaen Think Thank) 7/9

???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????.????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? KKTT???????????????????????????????????????????? 20?????????????????? 10???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? (Mobility Drives City)????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? (secondary cities)?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? win-win situation?????????????? KKTT????.?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? smart bus?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????.?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? LRT????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 8/9

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