The ASEAN SARS epidemic: Human security versus GDP<\/p>\n
Kavi Chongkittavorn, The Nation, Asia News Network, Bangkok<\/p>\n
When the Association Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) leaders
\nmeet here today (April 29, 2003) to discuss the surveillance,
\nmonitoring and impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome or
\nSars, they must make sure that the human security aspect of the
\noutbreak is their topmost priority. Otherwise, it might be
\nsubmerged by all the efforts to pump up economic growth. Sars has
\nalready affected the people in the region as never before seen,
\nthreatening their hopes to lead a normal life.<\/p>\n
As the outbreak spread far and wide, ASEAN countries with Sars
\nvictims have come up with their own countermeasures to fight the
\nepidemic. Singapore has become the world's most stringent nation
\nas its preventive measures include jail terms for persons who
\nbreak their quarantine. The island's health ministry can destroy
\ngoods and premises which are contaminated by the disease and
\npunish any Sars suspects who put others at risk as well as those
\nwho give false information or refuse to cooperate.<\/p>\n
Unlike Singapore and Malaysia, Thailand has chosen a different
\npath. Bangkok has emphasized business recovery plans to restore
\nthe sudden loss of foreign exchange due to the suddenly sluggish
\ntourism industry.<\/p>\n
Incoming tourists have fallen by almost 50 percent since the
\noutbreak two months ago, which translates into billions of baht.<\/p>\n
Within the region, Thailand is the most vigorous in promoting
\ndiscount campaigns, including cheap hotel rooms and tickets to
\nattract tourists to visit the country. It has become a daily
\nbargain, a zerosum game at its best.<\/p>\n
Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has come up with publicity
\nstunts himself, including a visit to Don Muang airport without a
\nmask during the height of the Sars scare last month. He pledged
\nto pay two million baht to victims who die of Sars in Thailand.<\/p>\n
Now, he wants to declare Thailand as a Sarsfree zone when the
\nASEAN leaders are in town to guarantee the safety of tourists and
\ntravelers abroad. His concern is clear: It is all about GDP
\ngrowth, which he predicted would be high this year. Populist
\npolicies and his own popularity depend largely on an upwardly
\nmobile economic index.<\/p>\n
So the prime minister is doing everything he can to sustain
\nthis growth level. No one has dared to suggest that his economic
\ngrowth forecast for the country would have to be revised. He
\nwants the Thais to have confidence and travel around spending
\nmoney. Senator Kraisak Choonhavan, chairman of the Senate Foreign
\nAffair Committee, aptly called this "egotourism".<\/p>\n
After Thaksin's trip to the airport, Thai officials have
\nactually expedited their surveillance as other countries have
\nstrengthened theirs. Fortunately, Thailand only has two fatal
\nvictims, who contracted the deadly disease in Hong Kong. At the
\nmoment, Don Muang Airport is the country's entry point with the
\ntoughest measures of monitoring and imposing quarantines, but
\nthey are seldom implemented in full. Numerous tourists entering
\nThailand through other modes of transportation and other entry
\npoints can avoid Sars detection altogether, especially in
\nNorthern Thailand and along the Mekong River.<\/p>\n
It is still too early to say how good the Thai surveillance
\nsystem against Sars is, despite the government's
\nselfcongratulatory remarks over the week. Doctors have issued
\npublic warnings that when the rainy season comes, the outbreak of
\nSars could expand.It would be wise not to lower our protective
\nguard against the virus.<\/p>\n
Despite their differences, the ASEAN leaders will have an
\nopportunity to address Sarsrelated issues in a holistic manner.
\nHuman security must be on the top of agenda tomorrow. Without a
\nhealthy and confident population, the economy will be severely
\ndisrupted.<\/p>\n
As of now, ASEAN has yet to include concepts of human security
\nin its official policies. The grouping still views human security
\nas strictly a domestic domain. Members, especially the new ones,
\nare reluctant to bring it up within a regional context for fear
\nof interference from third parties.<\/p>\n
Indonesia, the host of the 9th ASEAN summit in Bali this
\nNovember, plans to introduce the concept of collective regional
\nresponsibility to strengthen Asian cooperation. The Sars summit
\ntomorrow will serve as a platform to test this longstanding idea.
\nASEAN's lethargic attitude and lack of action have been caused
\nmainly by voluntarism, since ASEAN cooperation is not legally
\nbinding.<\/p>\n
In Bangkok, ASEAN has an excellent opportunity to turn a scary
\ncrisis into a great opportunity for common action. Since ASEAN is
\nfearful of the epidemic, certain members having suffered more
\neconomically than others, it is still possible for the grouping
\nto explore maximum measures to forge closer cooperation in an
\nincreasingly volatile world.<\/p>\n
In that sense, Sars can serve as a template for future
\nregional cooperation on such transnational issues as
\nantinarcotics programs, human smuggling, illegal migrant workers,
\nHIV\/Aids and terrorism.<\/p>\n
Though ASEAN has been discussing these problems, concrete
\nactions have been hard to come by.<\/p>\n
The summit outcome will also provide muchneeded impetus for
\nthe stalled Hanoi Plan of Action -- the blueprint of ASEAN's
\nfuture agreed in Vietnam in December 1998. The plan is up for
\nreappraisal next year. Collective regional responsibility can
\nreinvigorate ASEAN's agreed upon programs into real progress.<\/p>",
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