English IV Memo Report Motorway Plan

The Department of Highways will push for a project to construct the Bang Pa-in-Nakhon Ratchasima
motorway to be included in the eight-year strategic infrastructure development plans initiated by the
National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO). Already a plan
Source
The department claims that the proposed inter-provincial motorway would ease traffic
congestions on Mittraphap Road leading to the Northeast, as well as distributing wealth throughout the
region. A department official also believes that this project will attract more investors and bring more
employment to the locals.
Advantages

The project was originally part of the 2-trillion-baht borrowing bill for infrastructure investment
initiated by the previous Yingluck government, but was ruled unconstitutional in March. The 2-
trillion-baht scheme dealt mostly with road expansion and railway construction projects.

The NCPO has ordered a review of several projects under the 2-trillion-baht loan scheme.
Some projects have been shelved, such as the 800-billion-baht high-speed train, while others, such as
three electric train lines in Greater Bangkok, motorways and a dual-track railway have been retained and are
set to proceed under the eight-year plan in the 2015 fiscal year, starting in October. The Bang
Pa-in-Nakhon Ratchasima project is one of the retained projects form the 2-trillion-baht scheme.

The four-lane motorway will run from Bang Pa-in district of Ayutthaya, though Saraburi to Nakhon
Ratchasima, covering 196 kilometres. As such, owners of privately owned lands would have to be
compensated for land that will be used for a project. A source said the inter-provincial motorway
project between Bang Pa-in and Nakhon Ratchasima involves 6.63 billion baht in compensation for
privately owned land. disadvantages
Source

A group of landowners and farmers have protested against this project. They said that many of them
have no intention of selling their land at a cheap price. Previous motorway projects had resulted in
landowners losing ancestral lands with almost no compensation at all. Moreover, farmers fear losing
income as most of their land will be used for this project.
Source
Officials from the Department of Highways have given assurances that there are enough funds to
compensate everyone who will be affected by the project. Costs relating to land expropriation
compensation will be funded by the 2015-2016 budget, while construction costs of 77.97 billion baht
may be funded through loans or through a joint public-private venture, the source said. About 3,200
land plots or a total of 437 hectares will be used for the project. Opponents of the project fear massive
corruption because of the large budget needed. Advantages

Construction of the first phase will cover Bang Pa-in and Pak Chong district of Nakhon Ratchasima,
starting next year until 2017. The second-phase project will cover Pak Chong to downtown Nakhon
Ratchasima, between 2016 and 2018. The motorway is also intended to be part of the Asean Highway
Network to accommodate the integration of the Asean Community.
Already a plan

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English IV Memo Report Motorway Plan
Although one of the reasons for the project is to ease traffic in the area, the duration of the
construction of the project has also raised concerns that traffic in the area will be congested for at least
4 years especially during long holidays. A respected civil engineer, Mr. Turgsak Smith, thinks that the
project is not necessary as the existing highways can cope with everyday traffic.
disadvantages Source

Instruction: Write a Short Memo Report to the Thai Prime Minister using the
information from the above passage.

Mark allocation:
Grammar 10
Content 30
Organization 10

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English IV Memo Report Motorway Plan

Make sure your subject adequately explains what the report

is about. ( SMART )
Modal Memo Report

To: Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha

Address the person the instruction tells you to.
From: Daniel L. Onderdonk
Date: 6th November 2014
Subject: Modifications to the Bang Pa-in-Nakhon Rachasima plan needed

Dear Mr. Chan-Ocha, Why sources

2 facts

Introduction

I am writing this report to you to express my concerns regarding the plan to build the Bang Pa-in-Nakhon
Rachasima motorway. First, I acknowledge the claims by the Department of Highways that this will ease
traffic along Mittraphap Road. However, experts like Turdsak Smith as well as farmers have serious
reservations against doing this, namely because it is not necessary, and the farmers will not be adequately
compensated. I received my information from the National Council for Peace and Order ( NCPO ),
landowners and farmers, the Department of Highways, and Mr. Turdsak Smith.

Findings & Analysis Remember your headers for all sections!

There are several advantages of the plan. First, the NCPO claim that it will ease traffic congestion on
Mittraphap Road. Additionally, they say that this will distribute wealth throughout the region, and attract
more investors, which will bering more employment opportunities to the locals. The Department of
Highways says that there are enough funds to compensate everyone who will be displaced. According to
the department, the land expropriation compensation will be funded by the 2015-2016 budget. The
construction costs, 77.97 billion baht, may be funded through loans or through a joint public-private
venture.

However, there are some disadvantages to the plan. First and foremost, the 2-trillion baht bill that this
plan is part of was ruled unconstitutional, so it is illegal. Also, It is also very expensive, costing 6.63 billion
baht just to compensate the displaced landowners. Moreover, the landowners and farmers claim that the
compensation offered by the government is too cheap, and previous projects have not compensated people
for loss of their ancestral lands. To make matters worse, the farmers will also lose their source of income
by losing their land. Next, the project will take 4 years to complete, making traffic worse during that time.
Turdsak Smith, expected engineer also thinks the the project is not necessary and the existing highway can
cope with everyday traffic.

Make sure your advantage paragraph and your disadvantage

paragraph focus on the same subject. In this case, the subject is
the plan to build the motorway.

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English IV Memo Report Motorway Plan

Recommendations Make sure your recommendations solve problems

you introduce in your analysis.

Based on the above findings, I have a few recommendations to make:

1. The NCPO should first immediately ask the Thai Supreme Court to review the specific portion of
their plan to see if it is constitutional since the entire 2 trillion baht bill was ruled unconstitutional.
They can send the request through the normal judicial system route.
2. Parliament should convene a session to debate the need for the expansion by interviewing members
of the Department of Motor Highways, the NCPO, as well opponents like Turdsak Smith, landowners
and farmers. Parliament should seriously consider alternatives plans posed by Turdsak Smith for saving
costs.
3. The Department of Justice and Finance Department should conduct an investigation to
determine why displaced landowners of previous projects have not been paid, and immediately seek to
compensate them fairly. The money can come from deferred costs of placing the current plan on
hold, and pursuing Turdsak Smiths alternative solution.
4. You, Mr. Prime Minister, should immediately halt the project long enough for the Parliament and
other Departments to fix the existing problems before embarking on a costly expansion. An executive
order from your office can place the construction on hold.
5. If the plan is approved by the courts, Parliament should move to raise taxes on wealthy corporations
who are most likely going to benefit from the plan in order to adequately compensate farmers and
landowners if the plan proceeds.

No Remember page 133:

Superman!
Who, what, how (when, where, etc.)
Conclusion

If my recommendations are followed, I am confident there will be several benefits. First, making sure the
plan is legal through the Supreme Court, ensures that you are following the law and gaining the
confidence of the countrys citizens. Second, by adequately compensating landowners for previous
projects, you gain their trust and approval for this and future projects. Next, by having a debate in
Parliament to include people for and against the plan, ensures that all sides of the issue are examined.
The Thai government has a responsibility to move the country forward, that this means taking care of local
landowners as well.

Link your benefits with your recommendations.

Make sure the reader understands which benefits
are linked to which recommendations
Vocabulary Word Definition

ease ( verb ) To lighten, to make less difficult.

adequate (adj) enough, good enough.

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English IV
first and foremost,
(transition)
displaced (adj)
reservation ( noun)
venture ( noun )
ancestral
convene
NOTES:
SOURCE
Department of Motor
Highways [ p1, p2]
Officials from the Department
of Highways [ p7 ]
Directly from the article [ p3 ,
p4 ]
A Source (unnamed) [ p5 ]
Landowners & farmers [ p6 ]
Opponents ( unnamed ) [ p7 ]
Turdsak Smith, respected civil
engineer [ p9 ]
Memo Report Motorway Plan
similar to first and firstly, but it points out that the first fact is also the most important fact.
to be removed, or to be forced to move. To lose your land/home.
to have a doubt, or to not agree with
an agreement or plan between two parties.
This means something that has been in the family for many generations.
to have a meeting with a specific purpose in mind.
What are they doing, saying, or thinking?
ease traffic congestion on Mittraphap Road leading to the Northeast [ p2]
distribute wealth throughout the region [ p2 ]
attract more investors & bring more employment to locals [ p2]
Contextual Analysis: Im not sure I trust the governments word. This sounds too
promising and happy for me.
have given assurances that there are enough funds to pay everyone affected [ p7]
compensation costs are funded by the 2015-2016 budget [ p7 ]
construction costs ( 77.97 billion baht ) funded through loans and join public-
private venture [ p7 ]
Contextual Analysis: This seems to be an honest assessment.
2 trillion baht borring bill for infrastructure investment [ p3]
initiated by Yingluck government [ p3 ]
ruled unconstitutional [ p3 ]
dealt mostly with road expansion and railway construction [ p3 ]
NCPO ordered a review of several projects in the 2-trillion baht loan scheme [ p4 ]
Some projects cancelled, but the Bang Pa-in Nakhon Ratchasima is still on [ p4 ]
The motorway is intended as part of the ASEAN Highway Network to
accommodate integration into the ASEAN community. [ p8 ]
the motorway involves 6.63 billion baht in compensation for privately owned land
protested against the project [ p6 ]
have no intention of selling their land at such a cheap price [ p6 ]
previous plans had resulted in landowners losing ancestral lands with almost no
compensation [ p6 ]
farmers fear losing income, because most of their land would be used for this
project [ p6 ]
Contextual Analysis: I believe these guys may be telling the truth. They are the people
most affected by the plan.
fear massive corruption [ p7 ]
The project is not necessary [ p9 ]
The existing highway can cope with everyday traffic [ p9 ]
Contextual Analysis: I also believe he is telling the truth. He doesnt have anything to
gain or lose from the project. So, his concerns appear to be honest and sincere.
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NOTES:

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