[sustran] Re: (fwd) [UTSG] transport strategy transfer

Jonathan E. D. Richmond richmond at alum.mit.edu
Fri Apr 23 03:24:25 JST 2004



Interesting psychologically that I bundled Japan with the "West." Yes,
indeed, Japan has been highly active in Bangkok and yes, also,
technical and financial approaches have had much in common with "Western"
ones.

               --Jonathan

On Fri, 23 Apr 2004, Craig Townsend wrote:

> I agree with Jonathan.
>
> I would, however, like to question the use of a concept of a
> monolithic "West" in globalizing and industrializing Southeast Asia. The major
> of large transport infrastructure projects in Bangkok have been paid for and
> executed by the Japanese developmental state. No "Western" nation comes close.
> If we consider automobiles and motorcycles as part of the technology transfer
> equation, again the majority is coming from Japan. Some other issues I would
> like to raise:
>
> -There are other complexities within the Southeast Asian region: e.g.
> Malaysian road engineering companies are now undertaking projects in Australia
> and India.
> -Much of the techology transfer is not being led by nation-states, but by
> transnational corporate enterprises.
> -Singapore did not "invent" road pricing which was proposed by a French
> economist, conceptualized and planned for practical application by economists
> in London, and taken up by the government in Singapore, and implemented using
> Japanese electronics. The success in Singapore is not so much a matter of
> technical innovation but of a an unusual set of political characteristics: an
> authoritarian government led by middle class professionals and no civil
> society, no automobile interests to lobby against limitations on car ownership
> and use, and a high level of coordination and continuity because there is
> effectively only one political party and one level of government
> administration.
>
> Hopefully these rather random points may be of some use, Fatima.
>
> Craig Townsend
>
> Quoting "Jonathan E. D. Richmond" <richmond at alum.mit.edu>:
>
> >
> >
> > BRAVO! Well said (the message arrives the very evening I am re-reading
> > Hook and Repogle's article on "Motorization and non-motorized transport in
> > Asia" which I am having my students prepare for class tomorrow!!!)
> >
> > What I see is too much learning from the West without adequate local
> > context. Consultants come in to say what needs to be done; Western
> > textbooks are consulted when they are not appropriate to local situations.
> > 4-step models are used when they not only have little or no predictive
> > power but ignore pedestrian and other non-motorized movements that are
> > vital to local mobility -- and often to the local economy as well.
> > Cost-benefit analysis puts the needs of motorists ahead because they have
> > higher income -- so "obviously" their time is worth more.
> >
> > If the West is to help, we need more of a mixing of minds: people who will
> > come from the West to listen and observe and share concepts with local
> > professionals as equals, rather than arriving without an understanding of
> > context to give irrelevant instructions.
> >
> >                                                 --Jonathan
> >
> >
> >
> > On Thu, 22 Apr 2004, Walter Hook wrote:
> >
> > > i think we developed countries have transferred most of our problems to
> > > developing countries, starting with the automobile and the auto-dominated
> > > highway capacity manual, for example, out of date versions still used
> > > despite very different conditions.  green wave area traffic control
> > signals,
> > > killing a lot more pedestrians, highway overpasses, transferred from
> > > developed world, disrupting transit  and pedestrian and bicycle flows,
> > > metros disrupting bus-based transit systems and trapping countries in
> > > perpetual debts, etc. the big innovations came from curitiba, singapore
> > (now
> > > developed), and china.
> > >
> > > w.
> > >
> > >
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "Alan P Howes" <alan at ourpeagreenboat.co.uk>
> > > To: <sustran-discuss at list.jca.apc.org>
> > > Cc: "Fatima Elaiab" <elaiabf at TCD.IE>
> > > Sent: Wednesday, April 21, 2004 4:37 PM
> > > Subject: [sustran] (fwd) [UTSG] transport strategy transfer
> > >
> > >
> > > Hi sustranners -
> > >
> > > Can anyone help Fatima (who is at Trinity College, Dublin) with this
> > > request?  Seems one that should be appropriate to this group.
> > >
> > > Replies direct to Fatima please, <elaiabf at TCD.IE> - if you cc to me as
> > > well, I will know if it was worth forwarding!
> > >
> > > Alan
> > >
> > >
> > > On Wed, 21 Apr 2004 16:49:24 +0100, Fatima Elaiab <elaiabf at TCD.IE>
> > > wrote to UTSG at JISCMAIL.AC.UK:
> > >
> > > >Dear all.
> > > >
> > > >I am looking for studies, researches or papers that have considered the
> > > >posibiliaity of transfer transport strategies from developed countries
> > > >(experienced in transport filed) to less developed countries. The
> > transfer
> > > >or apply the experience may be in one side of the strategy such as
> > > >technology, transport management, control car ownership level strategy or
> > > >other. I do appreciate any help in this side.
> > > >Thank you.
> > >
> > > --
> > > Alan P Howes, Perthshire, Scotland
> > > alan at ourpeagreenboat.co.uk
> > > http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/alanhowes/  [Needs Updating!]
> > >
> >
> > -----
> >
> > Jonathan E. D. Richmond                               02 524-5510 (office)
> > Visiting Fellow                               Intl.: 662 524-5510
> > Transportation Engineering program
> > School of Civil Engineering, Room N260B               02 524-8257 (home)
> > Asian Institute of Technology                 Intl.: 662 524-8257
> > PO Box 4
> > Klong Luang, Pathumthani 12120                        02 524-5509 (fax)
> > Thailand                                      Intl:  662 524-5509
> >
> > e-mail: richmond at ait.ac.th               Secretary:  Ms. Nisarat Hansuksa
> >         richmond at alum.mit.edu		              02 524-6051
> > 					      Intl:  662 524-6051
> > http://the-tech.mit.edu/~richmond/
> >
> >
>
>

-----

Jonathan E. D. Richmond                               02 524-5510 (office)
Visiting Fellow                               Intl.: 662 524-5510
Transportation Engineering program
School of Civil Engineering, Room N260B               02 524-8257 (home)
Asian Institute of Technology                 Intl.: 662 524-8257
PO Box 4
Klong Luang, Pathumthani 12120                        02 524-5509 (fax)
Thailand                                      Intl:  662 524-5509

e-mail: richmond at ait.ac.th               Secretary:  Ms. Nisarat Hansuksa
        richmond at alum.mit.edu		              02 524-6051
					      Intl:  662 524-6051
http://the-tech.mit.edu/~richmond/



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