• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.46-75
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• 2004

This research anticipated on acknowledging the inpatients factors in choosing which hospital for the geriatric hospital and general hospital they would prefer to go to the analization of different factors in patients satisfaction, and the relation between satisfactory standards and the patients intentions on recommendation or re-visiting the hospital. The statistical data was based upon the 359 question and answer papers that were done by inpatients that were hospitalized in two geriatric hospitals and two general hospitals, and the methods used for analyzing were frequency, t-test, factor analysis, and hierarchical multiple regression. The results are as follows. 1. The factors on choosing hospitals between geriatric hospital and general hospitals were different. The priority for the geriatrics was kindness, and then considerate nursing, and the reliance of treatment. The patients of general hospitals looked first for reliance of treatment, reputation and history of the hospital, and the kindness of the staff. The kindness of the staff, good nursing, and easy procedures were the primary factors of choosing geriatric hospital. 2. The four primary factors in choosing which hospital patients would go to were the predominance of the facilities, kindness and convenience, the reliance and proximity of medical treatment, and recommendation. The patients in the geriatric hospital first looked for kindness and convenience, second the reliance and proximity of medical treatment, third predominance of facilities, and last recommendation. The general hospitals main priority was the reliance and proximity of medical care, second predominance of facilities, kindness and hospitality, and last recommendation. 3. The satisfaction rate was higher in the geriatric hospital compared to general hospitals, but the satisfactory of factors were very similar. Patients in the geriatric hospital were pleased with the hospital staffs kindness, quick nursing and the improvement of inconvenient matters, and clear diagnosis of the doctors. The general hospital patients were satisfied with the hospital staffs clear explanation and accurate diagnosis 4. The analysis in the satisfactory factors turned out to be the environment of the hospital, kindness of the staff, and convenience. Both the patients of the geriatric hospital and general hospitals were very pleased with the kindness of the hospital staff. Ranking second and third was convenience and service for the geriatric hospital, and environment of the hospital and convenience for the general hospital. 5. According to a rank of multiple recurrent analysis of the patients satisfaction and the intention of re-visiting in addition to intention of solicitation, in the case of a geriatric hospital, when the intention of re-visiting is the dependent variable, the first stage shows that the less insurance the patient has, the higher was the intention of re-visiting. In the second stage, the more satisfied the patient is of the staffs kindness, the higher was the intention of re-visiting. Further more, when the intention of solicitation is the dependent variable, the first stage shows that not all the independent variables were significant, but the second stage shows that the more satisfied the patient is of the staffs kindness and the hospital along with the medical treatment expenses, the higher was the intention of solicitation. 6. In the first stage of a rank of multiple recurrent analysis of the satisfaction of the general hospital and the intention of re-visiting, not all the variables were significant, but in the second stage, all the satisfaction by factors were significant. Moreover, when the intention of solicitation was the dependent variable, the first stage shows not all the variables were significant, but in the second stage, all the satisfaction by factors were significant. That is to say, in the case of a general hospital, the satisfaction of the hospital and the medical treatment expenses were high, and the more satisfied the patient is of the hospitals environment and the staffs kindness, the intention of re-visiting and the intention of solicitation was higher.

• THE INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE & LAW REVIEW
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• v.31
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• pp.27-56
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• 2006

Today's financial institutions usually take environmental issues seriously into consideration as they could not evade lender liability in an increasing number of cases. On the international scene, a brand-new concept of the "Equator Principles" in the New Millenium has driven more and more international banks to adopt these Principles in project financing. Sustainable development has been a key word in understanding new trends of the governments, financial institutions, corporations and civic groups in the 21st century. The Equator Principles are a set of voluntary environmental and social guidelines for sustainable finance. These Principles commit bank officers to avoid financial support to projects that fail to meet these guidelines. The Principles were conceived in 2002 on an initiative of the International Finance Corporation(IFC), and launched in June 2003. Since then, dozens of major banks, accounting for up to 80 percent of project loan market, have adopted the Principles. Accordingly, the Principles have become the de facto standard for all banks and investors on how to deal with potential social and environmental issues of projects to be financed. Compliance with the Equator Principles facilitates for endorsing banks to participate in the syndicated loan and help them to manage the risks associated with large-scale projects. The Equator Principles call for financial institutions to provide loans to projects under the following circumstances: - The risk of the project is categorized in accordance with internal guidelines based upon the environmental and social screening criteria of the IFC. - For Category A and B projects, borrowers or sponsors are required to conduct a Social and Environmental Assessment, the preparation of which must meet certain requirements and satisfactorily address key social and environmental issues. - The Social and Environmental Assessment report should address baseline social and environmental conditions, requirements under host country laws and regulations, sustainable development, and, as appropriate, IFC's Environmental, Health and Safety Guidelines, etc. - Based on the Social and Environmental Assessment, Equator banks then make agreements with borrowers on how they mitigate, monitor and manage the risks through a Social and Environmental Management System. Compliance with the plan is included in the covenant clause of loan agreements. If the borrower doesn't comply with the agreed terms, the bank will take corrective actions. The Equator Principles are not a mere declaration of cautious banks but a full commitment of lenders. A violation of the Principles in the process of project financing, which led to an unexpected damage to the affected community, would not give rise to any specific legal remedies other than ordinary lawsuits. So it is more effective for banks to ensure consistent implementation of the Principles and to have them take responsible measures to solve social and environmental issues. Public interests have recently mounted up with respect to environmental issues on the occasion of the Supreme Court's decision (2006Du330) on the fiercely debated reclamation project at Saemangeum. The majority Justices said that the expected environmental damages like probable pollution of water and soil were not believed so serious and that the Administration should continue to implement the project seeking ways to make it more environment friendly. In this case, though the Category A Saemangeum Project was carried out by a government agency, the Supreme Court behaved itself as a signal giver to approve or stop the environment-related project like an Equator bank in project financing. At present, there is no Equator bank in Korea in contrast to three big banks in Japan. Also Korean contractors, which are aggressively bidding for Category A-type projects in South East Asia and Mideast, might find themselves in a disadvantageous position because they are generally ignorant of the environmental assessment associated with project financing. In this regard, Korean banks and overseas project contractors should care for the revised Equator Principles and the latest developments in project financing more seriously. It's because its scope has expanded to the capital cost of US$10 million or more across all industry sectors regardless of developing countries or not. It should be noted that, for a Korean bank, being an Equator bank is more or less burdensome in a short-term period, but it must be conducive to minimizing risks and building up good reputation in the long run.

• The Southeast Asian review
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.213-247
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• 2018

Thailand in 2017 the public sentiment has turned against the military government. The four pledges the military declared immediately after the 2014 coup, restoration of democracy, addressing of divisive politics, eradication of corruption, and stimulation of the economy have all failed. In the same year, however, Thai military junta began to recover it's diplomatic relationship with western countries including US and EU owing to promulgation of the new constitution endorsed by King Maha Vajiralongkorn and the lavish funeral of late King Bhumibol Adulyadej which was attended by huge number of condolence delegations from around the world including US Defense Secretary James Mattis. Since the 2014 coup, US has sanctioned the country under military junta led by General Prayuth Chan-o-cha for urging them back to the barracks. EU also joined this sanction measures. US signaled change in it's policy when General Prayuth got the chance to visit US and meet President Donal Trump in 2017. General Prayuth Chan-o-cha's military junta could start to restore it's reputation internationally. Domestically, he used absolute powers based on section 44 of the interim constitution, also guranteed in the new constitution. Oversea and national human rights groups have criticized that the interim constitution for permitting the NCPO, Thai military junta's official name, to carry out policies and actions without any effective oversight or accountability for human rights violations. On 1 December 2017, Thailand marked the one-year anniversary of King Maha Vajiralongkorn's accession to the throne as the country's new monarch, Rama X. In the first year of King Rama X's reign, arrests, prosecutions, and imprisonment under Article 112 of Thailand's Criminal Code (lese-majeste) have continued unabated in Thailand. NCPO has continued to abuse Article 112 to detain alleged violators and curb any form of discussion regarding the monarchy, particularly on social media. In this worsening human rights environment General Prayuth Chan-o-cha enforced continuously campaign like Thai-style democracy- an effort to promote largely autocratic 'Thainess' in such a way that freedom of expression is threatened. It is a resurgence of 'Sarit Model'. In the beginning of 2017 Thai military government raised the slogan of 'opportunity Thailand' in the context of 'Thailand 4.0' project which attempts to transform Thai economy based on industry-driven to innovation-driven for recovering robust growth. To consider freedom and liberty as a source of innovation, 'Thailand 4.0' led by 'Sarit Model' without democracy would be skeptical.