Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has called for improvements to Thailand’s earthquake early warning system, stating on Monday that public SMS alerts should be issued within five minutes of a quake being confirmed, to enable timely evacuations.
Her remarks came during a meeting at Government House with agencies involved in disaster response and telecommunications, following public criticism over the delayed alert for the earthquake that occurred on Friday, March 29, originating in Myanmar’s Mandalay region. Although tremors were felt in parts of Thailand, many phone users did not receive timely notifications.
The prime minister emphasized that waiting for further details before sending alerts is unnecessary once an initial confirmation of seismic activity has been made by the Meteorological Department, the national body responsible for monitoring earthquakes. She stressed the importance of rapid warnings to help the public respond effectively.
Efforts to improve the system were discussed during a meeting on Saturday, March 30, between the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), the Department of Public Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, and major mobile network operators AIS and True Corporation. Attendees agreed to strengthen cooperation to enhance the reach and speed of alerts via SMS and online platforms.
However, technical challenges remain. Representatives from AIS and True noted that identifying mobile users within affected zones requires data processing that can delay notifications. The infrastructure and capabilities of each provider also influence how quickly messages can be dispatched, according to a summary of the weekend meeting.
