NATURAL DISASTERS / WARNING SYSTEMS
SRISAMORN PHOOSUPHANUSORN
The National Disaster Warning Centre is resuming the construction of disaster warning towers in risk areas nationwide, having put the project on hold after last year's coup. Work was suspended because the military-led government was worried it would swing opinion in favour of the deposed Thaksin administration.
Chairman Smith Dharmasarojana said the centre intended to install about 200 warning towers in the North, Northeast and Central regions and along the Thai Gulf. It had already installed 99 towers in six provinces. The towers are equipped with sirens which can be heard up to 1.5km away and will give warning of any natural disaster, not just a tsunami.
Mr Smith said consideration was also being given to extending the warning system through other media including television, radio and email. Work is already underway to increase the capability for sending SMS warnings from 5,000 to two million at a time.
Natural disasters have caused an estimated 250 billion baht in financial losses in Thailand over the last 45 years.
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