BANGKOK, Thailand – The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) convened an emergency meeting with Thailand’s three major mobile network providers to refine and rehearse procedures for delivering emergency alerts via SMS and Cell Broadcast systems.
Phaskorn Boonyaluck, Director-General of DDPM, chaired the meeting with representatives from Advanced Info Service (AIS), True Corporation, and National Telecom (NT) to discuss and align on protocols for effectively disseminating emergency alerts to the public through SMS and Cell Broadcast.
Phaskorn stated that the session aimed to ensure coordinated operations between the DDPM, as the national disaster warning authority, and the three telecom providers. While the full deployment of the Cell Broadcast system is still under development, all parties agreed on a clear interim protocol using SMS and Virtual Cell Broadcast for notifying the public about earthquakes and other natural disasters.
“The DDPM is committed to improving the efficiency of our alert system to ensure that vital information reaches all citizens promptly, enabling them to respond appropriately to emergencies,” said Phaskorn. He added that the department has already prepared emergency response plans and is working under established Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to ensure seamless coordination across agencies.
Later this afternoon, the DDPM team will visit National Telecom to conduct a test of the Cell Broadcast system, aiming to build public confidence in the readiness and reliability of mobile phone-based disaster alerts. (TNA)
