Road map sought to deal with crisis

By Chularat Saengpassa 
The Nation

 

 

Lessons to learn from cave saga, say experts
 

AFTER THE overwhelming success in rescuing the 13 trapped footballers from the flooded Tham Luang cave in Chiang Rai province, experts believe Thailand now needs to focus on coming up with a sustainable plan that can prevent such an incident from recurring.

 

“Let’s prepare a road map to address the issue because there are more than 100 caves for tourists in Thailand,” Asst Professor Sombat Yumuang, who heads the Chulalongkorn University’s Geoinformatics Centre for Thailand, said late last week.

 

The Mu Pa Academy footballers had visited the cave on June 23 but flash floods left them stranded inside. Until July 2, they were all on their own before rescuers spotted them alive. Due to the huge challenges within the cave, the evacuation of the footballers started only on July 8 even as the world watched with bated breath.

 

Among the many obstacles the rescuers faced were the lack of details about the interiors of the cave.

 

“It’s best that we learn a lesson. We need to draw up a map explaining the structure and geography of the cave, with all the depth and the exact global positioning location information. We also need to provide safety information,” Sombat emphasised.

 

He said when such crucial information is made available to the public, visitors to the cave would be able to take precautions.

Sombat said with today’s technology, it would even be possible to create a mobile application for cave visitors to know what to expect and what to avoid.

 

“That’s the prevention part of the road map. The other parts should deal with crisis or emergency management, and there should be a post-crisis plan as well,” he said.

 

Sombat suggested that it would be a good idea to close the Tham Luang cave to tourists until a full assessment is made of the latest crisis and preparations are made to prevent such an incident.

 

“Tham Luang has now become famous all over the world. I believe many more tourists will visit it. So, it’s best that we work on the rehabilitation and preparations,” he said.

 

Engineering Institute of Thailand’s president Thanes Weerasiri said his organisation would host a seminar on lessons from Tham Luang case on July 19. 

 

“We will invite people working at the field to discuss challenges and what we need to plan for the future,” he said.

 

Thanes said his team found GPS did not work inside the cave. 

 

“I believe we should conduct CT scan or create 3D images of every cave in Thailand,” he said. 

 

Thanya Netithammakun, who heads the Department of National Park, Wildlife and Plants Conservation (DNP), has lately said his agency had already drawn up a plan too.

 

“Laying down a safety system and emergency-response system is a part of it,” he assured.

 

The plan will involve an initial budget of Bt42 million. It will cover cave-compound management, provide specialised staff and also establish a tourist and security centre. This is on top of the exhibition and service zone.

 

Another senior official at the DNP said that as many as 16 security cameras might be installed inside the Tham Luang cave alone and 32 others around the Tham Luang-Khun Nam Nang Non forest park where the cave is situated.

 

“We also plan to upgrade the Tham Luang-Khun Nam Nang Non forest park into a national park,” Thanya disclosed.

 

Thanya last week instructed agencies under his supervision to examine caves in areas under their jurisdictions and take safety precautions.

 

“If there are risks at some spots, inform tourists. If there are seasonal risks, consider closing some attractions during some periods of the year based on DNP guidelines,” he said.

 

Meanwhile, environmentalists and other organisations haveurged the chief of the joint rescue operation command, Narongsak Osottanakorn, to properly restore the Tham Luang cave. In their joint statement, they explained the need to consider the environmental impact, including the cave’s biodiversity, if Tham Luang were to be developed as a major attraction.

 

The statement also expressed appreciation that the command and the DNP had vowed to rehabilitate Tham Luang and restore the natural water flow in the cave’s vicinity.

 

As part of efforts to reduce the floodwater level inside the cave to facilitate rescue operations, the landscape at some spots near the cave was adjusted to prevent water from flowing into the cave.

 

DNP deputy director-general Chongklai Worapongsathorn said the landscape would be restored to its original condition.

 

“As for natural shafts above the cave, we in collaboration with the Mineral Resources Department will fill three shafts that have been drilled,” he assured.

 

Shafts above the cave had been extensively explored during rescue operations as rescue planners at some points believed it might be necessary to drill down or tunnel down to rescue stranded survivors.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30350121

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-07-16

The current incumbents have experience with road maps, perhaps ask for advice.

Road maps, agencies, committees, and budgets! Right ho, they're off...

 

Normal service has been resumed.

Edited July 15, 20187 yr by JAG

They shouldn't be allowed to use maps. They really need to hire a guide.

 Road maps, what us would road maps be to Ole Fatty?

He would get lost at the first turn and blame it on his dead friend.

Edited July 16, 20187 yr by colinneil

Some 70 people die every day on the Thai roads. Its a disgrace and a national tragedy. But here we are discussing safety in caves of which there has been one incident in 30 years. There is none so blind as those that will not see.

Some 70 people die every day on the Thai roads. Its a disgrace and a national tragedy. But here we are discussing safety in caves of which there has been one incident in 30 years. There is none so blind as those that will not see.

Sums up the thinking in the country. It will likely spend lots of money on measures that won’t be needed, but action on carnage on the roads ? Nope! Mai pen rai


Sent from my iPhone using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

11 minutes ago, Lungstib said:

Some 70 people die every day on the Thai roads. Its a disgrace and a national tragedy. But here we are discussing safety in caves of which there has been one incident in 30 years. There is none so blind as those that will not see.

Correct, you can drive for an hour and see hundreds (if not thousands) of people driving in a reckless manner everyday of the week. Many going 50kph over the limit and no one to stop this.

 

 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Engineering Institute of Thailand’s president Thanes Weerasiri...said his team found GPS did not work inside the cave.  

This is the president of an engineering institute, saying his team found this? Of course mobile (and most other) signals don't propagate underground.

Or were they surprised, because their mobiles work on the underground in Bangkok.

 

Surely the simple answer is NOT to let people go into dangerous unmapped caves !  Or is that too obvious for a Thai culture where ME and MONEY comes first ?

All a big PR whitewashing exercise.  Road carnage doesn’t get the publicity so go for the thing that’s in the news and show them you are doing a big thing. That they are even discussing using GPS mapping and CT scanning for caves suggests  that little thought and discussion has gone into this. It’s just a pretty dumb list of thought bubbles.

Somebody is looking for grant money.  If Thailand spent the same amount of time agonizing over safety, as it does over visas, it would be safest country in the world.  Enforcement in one issue.  A lack of concern over safety is another.  Money is the only motivator for those in the government. 

Given the failure of the election roadmap to lead to elections, roadmap is probably not an auspicious metaphor for success in this case.

3 hours ago, Saiyok said:

Correct, you can drive for an hour and see hundreds (if not thousands) of people driving in a reckless manner everyday of the week. Many going 50kph over the limit and no one to stop this.

 

 

If you take away the stupidity of the majority of Thai drivers and riders, there are two main bodies equally to blame.

 

First. These people at the top in the police force. They need to stop admiring themselves in these fancy uniforms, with there medals and ribbons, get rid of these stupid paid for ranks, and get the ordinary cops out on the roads to enforce the law, the rules are there, but need to be enforced.

Second. The Thai government. They need to sort out their police force from top to bottom.

In the last 50 years, how many times have a group of people been trapped in a cave by a flash flood?

Now, how much money does the government want to pour into developing a 'sustainable' plan to keep that from happening again.  And who will be the recipients of said monies. 
Wait a minute.  Don't answer!!! I got it -- This Is Thailand.  <cue huge Sucking Sound and Richard Mille watches appearing on many wrists (from dead friends of course)>

Edited July 16, 20187 yr by connda

 

The philosophy/priorities of Thai society are being demonstrated right now.

 

By an active and well publicised effort to sentimentalise, memorialise, worship and "honour" the memory and "spirits" of things and people.

 

They can plaster up a mural in a week or so, start gazing at it and laying garlands straight away.

 

Soon will arrive the lovely statue that they can pray to for good luck.

 

All that proactive, preventative, forward thinking, safety nonsense?.........that can wait (for "eternity")..........they're doing the important stuff.

 

 

Edited July 16, 20187 yr by Enoon

Road carnage is what it is and of course needs to be addressed. 

 

Also I don't see any improvement for tourist safety on the horizon just the usual talk and opportunistic seizing of assets.

 

As for cave safety, for goodness sake do not turn them into tourist attractions.

Road map memo to self: don't let international press into country. There comments on what is really happening makes Mr T look like Saint.