Thailand’s tsunami-warning buoys both out of action

By Tanyaluk Sakoot

 

The tsunami-warning buoy in the ‘Bay of Bengal array’ has been broken into and scavenged for parts. Photo:NOAA

 

PHUKET:-- The two tsunami-warning buoys deployed west of Phuket that Thailand is responsible for maintaining are both out of action, the National Disaster Warning Centre (NDWC) in Bangkok has confirmed.

 

One of the tsunami-warning buoys has been scavenged for its components, while the other is still relaying real-time data, has come loose from its sea-floor mooring and is drifting aimlessly some 200km west of Phuket, Dr Prasong Thammapala, Acting Director of the NDWC’s Information Technology and Communication Center, told The Phuket News.

 

However, Dr Prasong urged people to not panic, as the “outer” warning buoy, located some 600 nautical miles west of Phuket, is just one of an array of tsunami-warning buoys that are still functioning.

 

Full Story: https://www.thephuketnews.com/thailand-tsunami-warning-buoys-both-out-of-action-77327.php

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2020-09-15

 

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this being 2020, could be a bad omen.. 

Famous last words, Dont Panic

20 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

One of the tsunami-warning buoys has been scavenged for its components

By who ?, the other one headed for Singapore.now if an earthquake under the

sea off Indonesia was to happen, who would take the blame? maintenance never the number 1 priority 

regards worgeordie

I called this out last week when they had a Tsunami evacuation drill in Kamala. The need for maintenance seems to be totally lacking from the Thai mindset.

1 hour ago, snoop1130 said:

 

One of the tsunami-warning buoys has been scavenged for its components

My first reaction was to laugh, but then I started thinking where else would be stupid enough to destroy something that could save tens if not hundreds of thousands of lives for the sake of a few dollars.

Didn't come up with anywhere actually, so let me know if I have missed somewhere obvious.

Check the coastal waters of your neighbors...close inspection...may be able to see the word "Thailand" bleeding thru the fresh paint...????

 

7 hours ago, darksidedog said:

Didn't come up with anywhere actually, so let me know if I have missed somewhere obvious.

The obvious ? they didn't install any components in it in the first place, but it looked pretty bobbing up and down

11 hours ago, darksidedog said:

My first reaction was to laugh, but then I started thinking where else would be stupid enough to destroy something that could save tens if not hundreds of thousands of lives for the sake of a few dollars.

Didn't come up with anywhere actually, so let me know if I have missed somewhere obvious.

 

... vital parts of(f) elevators ...?!

 

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

However, Dr Prasong urged people to not panic, as the “outer” warning buoy, located some 600 nautical miles west of Phuket, is just one of an array of tsunami-warning buoys that are still functioning.

That's a bit like saying 3 wheels on my wagon are of but we still got one.

15 hours ago, darksidedog said:

My first reaction was to laugh, but then I started thinking where else would be stupid enough to destroy something that could save tens if not hundreds of thousands of lives for the sake of a few dollars.

Didn't come up with anywhere actually, so let me know if I have missed somewhere obvious.

TIT says it all.

Hopefully the countries responsible for the maintenance of the rest of the array take their responsibilities more seriously...... or do they?

Typically Thailand - Zero mantainance

Ah this is why they want submarines . To go fix these !! 
Everything is always fine in Thailand until the horse has bolted or 

The entire Kingdom is out of action. It's a country of inaction, failure and clogged gears. Broken from the top on down. ????

This is an interesting documentary. In it, they followed evacuation routes that go to dead ends ????

Some troll posts have been removed. 

Would anyone really expect them to be working. The surprise is that one still is!

On 9/15/2020 at 7:41 PM, darksidedog said:

My first reaction was to laugh, but then I started thinking where else would be stupid enough to destroy something that could save tens if not hundreds of thousands of lives for the sake of a few dollars.

Didn't come up with anywhere actually, so let me know if I have missed somewhere obvious.

Bangladesh. Anything that can be sold per kilo moves. A friend of mine from Dhaka told me a story about him seeing somebody fry a large electric transformer on purpose, so the supply would be cut off and they could snatch it with a pickup.

 

As for Thais not maintaining the buoys .. somchai don't maintain, somchai buy new.

On 9/15/2020 at 7:09 PM, Phuketshrew said:

I called this out last week when they had a Tsunami evacuation drill in Kamala. The need for maintenance seems to be totally lacking from the Thai mindset.

If I recall correctly, there have been quite a few instances of "lack of maintenance" for these tsunami warning buoys, with some never having been fitted with batteries, which was only found out a few years after the event.

 

The other thing I recall was the wiring being stolen from the warning sirens.

 

As if the initial installations (of anything) are not shoddy enough here in Thailand, the lack of maintenance will make sure that they are a complete fizzer. TIT after all.
 

I'm more surprised they have lasted this long without being sold as scrape