Thai PM fumes over delayed quake warnings; demands action

[webfact]

Picture courtesy of Thai PBS World

 

Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has voiced her dissatisfaction with the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) and the Public Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department (PDPMD) over their sluggish response to the recent earthquake.

 

During an emergency meeting today, she expressed her frustration over the delayed SMS alerts, noting that the 1.20pm quake was not reported to the public until more than an hour later.

 

Pasakorn Boonyalak of the PDPMD stated that his department dispatched the first of four alert messages at 2.20pm after obtaining data from the Meteorological Department.

 

The NBTC’s Acting Secretary-General, Trairat Wiriyasirikul, reported that their first SMS reached the public by 2.44pm, but was only accessible to roughly 200,000 mobile users initially. He explained ongoing improvements would soon allow up to three million messages to be transmitted simultaneously.

 

The delayed response left many Bangkok residents, among others, without prompt warnings. Despite claims of over 10 million messages being sent out, several complaints emerged about the lack of alerts.

 

 

 

Trairat assured that the first wave of alerts was directed to metropolitan areas, with subsequent notifications covering other provinces. Nonetheless, Prime Minister Shinawatra stressed that timely dissemination and widespread coverage need urgent rectification.

 

Following the quake, an inquiry into a collapsed building in Chatuchak has been ordered. Public parks are now open 24/7 to provide temporary shelter for those affected.

 

The Expressway and Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (EXAT) confirmed all expressways, except one near Din Daeng, are operational following safety inspections ruling out quake damage. In sum, the focus is on swift improvement of the SMS alert system to better serve public safety in future emergencies.

 

Based on a story by Thai PBS World

 

-- 2025-03-31

 

 

[sqwakvfr]

These alert systems fail more often then succeed.  It's not just Thailand.  Recently in LA during the height of the wildfires two false evacuation alerts were sent.  It's not the system but the people who run the system that determines the accuracy and timeliness of the alerts. 

[ChipButty]

She should have a word with the motor bike taxi guys, apparently wanting 2000 baht for a short ride along Sukhumvit.

[ikke1959]

There is never been a sms on one of our phones.... Not after 1 hour not till today... There is some work to do, but that will be for the next quake I suppose

 

[Tropicalevo]

27 minutes ago, webfact said:

He explained ongoing improvements would soon allow up to three million messages to be transmitted simultaneously.

 

Pretty much all apps written, distributed in Thailand are rubbish.

Very little control and testing before distribution.

All part of the 'I want it now' society.

Throw the app out there and let the people test it.

 

Anyway, what about folk who do not have the phone or any apps?

What about the people away from a wifi point?

What about the people with no internet at all?

Earthquakes have a habit of wiping out phone masts and internet networks.

 

31 minutes ago, webfact said:

Trairat assured that the first wave of alerts was directed to metropolitan areas,

 

Yet again, the government looking after the Bangkok elite first.

Forget about the rural and urban poor.

(There are a lot of those between the epicentre and Bangkok.)

[LivingNThailand]

3 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

There is never been a sms on one of our phones.... Not after 1 hour not till today... There is some work to do, but that will be for the next quake I suppose

 

I never got one too. 

[Clarkey611]

23 hours ago, webfact said:

Picture courtesy of Thai PBS World

 

Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has voiced her dissatisfaction with the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) and the Public Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department (PDPMD) over their sluggish response to the recent earthquake.

 

A chip off the old block then.

 

[TigerandDog]

22 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

 

Pretty much all apps written, distributed in Thailand are rubbish.

Very little control and testing before distribution.

All part of the 'I want it now' society.

Throw the app out there and let the people test it.

 

Anyway, what about folk who do not have the phone or any apps?

What about the people away from a wifi point?

What about the people with no internet at all?

Earthquakes have a habit of wiping out phone masts and internet networks.

 

 

Yet again, the government looking after the Bangkok elite first.

Forget about the rural and urban poor.

(There are a lot of those between the epicentre and Bangkok.)

With all previous tremors I've received an SMS alert (no app required) on my Samsung phone while the shaking was still happening. Not this time.

[jcmj]

All of my friends, both Thai and Foreign, never got any alert. My Thai friends are more pissed off about the fact that it won’t be up a running correctly until July. So we aren’t the only ones upset about a useless system. 

[MikeandDow]

Why get an alert of a quake when you are already shaking and in one, or does thailand now know how to predict a quake !!   what a wast of time and money  

[dr_lucas]

SMS is so outdated. They should employ a system like the USA's Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA). It's part of the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) managed by FEMA. WEA sends emergency alerts to smartphones in a specific geographic area using cell broadcast technology. These alerts can include details about severe weather, AMBER alerts, or other critical emergencies, and they override silent mode to ensure they're noticed.

 

Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) don't use SMS because SMS technology has certain limitations that could delay or compromise the effectiveness of emergency alerts. Here are a few reasons why WEA is preferred:

1. Speed and Reach: WEA uses cell broadcast technology, which sends messages to all compatible devices in a specific geographic area almost instantly. SMS, on the other hand, sends messages individually to each recipient, which could cause delays, especially during high-demand situations.

2. Location Precision: WEA targets devices within a defined area, regardless of their phone numbers or carriers. SMS would require knowing and selecting specific phone numbers, which isn't practical for dynamic or geographically focused emergencies.

3. Reliability: During emergencies, cellular networks can become congested. SMS relies on the same infrastructure as voice and data, so it may fail or slow down. Cell broadcast used by WEA is more robust in such scenarios.

4. No Subscription Needed: WEA doesn’t require users to sign up or provide their phone numbers, ensuring everyone with a compatible device in the alert zone receives the message. SMS, by contrast, would require a list of recipients.

WEA's design prioritizes speed, precision, and accessibility—key factors in life-saving emergency communications. It's all about ensuring critical information gets to the right people at the right time!

[ronster]

Pretty much pointless having such a system unless it's sent in seconds .

They reckon the tremor hit Bangkok around 60-90 seconds after it started in Myanmar.

Nobody is getting out of a building with 5 floors or more in that time if everyone leaves at the same time.

[newbee2022]

23 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

 

Pretty much all apps written, distributed in Thailand are rubbish.

Very little control and testing before distribution.

All part of the 'I want it now' society.

Throw the app out there and let the people test it.

 

Anyway, what about folk who do not have the phone or any apps?

What about the people away from a wifi point?

What about the people with no internet at all?

Earthquakes have a habit of wiping out phone masts and internet networks.

 

 

Yet again, the government looking after the Bangkok elite first.

Forget about the rural and urban poor.

(There are a lot of those between the epicentre and Bangkok.)

That's why we have in Europe the alarm sirens.👍

[mfd101]

2 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

That's why we have in Europe the alarm sirens.

Yes, to me - as a non-technical old person - alarm sirens seem a more practical idea for the masses of people in a huge city.

 

And have the SMS etc technical solutions as well of course.

 

In any case, speed is of the essence. Not necessarily a strength in Thailand ...

[watchcat]

23 hours ago, webfact said:

over their sluggish response to the recent earthquake.

 

What differense would that make  it came and 10 minutes later it was over, what do you wan't a prediction 10 hours in advance?

[Colabamumbai]

23 hours ago, webfact said:

Picture courtesy of Thai PBS World

 

Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has voiced her dissatisfaction with the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) and the Public Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department (PDPMD) over their sluggish response to the recent earthquake.

 

During an emergency meeting today, she expressed her frustration over the delayed SMS alerts, noting that the 1.20pm quake was not reported to the public until more than an hour later.

 

Pasakorn Boonyalak of the PDPMD stated that his department dispatched the first of four alert messages at 2.20pm after obtaining data from the Meteorological Department.

 

The NBTC’s Acting Secretary-General, Trairat Wiriyasirikul, reported that their first SMS reached the public by 2.44pm, but was only accessible to roughly 200,000 mobile users initially. He explained ongoing improvements would soon allow up to three million messages to be transmitted simultaneously.

 

The delayed response left many Bangkok residents, among others, without prompt warnings. Despite claims of over 10 million messages being sent out, several complaints emerged about the lack of alerts.

 

 

 

Trairat assured that the first wave of alerts was directed to metropolitan areas, with subsequent notifications covering other provinces. Nonetheless, Prime Minister Shinawatra stressed that timely dissemination and widespread coverage need urgent rectification.

 

Following the quake, an inquiry into a collapsed building in Chatuchak has been ordered. Public parks are now open 24/7 to provide temporary shelter for those affected.

 

The Expressway and Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (EXAT) confirmed all expressways, except one near Din Daeng, are operational following safety inspections ruling out quake damage. In sum, the focus is on swift improvement of the SMS alert system to better serve public safety in future emergencies.

 

Based on a story by Thai PBS World

 

-- 2025-03-31

 

 

My my. 

[steven100]

 ' demands action '

 

yeah'    that'll work ....   

[Dcheech]

No alert was going to warn people about an earthquake, better reporting after the earthquake might have been good, still 

Warning about,  say a Tsunami generating after ...  yeah ... of course they refused to act on that back when, as it might damage tourism. Turns out the Tsunami did damage tourism. Go figure.

[Quack]

23 hours ago, ChipButty said:

She should have a word with the motor bike taxi guys, apparently wanting 2000 baht for a short ride along Sukhumvit.

 

Good for them, normally they make peanuts. And to be honest, it's just basic supply dynamics. Apps like Grab and Bolt were charging four-times the usual price because the demand went through the roof. But people were obviously paying up, because most couldn't even get a ride 

[watchcat]

7 minutes ago, Colabamumbai said:

During an emergency meeting today, she expressed her frustration over the delayed SMS alerts, noting that the 1.20pm quake was not reported to the public until more than an hour later.

 

Typical thai answere trying to blame other people for their misstakes brake failure etc slippery road bla bla.,

[dinsdale]

On 3/31/2025 at 9:12 AM, webfact said:

she expressed her frustration over the delayed SMS alerts, noting that the 1.20pm quake was not reported to the public until more than an hour later.

Doesn't matter really. Obviously it can't come before the quake and coming after does it matter how ling it takes. Everyone affected knows there's and earthquake happening. Being told via sms after be it 2 minutes or 2 hours means zilch. As for aftershocks everyone should be well aware that these are likely to happen.

[julsmark]

1 hour ago, dr_lucas said:

SMS is so outdated. They should employ a system like the USA's Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA). It's part of the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) managed by FEMA. WEA sends emergency alerts to smartphones in a specific geographic area using cell broadcast technology. These alerts can include details about severe weather, AMBER alerts, or other critical emergencies, and they override silent mode to ensure they're noticed.

 

Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) don't use SMS because SMS technology has certain limitations that could delay or compromise the effectiveness of emergency alerts. Here are a few reasons why WEA is preferred:

1. Speed and Reach: WEA uses cell broadcast technology, which sends messages to all compatible devices in a specific geographic area almost instantly. SMS, on the other hand, sends messages individually to each recipient, which could cause delays, especially during high-demand situations.

2. Location Precision: WEA targets devices within a defined area, regardless of their phone numbers or carriers. SMS would require knowing and selecting specific phone numbers, which isn't practical for dynamic or geographically focused emergencies.

3. Reliability: During emergencies, cellular networks can become congested. SMS relies on the same infrastructure as voice and data, so it may fail or slow down. Cell broadcast used by WEA is more robust in such scenarios.

4. No Subscription Needed: WEA doesn’t require users to sign up or provide their phone numbers, ensuring everyone with a compatible device in the alert zone receives the message. SMS, by contrast, would require a list of recipients.

WEA's design prioritizes speed, precision, and accessibility—key factors in life-saving emergency communications. It's all about ensuring critical information gets to the right people at the right time!

 

[mfd101]

37 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

As for aftershocks everyone should be well aware that these are likely to happen.

That's the bit that makes sirens a useful tool ... But only up to a point.

 

If you're in a single-storey or perhaps 2- or even 3-storey building, a warning - or even the first shake - allows you to take cover under a desk or table or bed, or  (as we did in the shaky isles of NZ in my childhood) stand in a doorway. The idea being to have something strong over your head.

 

But what if you're in a high-rise building? Nothing you do - either nothing or head under the desk or head down the multiple stairs - is going to save you if the building is about to collapse.

 

And as for racing out onto the roadway between high-rises, well I was always taught that's the last thing you should do ...

[Moonlover]

I don't see that there is any point to having an earthquake alarm at all. Any message that is sent out will be after the event. Earthquakes never give a prior warning.

 

Tsunami warning are different of course. It takes time for the waves to arrive, so a warning might be of some practical use.

[crazykopite]

She is head of government it’s her job to make sure that everything is up to date not push the blame onto others now Tuesday and yet things seem to be at a very slow pace I fear that there will not be any survivors from this terrible quake 

[jojothai]

Only concerned about face saving in relation to the government and limited to a a few departments.
How could you find out reliable information on what public transport was available?
I was looking a few times especially the next morning and it seemed to be extremely diffificult.
Mostly some inconsistent media reports.
Perhaps others found thec same issue?

[Rampant Rabbit]

1 hour ago, Quack said:

 

Good for them, normally they make peanuts. And to be honest, it's just basic supply dynamics. Apps like Grab and Bolt were charging four-times the usual price because the demand went through the roof. But people were obviously paying up, because most couldn't even get a ride 

<deleted> <deleted>

[MikeandDow]

14 minutes ago, Rampant Rabbit said:

<deleted> <deleted>

and your point???

[wozzlegummich]

SMS systems are just not designed for or technically capable of transmitting millions of messages simultaneously. The more you send, the slower it will be.

 

[Unamerican]

3 hours ago, TigerandDog said:

With all previous tremors I've received an SMS alert

When and where did these ever happen, please!