2 hours ago, newbee2022 said:

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

None in my part of Europe, since not needed there! 

2 hours ago, watchcat said:

 

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

Same here on AN

3 hours ago, dr_lucas said:

They should employ a system like the USA's Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA)

But is this useful in any other parts of the world?  
Surely its export has been banned by now, just like other AID? 

My, very early, main notification was that many parts of the internet and phone system stopped working at about 13:25.  At the same time, parts that were still working swiftly brought many personal accounts of shaking in high buildings and questions about their safety. 

3 hours ago, MikeandDow said:

what a wast of time and money  

Does this follow?? 
It was very useful to get information and explanations of why things were not working as usual, was it not? 

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

What is the Thai government suppose to do:

SMS from the Thai Government: "Thailand just experienced an earthquake!"  No **** Sherlock!

 

Within 10 minutes I knew where the earthquake occurred, its magnitude, and its initial effects.
All of this was being reported on various international geological sites and news outlets.  I really didn't need the nanny-state to inform me that Thailand just experienced an earthquake.  Everyone already knew.  Anyone with a modern phone could have found that information in a matter of minutes.  This isn't the 1920s - it's 2025.  People have communication resources. 

Actually what this really is is just one side of the political divide attempting to bash the other side of the political divide.  It does nothing the unify the country.  But it is pretty much standard operating procedure in this day and age.  Politicians don't seek solutions, they seek fault.

2 hours ago, MikeandDow said:

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  

 

Common knowledge, earthquakes take finite time to propagate. For an epicenter in Mandalay to Bangkok, you have ~2-3 minutes before strong S waves arrive. Time for emergency exit from some trains and buildings. Alerts can originate at monitoring stations of which Mandalay has two.

 

The LINE messaging system, much cherished by Thai, was tied to emergency communication in Japan, particularly in the wake of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. So yes, even Thai know.

What has the Meteorological Dept got to do with earthquakes?

As if a meteorologist as any knowledge or training about earthquakes ! (Except feeling their effects like the rest of us)

....or perhaps access to early warning systems based on weather events.

 

No wonder my Thai neighbors were all out in the street staring up into the sky!!?!

4 minutes ago, Unamerican said:

Does this follow?? 
It was very useful to get information and explanations of why things were not working as usual, was it not? 

Entire house shakes for over a minute.

😕 "Hummm. I wonder what that was?  I need someone who is an 'expert' to explain this to me.  I'm so confused."

We have electric, cell phone, and water outages routinely where I live.  No one needs an SMS from the government to figure out why.  Everyone knows why - utilities in Thailand aren't the most reliable. 

Now - after your house shakes for over a minute and then stuff doesn't work?  You'd have to be a complete moron who has lived their entire life in a hermetically sealed box all of their life not to understand what happened.

14 minutes ago, orchidfan said:

What has the Meteorological Dept got to do with earthquakes?

As if a meteorologist as any knowledge or training about earthquakes ! (Except feeling their effects like the rest of us)

....or perhaps access to early warning systems based on weather events.

 

No wonder my Thai neighbors were all out in the street staring up into the sky!!?!

Nice snark-filled comment.  🥴 "Orchidfan smart, other people dumb.  he he he Thai stoopid..."

The Thai Meteorological Department issues statements regarding natural disasters like earthquakes.

"The TMD operates the Earthquake Observation Division, which is tasked with tracking seismic activity both domestically and internationally. This division uses a network of seismic stations to detect earthquakes and assess their potential impacts, such as tsunamis. For instance, after the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the TMD significantly expanded its capabilities, including the development of a tsunami early warning system. This system integrates data from seismic networks, tide gauges, and tsunami buoys (like those deployed in the Andaman Sea and Indian Ocean) to issue timely alerts. The TMD collaborates with international partners, such as NOAA, to enhance its monitoring capacity, and it has installed over 130 tsunami warning towers along coastal areas to alert the public in multiple languages.

The legal basis for the TMD’s broader role comes from the Meteorological Service Act of 1952, which established it as the national authority for weather and related hazards under the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society. Post-2004, its responsibilities were further clarified and expanded through initiatives like the National Disaster Warning Center, established under the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Act of 2007, which works in tandem with the TMD to manage multi-hazard alerts. The TMD’s seismic network, while robust for tsunami detection, is less focused on inland earthquake prediction due to limitations in current science and infrastructure—Thailand lacks a comprehensive earthquake early warning system like those in Japan or California. Instead, it excels at aftershock monitoring and tsunami forecasting, leveraging tools like the EarthquakeTMD app and real-time updates on its website (tmd.go.th)."

And now you know!    

3 hours ago, MikeandDow said:

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  

I agreed  with your comment initially  but with an afterthought, one would assume the App works to let others know it has occurred as a minimum because after the initial quake had occurred there is usually  a follow up not long after of minor quakes in most instances, or worse sometimes  a stronger quake.

4 minutes ago, connda said:

The Thai Meteorological Department issues statements regarding natural disasters like earthquakes.

"The TMD operates the Earthquake Observation Division, which is tasked with tracking seismic activity both domestically and internationally. This division uses a network of seismic stations to detect earthquakes and assess their potential impacts, such as tsunamis. For instance, after the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the TMD significantly expanded its capabilities, including the development of a tsunami early warning system. This system integrates data from seismic networks, tide gauges, and tsunami buoys (like those deployed in the Andaman Sea and Indian Ocean) to issue timely alerts. The TMD collaborates with international partners, such as NOAA, to enhance its monitoring capacity, and it has installed over 130 tsunami warning towers along coastal areas to alert the public in multiple languages.

The legal basis for the TMD’s broader role comes from the Meteorological Service Act of 1952, which established it as the national authority for weather and related hazards under the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society. Post-2004, its responsibilities were further clarified and expanded through initiatives like the National Disaster Warning Center, established under the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Act of 2007, which works in tandem with the TMD to manage multi-hazard alerts. The TMD’s seismic network, while robust for tsunami detection, is less focused on inland earthquake prediction due to limitations in current science and infrastructure—Thailand lacks a comprehensive earthquake early warning system like those in Japan or California. Instead, it excels at aftershock monitoring and tsunami forecasting, leveraging tools like the EarthquakeTMD app and real-time updates on its website (tmd.go.th)."

And now you know!    

Thanks for that (google or Wikipedia I guess).

 

Still a misnomer.

Perhaps there should be a "Seismic and Natural Earthly Disasters" Department, dedicated and separated from the Met Dept.

 

"Jack of all trades, master of none ?

9 minutes ago, connda said:

Nice snark-filled comment.  🥴 "Orchidfan smart, other people dumb.  he he he Thai stoopid..."

The Thai Meteorological Department issues statements regarding natural disasters like earthquakes.

"The TMD operates the Earthquake Observation Division, which is tasked with tracking seismic activity both domestically and internationally. This division uses a network of seismic stations to detect earthquakes and assess their potential impacts, such as tsunamis. For instance, after the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the TMD significantly expanded its capabilities, including the development of a tsunami early warning system. This system integrates data from seismic networks, tide gauges, and tsunami buoys (like those deployed in the Andaman Sea and Indian Ocean) to issue timely alerts. The TMD collaborates with international partners, such as NOAA, to enhance its monitoring capacity, and it has installed over 130 tsunami warning towers along coastal areas to alert the public in multiple languages.

The legal basis for the TMD’s broader role comes from the Meteorological Service Act of 1952, which established it as the national authority for weather and related hazards under the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society. Post-2004, its responsibilities were further clarified and expanded through initiatives like the National Disaster Warning Center, established under the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Act of 2007, which works in tandem with the TMD to manage multi-hazard alerts. The TMD’s seismic network, while robust for tsunami detection, is less focused on inland earthquake prediction due to limitations in current science and infrastructure—Thailand lacks a comprehensive earthquake early warning system like those in Japan or California. Instead, it excels at aftershock monitoring and tsunami forecasting, leveraging tools like the EarthquakeTMD app and real-time updates on its website (tmd.go.th)."

And now you know!    

I was halfway through reading this and I almost fell asleep. My wife shook me to ensure I was not. I thought it was an earthquake.

1 minute ago, cynic1 said:

I agreed  with your comment initially  but with an afterthought, one would assume the App works to let others know it has occurred as a minimum because after the initial quake had occurred there is usually  a follow up not long after of minor quakes in most instances, or worse sometimes  a stronger quake.

Its a good bet that everyone knows that after a Quake there are aftershocks  waste of money and time plus sms is rubbish Thailand choosing the wrong way again

7 minutes ago, connda said:

Entire house shakes for over a minute.

😕 "Hummm. I wonder what that was?  I need someone who is an 'expert' to explain this to me.  I'm so confused."

We have electric, cell phone, and water outages routinely where I live.  No one needs an SMS from the government to figure out why.  Everyone knows why - utilities in Thailand aren't the most reliable. 

Now - after your house shakes for over a minute and then stuff doesn't work?  You'd have to be a complete moron who has lived their entire life in a hermetically sealed box all of their life not to understand what happened.

 

Meteorology and seismology are joined at the hip by Earth system science, topography, and geographic information systems (GIS). It's natural to collocate them as they can share many resources.

 

Meteorologist: Wow, wobbly rain!  

Seismologist: No, it's your instruments.

1 hour ago, Unamerican said:

But is this useful in any other parts of the world?  
Surely its export has been banned by now, just like other AID? 

and / or attracts big export tariffs.

1 hour ago, orchidfan said:

Thanks for that (google or Wikipedia I guess).

 

Still a misnomer.

Perhaps there should be a "Seismic and Natural Earthly Disasters" Department, dedicated and separated from the Met Dept.

 

"Jack of all trades, master of none ?

 

https://earthquake.tmd.go.th/

 

 

For the Thai language impaired:

 

 

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.

Girl, you know perfectly well: lunch is from 12:00 to 14:30

3 minutes ago, klauskunkel said:

Girl, you know perfectly well: lunch is from 12:00 to 14:30

200%

A personal attack has been removed, @Rampant Rabbit

2 hours ago, cynic1 said:

I was halfway through reading this and I almost fell asleep. My wife shook me to ensure I was not. I thought it was an earthquake.

No problem. I do understand that the average expat has the attention span of a gnat and reads at the sixth grade level.  I know, it was a challenging read and it got the best of you.   Sorry about the Mrs shaking you.  Have her get you another beer.  You'll calm right down.

Nobody is mentioning this - the building was under construction. It takes 30 days for concrete to reach full strength. There could be (say) 3 floors with wet concrete. Plus  anti-earthquake design features may not yet have been installed. A building can only be earthquake resistant AFTER IT IS COMPLETE.

My Thai wife got the message Friday (a day late and dollar short 😂), yet I never received it. 

Did they send it to only Thai registered phone numbers and not farang?

4 hours ago, Unamerican said:

When and where did these ever happen, please! 

there were 2 quakes in Myanmar in 2023. 31/05/23 in Mohnyin 5.9 & on 07/06/23 at Ayeyarnwady 4.8.

 

I received text alerts on my Samsung phone for both of these quakes whilst our house in the NW of CM Province was shaking from the tremors.

7 minutes ago, 818Pilot said:

My Thai wife got the message Friday (a day late and dollar short 😂), yet I never received it. 

Did they send it to only Thai registered phone numbers and not farang?

I never got it, 

37 minutes ago, thongplay said:

Nobody is mentioning this - the building was under construction. It takes 30 days for concrete to reach full strength. There could be (say) 3 floors with wet concrete. Plus  anti-earthquake design features may not yet have been installed. A building can only be earthquake resistant AFTER IT IS COMPLETE.

The building was structurally copmpleted (topped out) april 2024

8 hours ago, Dcheech said:

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.

What ever happen to that guy that knew but would not say because it would hurt tourism?

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

delayed SMS alerts

 

I'm not sure if I'd call them "delayed", considering I still haven't received one. "Forgotten", maybe?

Probably the delay was ordered by the CCP in Beijing incase it could just be swept under the carpet maybe, and no-one would notice if not to serious.

SMS  is the wrong system to use  the more sms you send to slower the system gets  the new system is WEA  wireless emergency alerts but think it will not be ready untill end of year  its the same system as amber alerts