New Tsunami Buoys On The Phuket Horizon

[george]

New tsunami buoys on the Phuket horizon

PHUKET could soon get new tsunami warning buoys similar to the ones which have been installed along the Indian coastline.

The president of the National Disaster Warning Center commission (NDWC), Surawong Tientong, was on the island this week and met with Phuket Governor Wichai Phraisa-ngop to discuss the proposal.

Phuket currently has 19 tsunami warning towers, which will now be tested every week.

The national anthem will be broadcast through the tower speakers every Wednesday morning to ensure they are working properly.

The NDWC team also met with the Deputy Mayor of Patong, Chairat Sukbaan, who asked them to help overturn the government’s recent decision to cut the budget set aside for tsunami evacuation training.

Mr Chairat said the training needed to take place at least twice a year.

Mr Surawong assured Mr Chairat that he would do whatever he could to convince the government to restore the budget.

-- Phuket Gazette 2009-07-30