Tsunami Warning Buoy For Phuket Now Dead In The Water

[yotspeed]

The more I think about this the more it angers me, such disregard for human life. Wasn’t the last Tsunami bad enough to make them realize they should have an alert system that WORKS? It amazes me even more knowing that an IMPORTANT persons grandson died during the last Tsunami, a person that might not of died if an alert system was in place. You would think that the Thai's in power would take that to heart, and do everything they can to ensure history did not repeat it's self.

I think more than one person might regard the HUNDREDS of THOUSANDS of grandsons, sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, friends who died in the last Tsunami as important!!

[stevehaigh]

The battery required is not expensive, but the mission to replace it would require a budget of at least 10 million baht, he said.

you'd think the navy could drop in on it while dumping Burmese refugees out at see. cost next to nothing then.

[stevehaigh]

The battery required is not expensive, but the mission to replace it would require a budget of at least 10 million baht, he said.

i wonder how the 10 million breaks down. something like this maybe:

battery: 100,000 baht

trip to replace it: 100,000 baht

payoffs and tee money to all invoilved: 9,800,000 baht

[mrtoad]

Dear Government of Thailand

Who on earth runs this country?

Mickey mouse and the seven dwarfs?????????? With security provided by the keystone cops??????????

The US gave you an 18 million dollar piece of equipment for you to run and maintain. (with a battery)

Are you telling me you can't even handle that?

I think that is very unfair on Mickey Mouse, the seven dwarfs and the keystone cops. None of those are sa blinkered, greedy,foolish and incompetent as these bunch of idiots that are "in charge".

And then requesting 10 Million baht to fix it - you really couldn't make it up.

To be honest, this a new low in Thai incompetence.

[LomSak27]

Why do they need a buoy anyway?

Last mega tsunami the US government tsunami warning center in Hawaii notified the Thai meteorology department roughly 16 minutes after it occurred. The fact that they did nothing and all records regarding this incident, why no warning was ever sent, have been sealed “to protect Thailand from litigation obsessed westerners” is beside the point.

[MyphuketLife]

The more I think about this the more it angers me, such disregard for human life. Wasn't the last Tsunami bad enough to make them realize they should have an alert system that WORKS? It amazes me even more knowing that an IMPORTANT persons grandson died during the last Tsunami, a person that might not of died if an alert system was in place. You would think that the Thai's in power would take that to heart, and do everything they can to ensure history did not repeat it's self.

I think more than one person might regard the HUNDREDS of THOUSANDS of grandsons, sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, friends who died in the last Tsunami as important!!

And you are correct they are all equally important, however one should stick out in most Thai peoples minds. The powers that be don't care about the tourists, or the lowely migrant workers, or the regular Thai's, they care about the poeple in power, which is why I pointed it out.

[lordsux]

The battery required is not expensive, but the mission to replace it would require a budget of at least 10 million baht, he said.

you'd think the navy could drop in on it while dumping Burmese refugees out at see. cost next to nothing then.

Nah, they are too busy anchoring up and partying on the small islands in the Andaman, this is of course after they have emptied the vessels fuel tanks and sold it on to the locals.

[robbiecia]

Somebody here should pass this story on to the BBC

Seems to me that if it appears on the BBC website............

the Thai government will be shamed into actually doing something about it!!!!!!!!!

[simon43]

Well, look what I just read on the Phuket Gazette website

... In a related development, the tsunami direct detection buoy moored off Phuket – the closest to the epicenter – surprisingly resumed transmitting data last night, just before the quake.

The Gazette had earlier reported that the buoy's battery had died and that it stopped transmitting on June 16, a fact confirmed by the NDWC and the Phuket office of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM-Phuket).

NDWC advisor Dr Seree Supratit confirmed this morning that the buoy had resumed transmitting data, though he did not know how.

[\quote]

Amazing coincidence!! The NWDC first confirms that the battery is dead since 16th June. We have a major tsunami alert this morning and .... lucky, lucky ... the battery actually came back to life last night!! So there was no lack of warning data after all....

If you believe that trash, then I am a blue kangeroo....

Simon

In fact, I would love the powers to actually prove to everyone that this battery is not fcuked...

Edited August 11, 2009 by simon43

[brahmburgers]

Reminds me of a story in the Bkk Post years ago - something about a special wing of Bkk mounted police had horses (donated?) and stables, but couldn't arrange for fodder to be delivered to feed the horses.

Saying what? 10 million baht needed to put in a new battery for the buoy? It brings to mind the v. high estimate for disposing of tons of moldy fruit in warehouses - was it 90 million baht to haul the stuff away? I tried a search on T.Visa but couldn't retrieve the story.

I'll do the battery replacement for Bt.9,950,000, and save the gov't 50,000 baht. Don't tell authorities, but I may also put 9 million baht of it in my trouser's secret pocket.

[foxxx]

i find it funny that when it was installed - or most likely well before it was installed, they would have been told about the 1 year battery life and the responsibility that is theirs to replace it - in exchange for the buoy, the warning system and the tracking for free.

so they had (more than) 1 year to plan the replacement, then a whole second year to fast track a replacement knowing that it would die soon, and still nothing... the fact they know about it being dead doesn't mean they are doing anything about it yet...

really, why are they talking about gov funded mission out there - guarded by the navy, when it should just be added to an upcoming navy route, the navy patrols out there for pirates and what not anyway, just extend a route, do a fix while they are out there.

just another typical example of how much of a joke this country is to everyone in the world.

[cyb]

It would seem that it is not just the battery that needs replacing, But the whole bouy needs to be replaced.

"The life cycle of a deployed tsunami buoy is approximately 2 to 4 years. The Bureau's maintenance regime will involve the replacement of the surface buoy and the sea-floor pressure sensor every one to two years. The devices retrieved during regular maintenance are refurbished and made ready for the next redeployment".

That is from a friend of mine in australia.

I have asked her for a link to that info (not yet received) But will post on receiving if someone does not beat me to it.

Also i was told the battery lasts for two years not one.

Edited August 11, 2009 by cyb

[Scott]

Not if the battery was made in Thailand! But it should be a lot cheaper.

All joking aside. I end up changing the battery in my vehicle every year or so.

[cyb]

Not if the battery was made in Thailand! But it should be a lot cheaper.

All joking aside. I end up changing the battery in my vehicle every year or so.

Scott

I have had the same battery in my suzuki for 4 years now and it is still going good.

Whenever i visit the uk on business i buy what is called bataid tablets, One of these in each cell removes the furring on the cells and prelongs battery life.

Intead of using bought water i use the melted ice from the freezer to top up if the battery if not a maintenance free one.

Slightly I know.

Edited August 11, 2009 by cyb

[Garry]

For those that are curious....

http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/dart/dart.shtml

http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/dart_metadata.shtml

http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=23401

Edited August 11, 2009 by Garry

[Scott]

Thanks for the advice. I know if I took care of them better, they would last longer, but they actually are cheap enough that I'd rather have a new one rather than getting that r-r-r sound and not start when I am parked somewhere.

Now, we need to convince the authorities to either take your advice and maintain; or mine and change!

(Maybe they could sub-contract it out to the Burmese--they could do it cheaply).

[cyb]

Thanks for the advice. I know if I took care of them better, they would last longer, but they actually are cheap enough that I'd rather have a new one rather than getting that r-r-r sound and not start when I am parked somewhere.

Now, we need to convince the authorities to either take your advice and maintain; or mine and change!

(Maybe they could sub-contract it out to the Burmese--they could do it cheaply).

Your welcome scott and each to their own.

advice is there to be taken or not taken as seen fit.

As i am one that likes to do things and take pleasure from success, I will always be on the go to save money even though i don't need to do that.

Edited August 11, 2009 by cyb

[LaoPo]

1. so it's not running and sending signals since June 16th - 2 months now - because the battery ran out ? and that's one year benefit because normally the battery runs for just one year....

2. the ca. 10,000 Tsunami deaths and missing people in Thailand aren't worth anything anymore ? How do they explain this to the families who lost loved ones during the Tsunami?

3. How does Thailand explain this to the other Asean countries and tourist organizations, worldwide ?

A bitter shame for the Abhisit government since they have the responsibility; how do they explain this to HM the King who lost a grandson ?!

It's simply unbelievable.

LaoPo

Yes, I say we imprison every politician that was involved in the cock-up in any way and put them away for atleast 5 years, deal?

Nahh....I leave it to the brilliant Thai jurisdictional system; we've enough Farang judges on TV already...(not being personal to you!)

LaoPo

[bobright]

The battery required is not expensive, but the mission to replace it would require a budget of at least 10 million baht, he said.

Hopefully another confusion of meaun, saen and lahn baht. I know it is complicated, I do it all the time.

of course it will cost over 10 million bahts....the contents inside are missing ...... it's only the shell of the warning system that remains - check out for the rest of the parts in some engines or at chatuchak.........any more donations, suckers?

[bobright]

Thailand, the hub of incompetence?

nawwww...the hub of incompetence for a reason or two......suspiciously of the corrupted kind of alibabas and his 40 thieves kind at large