Tsunami Warning Towers "useless": Thailand

[webfact]

TSUNAMI'S 8TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY

Warning towers "useless"

The Nation

RANONG: -- Crippled by robberies and inadequate maintenance, tsunami warning towers in some provinces in the South may not be able to send out an alarm when needed.

"I found that several towers were in a poor condition, with thieves having stolen loudspeakers and other equipment. The early-warning system in Ranong may not work properly," Watchara Thirarattanangkoon said yesterday in his capacity as chairman of the Foundation of National Disaster Warning Council's Ranong branch.

There are 13 warning towers in Ranong, one of the six southern provinces hit by the 2004 tsunami.

"Locals are now worried," said Wichai Sricharoen, chairman of the Bang Hin Tambon Administrative Organisation. Bang Hin is in Ranong's Kapoe district.

Wichai said the locals wanted relevant authorities to repair the towers and ensure they are in working condition.

"Local administrative bodies cannot do much because the signal is linked to the central system," he said.

He also complained that the signboards were quite confusing and people might not be able to find safe evacuation routes in times of emergencies.

Samniang Maneerat, acting chief |of Ranong's disaster prevention and |mitigation office, said a meeting would be |held to identify clearly evacuation spots in |the province.

Similar problems exist in Trang as well.

"I think the country is just 50 per cent ready to deal with tsunami risks," Parkpoom Wimantirawat said yesterday on behalf of the Andaman Foundation's Trang branch.

-- The Nation 2012-12-26

[noitom]

yesterday in this newspaper "the warning system" was all the rage, more than just a "visio drawing." Maybe the newspaper did some post article due diligence and found the system "useless." It's a shame that this newspaper does a "useless" job when it first prints and then back tracks. Once in a while is understandable, but lack of fact checking and due diligence seem to be the MO of this newspaper.

[Squigy]

This is all about "face". Thailand can show the world that it is ready and can cope with another tsunami. Keep the tourists/money coming in and all will be great.

This system (any system) will not stop mother nature. She does as she pleases. Maybe Yinluck can legislate against tsunami's?? Yep.. that will stop them coming.

[daoyai]

Easy, fix the towers and test on a regular schedual, establish evacuation plans to high ground. The warnings will be generated and sent from Hawaii, there are often several hours to prepare for the waves.

[DocN]

""Locals are now worried," said Wichai Sricharoen, chairman of the Bang Hin Tambon Administrative Organisation. Bang Hin is in Ranong's Kapoe district.

Aha...ahm...so....who steals the loudspeakers and "other equipment" if not the so overly worried locals?

[Songhua]

Building a security fence around them must have been beyond the budget.

[jerrybuice]

Maybe energizing them with 220 volts of electricity might keep the rift-raft away.

[GentlemanJim]

This is all about "face". Thailand can show the world that it is ready and can cope with another tsunami. Keep the tourists/money coming in and all will be great.

This system (any system) will not stop mother nature. She does as she pleases. Maybe Yinluck can legislate against tsunami's?? Yep.. that will stop them coming.

Now who has suggested that anyone has tried to stop Mother nature? The idea is that these towers could give up to 2-3 hours notice of an impending tsunami, and that is a service that you and your family would be mighty glad of if you were playing on the beach. Stop Mother nature.....absolutely not, outsmart her and increase your survivability....absolutely.

[seajae]

shows the mentallity of the locals doesnt it, they steal everything from the towers so they cannot be warned then state they are worried. Seems money from stolen goods is more important than being swept away by a bloody big wave or maybe they want the stuff replaced so they can steal it again, go figure.

Edited December 26, 2012 by metisdead
: Bold font removed.

[GentlemanJim]

shows the mentallity of the locals doesnt it, they steal everything from the towers so they cannot be warned then state they are worried. Seems money from stolen goods is more important than being swept away by a bloody big wave or maybe they want the stuff replaced so they can steal it again, go figure.

It's a good point, but these kinds of thefts are not normally locals. There are teams that go around provinces taking the steel retaining bolts out of masts and pylons, when the locals see them and catch them there is normally big trouble. The folks that steal this stuff are the 'pikeys' of Thailand.

[geriatrickid]

Easy, fix the towers and test on a regular schedual, establish evacuation plans to high ground. The warnings will be generated and sent from Hawaii, there are often several hours to prepare for the waves.

Sure, And while you are at it, let's bring in some foreigners to run the operation because it is painfully obvious that the locals cannot.

[caykay]

Maybe they should protect them by calling the poli.... nevermind.

[rfukata]

"quite confusing and people might not be able to find safe evacuation routes in times of emergencies"

I would think that the locals who live in or around the prone area would already know the evacuation routes or direction

without the load speakers.

[belg]

maybe it is not a bad thing if the scum of the earth is washed away once and a while ? how lot's of jet ski scammers and tuk tuk drivers are on the beach that day

not that i want any innocent honest working people to die of a tsunami, but hey, this is PIRATE island after all

[chooka]

""Locals are now worried," said Wichai Sricharoen, chairman of the Bang Hin Tambon Administrative Organisation. Bang Hin is in Ranong's Kapoe district.

Aha...ahm...so....who steals the loudspeakers and "other equipment" if not the so overly worried locals?

Those bloody farangs

[weegee]

""Locals are now worried," said Wichai Sricharoen, chairman of the Bang Hin Tambon Administrative Organisation. Bang Hin is in Ranong's Kapoe district.

Aha...ahm...so....who steals the loudspeakers and "other equipment" if not the so overly worried locals?

Those bloody farangs

You beat me to it....ha ha

[maapaa]

"Locals are now worried," said Wichai Sricharoen, chairman of the Bang Hin Tambon Administrative Organisation. Bang Hin is in Ranong's Kapoe district.

Wichai said the locals wanted relevant authorities to repair the towers and ensure they are in working condition."

To do what? Rob the towers again - and make more money from better equipment? Baaaahh!

[Payboy]

Yesterday's news http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/607334-tsunami-warning-system-finally-ready-after-8-years-thailand/page__st__25__hl__+tsunami%20+warning#entry5963950

Who's in charge here? Basil Fawlty?

[Halion]

Just more of the same in this country where they can not perceive the difference between talking and doing and they are unable to project from implementation to actuation. The major components for the utilization are supposedly in place and it should be well within their caability to repair and protect these life saving facilities. If not sack the bloody lot of them.

[MESmith]

.so....who steals the loudspeakers and "other equipment" if not the so overly worried locals?

Wish someone would steal the loudspeakers from our nearest village

[EarthAlien]

This is all about "face". Thailand can show the world that it is ready and can cope with another tsunami. Keep the tourists/money coming in and all will be great.

This system (any system) will not stop mother nature. She does as she pleases. Maybe Yinluck can legislate against tsunami's?? Yep.. that will stop them coming.

All good and valid points.

Yingluck doesn't need to go to the trouble of legislation,.. all she needs to do is promise that there will be "no tsunamis" in any given holiday period! The Thais seem to believe accept such promises,... why not the fun focused tourists!

[slapout]

Well they can cross this project off of the "finished" list, add it to the "promises made, still to do", and ask for additional budget, donations, etc.

[crazygreg44]

Easy, fix the towers and test on a regular schedual, establish evacuation plans to high ground. The warnings will be generated and sent from Hawaii, there are often several hours to prepare for the waves.

not possible. It will require "preventive measures". Unknown to Thailand.

[MobileContent]

shows the mentallity of the locals doesnt it, they steal everything from the towers so they cannot be warned then state they are worried. Seems money from stolen goods is more important than being swept away by a bloody big wave or maybe they want the stuff replaced so they can steal it again, go figure.

I wouldn't blame all the locals. It could be some yaba guys that needs the money. You can't blame all the locals for two/four loudspeakers

[chooka]

.so....who steals the loudspeakers and "other equipment" if not the so overly worried locals?

Wish someone would steal the loudspeakers from our nearest village

Don't you hate that at 4.30 in the morning

[jcb2001]

Easy, fix the towers and test on a regular schedual, establish evacuation plans to high ground. The warnings will be generated and sent from Hawaii, there are often several hours to prepare for the waves.

Sounds great, but do you really think Thailand can actually manage something this complex?

[vijer]

Well the bigger issue is whether Thailand has adequate tsunami buoys located in the correct places in the ocean to predict a tsunami. Then the data has to be sent to the correct department and someone there has to have the knowledge to interpret it.

I was surprised to see it reported on Wikipedia that Thailand installed buoys in 2009, it doesn't say how many though. Hopefully they have their ducks in a row.

[spidermark]

I think 1660 volts would be more of a deterrent. Think of the reaction the other young thugs would have, when they saw their 15 year old friends fried to a crisp.

Mike Macarelli

Chaiyaphum, Thailand

Sent from my Samsung SIII

[jrincon17]

LOL

[Monkeyrobot]

This is all about "face". Thailand can show the world that it is ready and can cope with another tsunami. Keep the tourists/money coming in and all will be great.

This system (any system) will not stop mother nature. She does as she pleases. Maybe Yinluck can legislate against tsunami's?? Yep.. that will stop them coming.

I think the idea is to warn people so they may evacuate the area and get to higher ground, not to stop the tsunami. Anything is better than nothing.