Tsunami scare prompts call for Phuket beachfront hotels to provide evacuation safe zones

The Phuket News

A stern Governor Chamroen ordered officials to ink MoUs with Phuket beachfront hotels to provide evacuation safe zones by the end of the month. Photo: PR Dept

PHUKET: Following the tsunami scare triggered by the 7.9 Magnitude earthquake off Sumatra on Wednesday night, Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada is calling on all beachfront hotels to voluntarily provide emergency evacuation safe zones for all people in danger areas along Phuket’s coast.

“Before the end of this month, officials in all three districts will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with beachfront hotels of four storeys or higher to use as emergency evacuation areas for tourists and residents in case of tsunami.” Governor Chamroen said on Thursday (Mar 3).

“We must be ready to handle natural disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis at all times, not just when they happen,” Gov Chamroen said.

“The recent quake near Indonesia was about 1,463 kilometres from Phuket, which puts us at risk for any possible tsunami, so I want all our emergency stations to be on alert and examine their emergency equipment, especially the emergency warning system,” he added.

Full story: http://www.thephuketnews.com/tsunami-scare-prompts-call-for-phuket-beachfront-hotels-to-provide-evacuation-safe-zones-56484.php

-- Phuket News 2016-03-05

What a great idea!

Dont get me wrong, i am not after to "bash" anyone, but seriously. how long is it since the last big tsunami? more than 10-15 years.?/

And they STILL have not managed to out anything in place? Pathetic is really the word....... and mostly busy saving the face.....

A fully comprehensive and regularly tested plan should be in place now.

If I didn't know better, I might think this will be yet another opportunity for budget misappropriation and corruption.

What a great idea!

Dont get me wrong, i am not after to "bash" anyone, but seriously. how long is it since the last big tsunami? more than 10-15 years.?/

<snip>

Morning of 26 December 2004 - so 11 years and 2+ months. I remember it very well ...

DELETED

Perhaps the good governor should use his imagination a little. At the first mention of a tsunami, hotel guests are not going to assemble like sheep in a designated zone waiting quietly for some sane, sensible evacuation plan. They'll panic and will be FLEEING FAST AND FURIOUS for the hills alongside everyone else, including the hotel staff, police, district officials, vehicle drivers, soi dogs and almost certainly the governor himself.

Edited March 6, 201610 yr by seedy
troll / flaming

....by the end of the month....

...guess nature will have to wait for them....

...so is this to say that post-tsunami nothing was done......???

It seems to me that a good deal of preparation was done after the last tsunami. At Koh Lak 6 years ago, there were signs along the beach and in town, (in English and Thai) directing people to high points in the event of a tsunami warning. There were also a few 'shelter points, along the beach, some 10 or 12 metres high. Not sure that's high enough.

I order you to voluntarily provide Tsunami safe zones.

Voluntary should be mandatory with no minimum number of building floors.

Furthermore, all beachfront hotels should conduct a certified (ie., witnessed by local authority) annual mock evacuation so its employees understand their roles and responsibilities. Failing proof of certification should result in the suspension of the hotel's occupancy license - no further guests allowed to stay until compliance.

Because it is very rare occurrence.

Yes it is a good idea for hotels to provide shelter.

It is a far better idea than the evacuation signs that have all rotted and fallen over and the towers that hardly ever worked and the buoys that the batteries ran out and took any eternity to replace

Edited March 6, 201610 yr by seedy
Quote hidden post

With the tsunami warning systems now in place, it seems that the authorities still don't have arrangements in place to take advantage of them. A shame and shameful!. Really!!

Troll / Flaming posts - and Quoted Replies - removed

Keep the Personal Attacks off this Forum

I can only say - TIT.

Sad really that it takes so long for any real action and plans to be put in place and be regularly tested and revised. Central government and local government need to take the lead assisted by the accommodation/tourist businesses. And do not forget to bring in overseas experts to advise (without requirement for work visas!).

Typical Thai. No ability to plan. No ability to learn from the past. You'd think this would already be well thought out, documented, and implemented. Guess not.

TIA: This Isn't America.

I can see the press releases after 'The Next Big One'. "We never saw this coming!"

Edited March 6, 201610 yr by connda