Tsunami towers at popular Phuket beaches fail to sound
Phuket Gazette


The tsunami warning tower on Patong Beach was not one of the five that failed to work properly during the drill. Photo: Gazette file

PHUKET: -- Five of the 19 tsunami warning towers in Phuket failed to work properly during the tsunami and earthquake drill yesterday afternoon.

“The warning towers in Kata and Karon failed to sound, while the one in Mai Khao couldn’t be heard from 500 meters away,” said Trakul Thotham, director of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) Region 8 Office.

The towers were set to play the Thai National Anthem instead of the tsunami warning to prevent confusion and panic.

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-- Phuket Gazette 2016-03-31

This is typical "thainess". Instead of ensuring all equipment are functioning properly and everyone benefits from the exercise, they use the exercise to to find "faults".

Only 5

the one in Mai Khao couldn’t be heard from 500 meters away

Geniuses.

Ever thought that the national anthem has not quite the acoustic reach of a siren?

Who would ever have guessed these would b e faulty. Maybe they are fake lookalikes!

I give them credit for at least testing them.

I give them credit for at least testing them.

Yeah, then arresting people from fleeing whilst the national anthem was being played

Five of the 19 tsunami warning towers in Phuket failed to work properly

New Law (i can do that) Teach all the school kids to whistle, for the next

tsunami warning, '' listen for the whistle '' if you lose your hearing due to

very bad dose of hay fever, like me, we will die.

fix it when it breaks! thai style

Cynical would be finding out after a tsunami that they didn't work, and hadn't been tested in years.

So again, they get one JWD pat on the back, hopefully encouraged to follow through with repairs, and even better, test on a regular, routine basis. That may even be the case already, dunno, don't live on Phuket.

Would have been great if there was only one official who would state that he is "surprised"...

This is typical "thainess". Instead of ensuring all equipment are functioning properly and everyone benefits from the exercise, they use the exercise to to find "faults".

ummm... I thought THAT was the purpose of testing the system

Thai maintenance at its best,and more worryingly they want to have

High Speed trains.

regards Worgeordie

This is typical "thainess". Instead of ensuring all equipment are functioning properly and everyone benefits from the exercise, they use the exercise to to find "faults".

ummm... I thought THAT was the purpose of testing the system

If you want to be proactive, and to not look like a dill, you arrange a quick test before the official exercise.

Thai maintenance at its best,and more worryingly they want to have

High Speed trains.

regards Worgeordie

Do you actually live in thailand?

Did anyone rely expect them to work after substituting low costing equipment with what the design called for ?

Thai maintenance at its best,and more worryingly they want to have

High Speed trains.

regards Worgeordie

And maybe one day even nuclear power stations?

Sounds like Lese Majeste.

those towers best be carefull, before it's attitude adjustment time.

Maintenance. Thais would rather be roasted crispy than do any of it.

It would be interesting to see the maintenance log of each tower.................... Actually it wouldn't as there would be nothing to see. These tests are the maintenance log.

I recall a story here on TV several years ago about how the thick copper grounding cables for these towers had been stolen by scavengers.

Probably the same story - and nobody thought to check or test until now.

Cynical would be finding out after a tsunami that they didn't work, and hadn't been tested in years.

So again, they get one JWD pat on the back, hopefully encouraged to follow through with repairs, and even better, test on a regular, routine basis. That may even be the case already, dunno, don't live on Phuket.

A few years back they said they were "tested" every week, no one has ever heard them tested. Ever tsunami exercise they hold, these towers don't all function.

This is typical "thainess". Instead of ensuring all equipment are functioning properly and everyone benefits from the exercise, they use the exercise to to find "faults".

ummm... I thought THAT was the purpose of testing the system

The idea of the "test" is to test the response of the emergency teams, the evac system needs to function ALL the time, so needs regular testing and maintenance.

Cynical would be finding out after a tsunami that they didn't work, and hadn't been tested in years.

So again, they get one JWD pat on the back, hopefully encouraged to follow through with repairs, and even better, test on a regular, routine basis. That may even be the case already, dunno, don't live on Phuket.

A few years back they said they were "tested" every week, no one has ever heard them tested. Ever tsunami exercise they hold, these towers don't all function.

I was afraid that could be the case. Thanks. <sound of shattering, momentary hopefulness>.