Damaged Thai Tsunami defences ‘can’t avoid another tragedy’
As Asian and East African nations held events commemorating the 10th anniversary of the Indian Ocean Tsunami, it has been revealed the much vaunted Tsunami early warning system isn’t working properly.
Many of the special buoys used to transmit tsunami warning data have been cut adrift or damaged over the years and not replaced, reducing the effectiveness of a $400 million system built to protect 26 countries in the region.
Experts say the only two buoys deployed in Thailand’s waters are not working and Thailand’s National Disaster Warning Centre said a satellite channel rental contract for the buoys expired last year and was not renewed.
Smith Thammasaroj, a former head of the Thai agency has urged officials to review and upgrade the warning system without delay.
”I don’t understand why it is not a priority for the agency concerned to fix or replace them with new ones,” Smith told the Bangkok Post.
We can’t avoid another tragedy if we don’t have the buoys to warn us in advance,” he said.
Another former head of the agency, Samit Thammasarot, also said Thailand was ill-prepared for another Tsunami alert.
”On an official level there has been, in the past, corruption and cut-price equipment bought that does not meet international standards,” he said.
The National Disaster Warning Centre’s current acting head Song Ekmahachai said it has asked for state funding to replace the buoys and add 40 more disaster warning towers along the coastline.
Tsunami early warning centres have also been set up in Indonesia, Australia and India in the aftermath of the 2004 disaster.
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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