THAILAND      

 OFFICE OF THE OMBUDSMAN OF THAILAND

Signing Ceremony for the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) of “Natural Disaster Notification Service on Mobile Networks”

On 28^th August 2020, Ombudsman Thailand (OMT) led by General Viddhavat Rajatanun, Chief Ombudsman, hosted and witnessed the Signing Ceremony for the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) of “Natural Disaster Notification Service on Mobile Networks” between public authorities and mobile phone service providers, including  Meteorological Department, Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, Advance Wireless Network Company Limited, Dtac TriNet Company Limited, True Move H Universal Communication Company Limited, CAT Telecom Public Company Limited and TOT Public Company Limited, at Exhibition Hall, Ratthaprasasanabhakti Building (Building B) Government Complex, Bangkok.

This project was accomplished by the serious efforts to tighten safety standards for foreign tourists scared away by the tragedy when a boat capsized off the Phuket coastline early July 2018. Capsizing of the boat has prompted Ombudsman Thailand to initiate an own-motion research project, one of its achievements, to propose the concerned authorities, preventive measures in minimizing marine accidents. It is expected to strengthen safety standards, hoping to restore confidence of foreign tourists, especially many visitors who cancelled trips to Thailand after the tragedy. Meanwhile, according to Chief Ombudsman, such warnings would be greatly beneficial when tourism is restored after the COVID-19 crisis.

Under this cooperative project, Short Message Service (SMS) of prompt disaster notification will be launched free of charge in due time through mobile cellular data networks over at-risk areas. Natural disaster warnings are initially communicated in Thai, English and Chinese languages. The warning messages on natural disasters that could or may cause will be delivered to all local people and tourists in at-risk areas. With the alerting SMS, they receive information of eventual natural disasters that will let them decide if they will take a boat trip, or seriously take preventive measures from such natural disasters e.g. strong winds, storm surge, boat capsizing, earthquake resulting tsunami, etc. This initiative marks evidently an important step to provide effective and systemic solutions on improving maritime safety for the sake of local residents’ as well as foreign tourists’ safety in Thailand.