Thumbs Up For Thai Tsunami Threat Response

BY JAMALUDDIN MUHAMMAD BANGKOK, April 12 (Bernama) -– The Thai government is pleased that overall its contingency plan has worked accordingly in response to the tsunami threat faced by the country following a 8.5 magnitude earthquake in Aceh, Indonesia, Wednesday. Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said the early warning system using sirens worked well, evacuation orders reached the people through radio, television and online news, as well as through the short- messaging service and ground mobile announcements. People in the six southern provinces – Krabi, Phuket, Phangga, Ranong, Satul and Trang were informed in time to evacuate to higher ground in anticipation of the tsunami threat. In Phuket, for example, sirens were installed along the beach and in the downtown area, professional lifeguards were stationed at beaches as well as ample signage to help visitors get to the evacuation centres located on higher ground of the country's famous tourist destination. "The only problem that needs to be further improved is management of heavy traffic management during the evacuation period," she said here Thursday. "Overall the preparedness and execution of the contingency plan has worked very well including health workers and soldiers ready to extend any assistance had there been the need," she said. She said no major injuries were reported as the result of the tsunami threat and that there were only minor injuries involving some people as they were running to seek shelter at higher ground. Yingluck said the Phuket International Airport which was temporarily closed yesterday had resumed operations today. More than 8,000 people died when tsunamis hit the coastal areas of the Andaman Sea including Phuket and Krabi, in December 2004, prompting the government to prepare contingency plans to handle the possible recurrence of tsunamis . -- BERNAMA