Thailand has made significant progress since the wave, according to the UN Development Programme, but more needs to be done.
PUBLISHED: 26 Dec 2024 at 20: 42
According to the United Nations Development Programme ( UNDP ), people in Thailand should make disaster preparedness a habit to prevent large casualties in the future, such as those caused by the tsunami of 2004.
According to Niamh Collier-Smith, the UNDP citizen representative in Thailand, disaster preparedness really become a daily practice to make sure people are protected if a wave occurs repeatedly. Thailand has made tremendous progress in this area.
At 7.58am on Dec 26, 2004, a 9.1-magnitude disaster occurred off the coast of Aceh territory in Indonesia, sending large waves into the shores of Indonesia, Thailand and 12 different locations along the Indian Ocean, causing 227, 898 incidents.
In Thailand, the tsunami hit six provinces along the Andaman coast ( Krabi, Phuket, Phangnga, Ranong, Trang and Satun ), leading to 5, 395 deaths.
The 2004 wave provided an important lessons to society, that planning is a key to survival, Ms Collier-Smith said at an event held on Thursday in Khao Lak, Phangnga to celebrate the 20th celebration of the drama.
People at that time did not know what to do, or what was happening, because they had never experienced a wave before, she said. But, people were not ready to respond quickly.
” Twenty years have passed and many steps have been taken to make us stronger when disaster strikes us again,” she continued.
An early warning system remains a need, she said, while ordinary removal drills are also needed to ensure a quick response.
” Moreover, it is important to have society engagement to assure that no one is left behind when a crisis hits, especially people with disabilities, the old or those who have less natural mobility”, she added.
She also noted that the tsunami of 2004 has taught people about the value of having the appropriate communication tools and sharing data among nations and regions.
” As well as between the government and the affected communities themselves, it is even more important,” she continued.
She praised Thailand for making significant strides over the past 20 years to protect coastal communities from tsunamis and keep its coastline a top tourist destination in the world.
” Tsunami drills must become a habit to make sure people are prepared for the next disaster,” according to safety demonstrations on airplanes. I do not believe any nation has yet attained that level,” she continued.
The tsunami, according to deputy interior minister Sabeeda Thaised, was a clear call for Thailand to develop active risk and disaster management policies that emphasize preparedness, prevention, and mitigation of large-scale disasters.
The government, she said, would continue to prioritise disaster management research and knowledge-sharing, both domestically and internationally, and adapting that knowledge to the Thai context.
Thailand commits to improving disaster preparedness and establishing systematic, effective, and holistic disaster management strategies. We make an effort to support regional and global efforts for resilience and safety,” she continued.