Thailand to test emergency alert system today at 2pm
Thailand is set to conduct a nationwide emergency alert test today, January 20, at 2pm, with mobile phone users across all provinces expected to receive a sudden warning signal as part of a government-led system check.
The test, announced by the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM), is aimed at assessing the performance of the Cell Broadcast emergency alert system, which sends automatic alerts directly to mobile devices.
The DDPM emphasised that the alert is not related to any actual emergency and is solely for testing purposes.
Residents can expect their phones to emit a loud alarm lasting around eight seconds, along with an on-screen message confirming the nature of the test. The message will read,
“This is a test message from Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM), not a real situation. No action required.”
The alert will appear even if phones are muted, locked, or on vibration mode.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) urged the public not to panic, asking everyone to inform family members, particularly the elderly, about the test to prevent unnecessary alarm.
The test is intended to simulate conditions similar to natural disaster scenarios, such as earthquakes, and will also allow the DDPM to observe how different phone models and mobile networks respond to the system.
Suriyachai Rawiwan, Director of the BMA’s Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office, noted that this test is part of a broader improvement effort following smaller-scale trials conducted last year. Adjustments have been made based on previous feedback to ensure more efficient nationwide coverage and faster communication.
The Cell Broadcast system has previously been deployed in Bangkok to alert residents about high levels of PM2.5 pollution, helping vulnerable groups avoid health risks by steering clear of heavily affected areas, reported Bangkok Post.
Phones can be used as usual after the test. For further updates, residents are advised to follow DDPM’s official channels, including its 1784 hotline, LINE (@1784DDPM), Facebook, and X (@DDPMNews).
In similar news, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) plans to increase participation in its work-from-home (WFH) programme to 300,000 people next year in an effort to reduce PM2.5 air pollution across the city.
