Governor to promote Phuket in Japan
PHUKET: Phuket Governor Udomsak Usawarangkura will arrive in Japan tomorrow for seven-day visit to promote Phuket as a safe holiday destination.
Gov Udomsak told the Gazette that he was invited by the Japanese government to verify that Phuket’s tsunami warning system is operational and ready to protect tourists in the coming high season.
“I am traveling to Japan in order to confirm that our warning system, which is the same one as is used in Japan, is operational. I will explain that now we have a system familiar to them that works in the same way as theirs,” the Governor added.
“For our province, completion of links to the National Disaster Warning Center (NDWC) is [scheduled for] October 1.
“Warning systems will also be installed in hotels, along with fire alarms, and [natural disaster] warnings would be announced on TV and the radio.
“If a warning is issued by the NDWC, we will evacuate people from unsafe areas to safety. The entire procedure would take no more than 40 minutes, day or night,” he said.
“There is a budget of 29.6 million baht to employ a private company to install tsunami warning systems at Kata, Karon, Surin Beach and Bang Tao Beach. All of this will be done by October 1,” Gov Udomsak said.
He noted that, this Friday, evacuation drills are planned at Phuket International Airport.
About 20 government officials will travel to Japan with him, he said, including Tourism Authority of Thailand representatives. The trip will include stops in Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and Kobe.
