Interior Ministry reassures public after tsunami fears sparked by ocean quakes

Public urged to stay calm amid quake reports

The Interior Ministry on Monday moved to ease public concerns over tsunamis in the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea, assuring that Thailand's detection and warning systems are 100% ready.

Deputy Interior Minister Thirarat Samretwanich said people should remain alert but not panic, as all relevant agencies have made full preparations to issue timely tsunami warnings if necessary.

She gave the assurance after chairing a meeting of key government agencies involved in earthquake monitoring, tsunami warnings, and evacuation protocols.

Meeting convened to address rising public anxiety

Thirarat said the meeting was held in response to Thai media reports that had amplified public anxiety by highlighting seismic activity in the Indian and Pacific Oceans—regardless of the quakes' magnitude. These reports had caused alarm among residents in coastal provinces on both sides of the peninsula.

The meeting aimed to establish measures to counter public panic and reinforce confidence in the state’s preparedness.

Attending agencies included the Meteorological Department, the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR), and the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM).

Meteorological Department: Quakes monitored in real time

A representative of the Meteorological Department confirmed that its personnel and equipment continuously monitor global seismic activity. The department can verify earthquake data in real time in coordination with other international agencies.

They explained that recent undersea quakes near the Nicobar Islands were horizontal in nature, meaning they could not trigger a tsunami in the Andaman Sea. Additionally, the earthquakes off Japan’s coast were too distant to affect Thailand.

DMR: Recent Nicobar quakes pose no tsunami risk

DMR officials reported that from 24 June to 4 July, a total of 114 earthquakes with magnitudes ranging from 3.2 to 4.9 occurred east of the Nicobar Islands. These were caused by horizontal fault movements and were well below the 7.5 magnitude threshold generally associated with tsunamis.

DDPM outlines tsunami warning SOP and infrastructure

Passaskorn Boonyalak, Director-General of the DDPM, said Thailand’s tsunami warning system meets international standards and is connected to regional alert providers in India, Indonesia, and Australia.

He outlined Thailand’s Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for tsunami alerts:

• Earthquakes between 2.5–3.9 magnitude must be reported internally.
• Earthquakes from magnitude 4.0 onwards will trigger cell broadcast alerts to the public.
• Earthquakes of 7.5 magnitude or greater will activate full-scale warnings including SMS messages, alerts via the Thai Disaster Alert app, digital TV broadcasts, and tsunami towers.

Thailand currently operates 129 tsunami warning towers across six Andaman provinces, along with 47 satellite-linked devices to detect significant seismic events.

Coastal provinces ready for tsunami response

If a 7.5-magnitude undersea quake occurs, residents in Ranong, Phang Nga, Phuket, Krabi, Trang, and Satun would be notified through multiple channels to begin evacuation. Annual tsunami drills are also conducted in these provinces to ensure public awareness of safe zones and evacuation routes.

Governors instructed to boost preparedness

Thirarat said she has directed the governors of all six Andaman coastal provinces to review and enhance their preparedness, including personnel, evacuation routes, shelters, equipment, and budget readiness.

She also instructed the DDPM to continue 24-hour tsunami monitoring and directed the Public Relations Department and other agencies to disseminate accurate information to reduce public fear and build confidence.

The Public Works and Town Planning Department was also tasked with conducting regular building inspections to ensure structural safety in the event of earthquakes.