United Nations Thailand

Disaster Preparedness                                                                                  
           

The unprecedented loss of life in the tsunami was attributed to the lack of warning and public awareness on the nature of and response to the hazard. Establishing regional and national early warning systems is a national priority, with particular focus on a multi-hazard, community-based approach.

The United Nations and the Government of Thailand are working together to prepare for and mitigate the impacts of future disasters in the region. A national 'lessons learned' workshop was organized in Bangkok at the end of May (one of four in the tsunami affected region), followed by a regional event in Indonesia, attended by a senior delegation from the Thai Government.

Recommendations included strengthening institutional and legal frameworks for disaster preparedness and response; cooperating regionally on establishing multi-hazard early warning systems; and promoting risk awareness and emergency preparedness.