New emergency alert system undergoes successful testing

True Corporation CEO Manat Manavutiveth told the media that the system was developed in collaboration with several government agencies, including the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM), and the Meteorological Department, and signifies a commitment to building a robust national infrastructure for emergency communication, he noted.

The Cell Broadcast Service is being developed in line with the government's national disaster alert system policy and the country's digital economy and social development strategy.

It also contributes to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 11, which seeks to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.

Functioning by sending real-time alerts directly to mobile phones within designated areas during emergencies, the Cell Broadcast Service transcends language barriers, with the capability to broadcast critical information in five languages: Thai, English, Chinese, Japanese, and Russian.

True Corporation's emergency alert system  can set alert levels in five categories based on operational functions and government collaboration, namely:

• National Alert: The highest level of alert, with immediate notification to everyone within the coverage area.
• Emergency Alerts: Warnings about natural disasters such as tsunamis, earthquakes, flash floods, and criminal threats.
• Amber Alerts are issued in the event of a missing person, including a child, or an abduction, to alert the public to be vigilant and report sightings.
• Public Safety: Alerts for public safety concerns in specific areas, such as residential areas, communities, and travel routes.
• Test alerts are used for specific operational purposes, such as testing and verifying before expanding to monitoring and alerting at various levels.

Manat pointed out that this promotes inclusivity and ensures that everyone receives critical updates during critical situations.

Its adaptability enables authorities to communicate effectively with the public while also facilitating a faster and more coordinated response during crisis situations.

"This system, which is widely used globally for emergency alerts sent directly to mobile phones, improves our ability to respond to various emergencies quickly and accurately. CBS uses both audio signals and pop-up messages on screens to support Text-to-Speech technology for visually impaired users," he added.

Pointing to the increased frequency and severity of natural disasters caused by climate change, he said that the Cell Broadcast Service is a proactive measure to reduce potential damage and loss of life.

He added that such a system is required given the vulnerabilities of the current global landscape and the uncertainties arising from extreme weather events caused by climate change.

“The successful testing of CBS paves the way for Thailand to adopt a standardised emergency alert system that aligns with international best practices,” he said.

This initiative holds the potential to significantly reduce casualties and property damage during emergencies, ultimately fostering a safer and more secure environment for both Thai citizens and tourists.

Digital Economy and Society (DES) minister Prasert Jantararuangtong was impressed by how smoothly the alert system ran after participating in the test.

However, he agreed that discussions with the government and related agencies would be required to develop a framework, concise regulations, and precise conditions before implementing the system nationwide.

The agenda for such discussions would include determining which ministry would be in charge of supervision.

“It is DES’s mission to coordinate with various agencies so that every party has a clearly defined role to play and be part of this community without any overlapping," he said.

“I will be consulting with the Interior Ministry about who will be in charge of notification, as well as on the operating system. The Interior Ministry is currently using server rentals. However, it will switch to using all cloud services in accordance with the Cloud First Policy," he added.

Other details that still require work include the setting up of a central command centre for the government sector via the Cell Broadcast Entities or CBE.

The initial budget for the system is set at 434 million baht, supported by the NBTC Office's Universal Service Obligation 3 fund. This does not include the Cell Broadcast Centre (CBC) system of the three network service providers, which costs approximately 1.2 billion baht, including three years of maintenance.

The CBS is expected to roll out nationwide in the new year. Aside from regulatory concerns, he stated that the ministry is working with Thai operators such as True to negotiate with Apple so that the system can be operated using iOS.

Sarana Boonbaichaiyapruck, NBTC chairman, pledged to collaborate with DES and all operators, including True, to speed up the process, including funding considerations, so that the Cell Broadcast Service can be implemented on time and benefit everyone.