Geocoding will help with swift delivery of compensation: PP leader
Opposition leader said using satellite mapping will cut out the long process of verifying each recipient at both district and provincial levels and deliver assistance quickly
Opposition People’s Party leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut is urging the government to use geocoding technology to quickly compensate flood victims and bypass the lengthy verification process.
Natthaphong told the press on Tuesday that he had once brought this up in Parliament but in vain. He said he had advised the government to use geocoding technology to speed up the payment of compensation to victims of natural disasters instead of waiting for local authorities to verify each recipient.
He said getting verification certificates for each victim can take up to 90 days when they urgently need funding for survival.
He said the process of issuing verification certificates takes time because it has to pass through the public hearing process in villages and wait for approval of disaster committees at both district and provincial levels.
However, with geocoding technology, the government could use satellite photos from the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) and overlay them with geocoding maps to identify households that have been affected and require help, Natthaphong said.
He explained that geocoding was already being used by the electricity and water authorities as well as Thailand Post to find street addresses.
Geocoding is converting a text-based description of a location, such as an address or name of the place, into geographic coordinates (latitude and longitude). This technology is most useful when it comes to timely, emergency response.
Natthaphong said the government could use the Thang Rath application to compensate the affected households immediately. Alternatively, he said, the government may consider allowing the victims to apply for compensation via the Thang Rath app and verify the request using geocoding software.
