Thailand to launch "national disasters" website

BANGKOK, October 9 (TNA) - The Thai Ministry of Interior's Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation has introduced a new "national disasters" website to become a comprehensive database for people and the government alike in preventing and dealing with public dangers and disasters, with general access to the new online services expected by next week. The department's deputy director-general Chatpong Chatphuti introduced the new website, jointly developed by his department and other relevant public agencies, at a public forum on "the application of data and information technology (IT) for the management of disasters and public dangers", organized in Bangkok Tuesday morning. When opening the public forum, Chatpong acknowledged a need in adopting IT for the management of disasters and public dangers for the sake of timeliness and accuracy to ensure efficiency in preventions or rescue operations of incidents. Meanwhile, National Security Council (NSC) Secretary-General Anusit Kunakorn said that the website should help provide the public with answers on how to best prepare themselves for disasters, noting that in the future, the website will be further developed to reach out the public more widely with added useful and relevant information, including rules and laws, as well as official orders and guidances. (TNA)