A new alert system that can send out messages to all mobile phone users in the event of an emergency or disaster will be introduced in Thailand early next year following successful ground tests.
Government spokesman Chai Wacharonke said the launch had been brought forward after the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) said last week the service could be ready for use in mid-2025.
The new system will be used to send alerts to all mobile phone users in Thailand, including visiting foreigners, on matters of public safety in five languages - Thai, English, Chinese, Japanese and Russian. There is no need to download an app. The alert will appear in the form of images and audio.
The service is a collaborative project between the NBTC, mobile phone operators and the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation.
The NBTC said earlier that the system still needed the government to set up a dedicated command centre.
True Corp made a successful test with a live cell broadcast of the system with real users on Wednesday last week, the first time it had been used in Thailand. Rival Advanced Info Service (AIS) trialed the system in March without users.
Cell broadcast technology allows emergency warnings to be sent to all devices connected to mobile networks within a specific target area or across the nation, depending on the importance.
The system being tested in Thailand is similar to that already in use in countries such as Japan and South Korea to alert people to natural disasters or dangerous diseases.