Thailand bids to build warning center

Thailand bids to build warning center

THAILAND: Thailand will this month put in a bid to become a regional surveillance center for the Indian Ocean area in the aftermath of the Dec. 26 tsunami disaster that killed more than 156,000 people, a senior Thai official said on Monday.

Thailand will put itself forward to host a regional disaster surveillance center at a ministerial meeting in Bangkok later this month. The meeting will discuss the need to set up an early warning system for the Indian Ocean area, similar to the tsunami alert system already in place for the Pacific Ocean.

Information and technology ministers from the 11 nations affected by the tsunami will meet in Bangkok on Jan. 28 to 29 to discuss a regional early warning system to prevent a re- occurrence of the Dec. 26 disaster.

"I think Thailand is ready, if everyone wants us to become a center for the early warning system," said Smith Dharmasaroja, vice minister to the prime minister's office. -- DPA