The confirmation from DDPM Phuket Chief Mr Wichit follows a week of conflicting reports for government agencies as to when the actual tsunami drill will be held during a week of activities for officials preparing for the annual disaster-response event.
Last week the tsunami dill was announced to be held on June 26, the on Wednesday this week it was announced to be held on June 27.
Then on Thursday this week, local government officials announced the date as June 26 again.
“The date has been set. It’s June 27, in the afternoon from 1pm to 4pm, as announced on Wednesday. It [the wrong date] might be a mistake from bringing the old announcement, but it’s definitely on June 27,” Mr Wichit told The Phuket News.
“June 26 is just a rehearsal. No signals will be activated. The actual tsunami drill will be June 27,” he reassured.
NO ANUTIN
Official announcements earlier this week declared that Anutin Charnivirakul would be attending the closing ceremony on Friday as the guest of honour, in what was then his capacity as Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister, and hence also Chief of the National Disaster Response Centre.
However, Anutin late Thursday resigned as Deputy PM and as Interior Minister.
To this, Mr Wichit explained that another person, whom he would not reveal, would be fulfilling the role as guest of honour at the event’s closing ceremony.
“Right now, it is not Anutin. We have sent an invitation for someone else who can come. It might be the secretary, Jitra Meethong. However, we are still not sure if she can come. We are still waiting for an answer,” he said.
“We confirm that there must be a chairperson to close the ceremony. However, we cannot confirm who it will be,” he said.
BIGGER PICTURE
The full-scale tsunami drill to be held at Kamala next Friday is part of a major national disaster preparedness exercise, C-MEX 25, being held by the national Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation from Tuesday through Friday this coming week (June 24-27), simulating a tsunami response across six Andaman coastal provinces.
The large-scale drill, formally titled the ‘National Disaster Crisis Management Exercise 2025’, will be conducted in Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi, Trang, Ranong and Satun, aiming to strengthen Thailand’s readiness to respond to major natural disasters. The simulation will involve both government agencies and communities.
Speaking ahead of the exercise, DDPM Director-General Passakorn Boonyalak said the tsunami scenario was chosen due to the high risk such events pose to both Thai citizens and international tourists along the Andaman coast.
“This is a national-level exercise that will test our ability to manage multiple crises at once,” said Mr Passakorn. “It will assess coordination across all levels ‒ from national command down to the community ‒ ensuring we are prepared should a real disaster strike.”
Public Urged Not to Panic
Mr Passakorn emphasised that residents should not be alarmed by the increased movement of personnel, equipment, and rescue units in exercise areas, particularly in Kamala.
“These activities are simulated and part of essential preparedness measures,” he said. “We ask the public to stay informed and cooperate during this important national exercise.”