Thai tsunami warning drill ends gets 'thumbs up'

PHUKET, July 8 (TNA) - Deputy Prime Minister Suwit Khunkitti said tsunami warning drills in Thailand's six Andaman Sea coastal provinces were satisfactory as the warning system functioned effectively and participation of local residents and tourists was gratifying.

Mr. Suwit spoke in his capacity as chairman of the Committee on theNational Disaster Warning Administration that the warning and evacuation drill on Monday was a useful exercise and the performance was complete.

The drill was designed to help local people escape in the event of adisaster and to build confidence among tourists and local residents, he said.

Mr. Suwit added that 79 warning towers in six Andaman coastal areas are now functional and that the national disaster warning centre will install an additional 144 warning towers nationwide to cover disaster prone areas in the country. The task is expected to be complete in one year.

Krabi governor Siwa Sirisawaluk said that the warning system test andevacuation drill were conducted in the province and on Phi Phi Island.

In the test areas the population was evacuated to safe areas in sufficient time.

In Trang, about 200 villagers and students joined the drill in Sikaodistrict. However, a warning tower in the Coastal Aquaculture Development Centre failed to alert villagers, so officials had to use sirens from three police cars.

In Phuket, tourists and local residents on Patong beach moved onevacuation routes to to safe places after they heard sirens from warning towers.