Bangkok: Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul is set to present the findings of the investigation into the collapse of the State Audit Office building to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha ahead of the upcoming cabinet meeting. The report is scheduled for tomorrow morning at 8:30 a.m., shortly before the meeting commences, with the aim of devising strategies to prevent similar incidents in the future.
According to Thai News Agency, government spokesman Mr. Jirayu Huangtrakul disclosed that the Prime Minister had previously instructed relevant government bodies, including the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, to compile the investigation results within a week. This directive followed a cabinet meeting on April 1, where the Prime Minister emphasized the need to address the earthquake issue that led to the building's collapse. The objective is to establish a comprehensive standard for prevention and resolution, which will be presented during the cabinet session.
Mr. Jirayu also noted that the Prime Minister directed eight ministries, including the Ministry of Interior, to develop disaster response plans with explicit roles and procedures. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was tasked with consulting foreign experts from earthquake-prone regions like Japan, New Zealand, and certain European Union countries, as well as Israel.
Furthermore, the Ministry of Public Health has been instructed to formulate a disaster response strategy, focusing on field hospital systems and inter-hospital coordination. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports is working to assure tourists that travel within Thailand is safe and normal.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is deploying geologists to gather data for safe and accurate recommendations, while assessing the efficacy of current tsunami warning systems, particularly along the Andaman coast. The Prime Minister has also called for the integration of disaster preparedness into the educational curriculum to better equip children and youth for such events.
Additionally, the Ministry of Transport will conduct a thorough review of transportation infrastructure to ensure resilience against natural disasters. The Prime Minister's Office has tasked the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation with summarizing aid measures for affected individuals and designating the public relations department as the central hub for disseminating accurate information. Updates on these efforts and the progress of legal proceedings will be provided at the cabinet meeting, Mr. Jirayu confirmed.