Public Perception and Readiness of Thai Citizens towards the Cell Broadcast Service for Disaster Management

Abstract

         This research article aims to 1) explore public attitudes and opinions regarding Thailand's current disaster preparedness, and 2) study the disaster news exposure behaviors of the Thai public. This study employed a quantitative research approach. The sample consisted of 1,230 residents in Bangkok. A questionnaire was utilized as the research instrument, and the data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, specifically percentage.

         The research findings are as follows: 1. Public attitudes and opinions regarding Thailand's current disaster preparedness. Regarding overall disaster preparedness, the majority of the public lacked confidence in the country's disaster response capabilities. Specifically, 52.4% perceived that the country is unprepared for disasters in general. Furthermore, respondents viewed Thailand as unprepared for specific catastrophic events, including earthquakes (51.1%), tsunamis (50.7%), and storms/flash floods (51.8%).In terms of opinions on the emergency alert system, 49.4% perceived the general warning system as unprepared, while 48.7% indicated that the government's National Emergency Alert System is not ready for practical use. Additionally, concerning the public's understanding and personal readiness for disaster response, 48.7% reported feeling unprepared or lacking understanding. 2. The disaster news exposure behaviors of the Thai public Information Channels. In the event of a disaster, the primary platforms the public would utilize to follow news updates are Facebook (46.2%), followed by X (Twitter) (35.6%), and Instagram (IG) (35.4%). In contrast, traditional communication channels were found to be less popular, such as radio (25.8%) and the government's National Emergency Alert System (25.5%).Demand for Alert System Enhancement: A significant majority, 68.5%, strongly agreed that the government should elevate and improve the efficiency of the disaster warning system.