- Enhancing safety measures for Thai and international tourists
- Highlighting speed, accuracy, coverage, international standards, and a multi-language alert system
Phuket, November 19, 2024 – True Corporation Plc., Thailand’s leading telecom-tech company, in collaboration with National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DE), Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM), and Phuket Province, conducted a real-time simulation test of the Cell Broadcast Service (CBS) in Phuket. This initiative aims to enhance safety standards in this key southern tourist destination and boost confidence among visitors. True Corporation, as the Cell Broadcast Center (CBC), will conduct system integration testing with the DDPM, which operates as the Cell Broadcast Entity (CBE), on a live end-to-end network basis before the official launch.
According to 2023 data from the Phuket Provincial Statistical Office, the province welcomed 11.3 million tourists, including 8.4 million international visitors and 2.9 million Thai tourists, generating 388,017 million baht in tourism revenue. Phuket ranks as Thailand’s second-largest tourism revenue generator after Bangkok. The island’s global prominence was further highlighted this year when the website Bounce ranked it as “The Best Island Destination” worldwide. In light of its significance, True Corporation, in collaboration with NBTC, DE, and DDPM, selected Phuket as the testing ground for the CBS system to enhance safety measures and boost confidence in this Pearl of the Andaman.
Mr. Chakkrit Urairat, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer of True Corporation Plc., shared updates on the CBS development during the Phuket simulation: “True Corporation is proud to collaborate with NBTC, DE, and DDPM in conducting this CBS simulation test in Phuket, marking a significant step forward in developing a warning system to enhance the safety of Thai citizens. This test highlights the strength of multi-sector collaboration and builds on the success of True Corporation’s first simulation in Bangkok last July.”
Phuket was selected as the second province for the CBS simulation test, which yielded highly successful results. This ensures that, upon official launch, the system will boost safety confidence for both Phuket residents and visitors, particularly in responding to maritime natural disasters such as high waves, storms, or tsunamis. The system can instantly send alerts to all mobile devices in risk areas without requiring registration, supporting multiple languages with both pop-up messages and audio alerts. It also includes a special Text-to-Speech feature for visually impaired users, ensuring inclusive access to warning information,” said Mr. Chakkrit
The CBS can be customized to deliver alerts in languages relevant to Phuket’s diverse tourist demographics. Additionally, True has established the Business and Network Intelligence Center (BNIC) as a 24/7 war room for emergency management.
The CBS provided by True Corporation offers five key advantages:
- Speed – Immediate transmission of alerts when incidents occur
- Accuracy – Precise targeting of affected areas
- Coverage – Messages reach all users in risk areas without requiring registration
- International Standards – Globally recognized and widely used system
- Multi-language Support – Simultaneous alerts in multiple languages
The “LIVE – Cell Broadcast Service” test in Phuket represents a crucial step in elevating Thailand’s safety measures to international standards. This close collaboration among True Corporation, NBTC, DE, and DDPM in enhancing safety infrastructure aims to improve both citizens’ quality of life and tourists’ confidence. True, as the Cell Broadcast Center (CBC), will continue system integration testing with DDPM, the Cell Broadcast Entity (CBE), on a live end-to-end network basis in preparation for the service launch.
