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| Southeast Asia | |
| Thailand fires chief meteorologist, Inquiry launched | |
| 2005-01-04 | |
| Thailand has fired its chief meteorologist and opened an investigation into why his department failed to issue a tsunami warning which might have saved thousands of lives, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra announced. "When a quake measured at 8.9-9.0 on the Richter scale struck in Sumatra, it was widely known tsunami can happen. But why weren't there any alerts? I really want to know the truth," Thaksin told reporters Tuesday. A day after deadly waves devastated the country's Andaman Sea coast, Meteorological Department chief Suparerk Tansriratanawong had told reporters Thailand had not been hit by a tsunami in more than 300 years and had no reason to expect one. But the English-language Nation newspaper quoted an unnamed member of the department last week as saying a tsunami alert was not issued for fear of hurting the important tourist industry at the peak season if it turned out to be false. During the investigation, to be led by Information & Communications Technology Minister Surapong Suebwonglee, Suparerk will help set up a national early warning system for all natural disasters, a government spokesman said. No Asian country issued a warning of the Dec. 26 tsunami, triggered by a magnitude 9.0 earthquake off Indonesia, which killed nearly 150,000 people as it crashed ashore around the Indian Ocean. Samith Dhammasaroj said Monday he was sure a tsunami was coming as soon as he heard about the massive December 26 earthquake off Indonesia's Sumatra island that measured magnitude 9.0 -- the world's biggest in 40 years. "I tried to call the director-general of the meteorological office, but his phone was always busy," Samith said as he described his desperate attempts to generate an alert which might have saved thousands of lives. "I tried to phone the office, but it was a Sunday and no-one was there," said the former chief of the meteorological department now charged with setting up an early warning disaster system for Thailand. "I knew that one day we would have this type of tsunami. I warned that there would be a big disaster," he told reporters. "Everyone laughed at me and said I was a bad guy who wanted to ruin the tourist industry," he added.
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| Posted by:Steve |
| #11 global warming would have decreased the scale of the tidal wave ironic indeed. But why let facts get in the way of a good Day After Tomorrow plug. |
| Posted by: 2b 2005-01-04 4:18:44 PM |
| #10 2b: She starts going on about how we MUST end global warming, improve economic conditions, and end nuclear testing as if that was what caused the disaster. Ironically, global warming would have decreased the scale of the tidal wave. The very shallowness of the continental shelf was what made the waves so big. *Sigh* Environmental fundamentalism - where Mother Nature is seen as a caring deity unless man angers it - appears to be all too pervasive. I liked the traditional religions better - except for a tiny sliver of Islam, most have worked out their kinks. |
| Posted by: Zhang Fei 2005-01-04 4:09:51 PM |
| #9 actually, it entered my mind that CNN is so messed up that they actually chose this woman because they knew ahead of time that she would spew a global warming/nuclear testing lie for the wannabelievers. Maybe not.. and probably not ..... but it was strange that they gave so much time to just one missing person when, by that time, it would have been easy to come up with multiple photos to place on the air. It was a long interview. But then again, their reporting has sunk so low that maybe that was the best they could do. |
| Posted by: 2b 2005-01-04 4:06:55 PM |
| #8 Probable CNN Followup Question: "I see. So, what are your thoughts on Ice Cream?" |
| Posted by: eLarson 2005-01-04 3:58:30 PM |
| #7 about 3 days after the disaster, CNN featured a woman who was worried about the missing father-of-her-baby. I was musing to myself - why are they just focusing on him? Why just his photo? Why not others? Then, and I kid you not, this woman goes on to give a rant on how we have to end the "causes" of these disasters. Cue the theme from Twilight Zone. She starts going on about how we MUST end global warming, improve economic conditions, and end nuclear testing as if that was what caused the disaster. The CNN news-reader just nodded her head up and down as if it was all very sane. It was wierd. |
| Posted by: 2b 2005-01-04 3:40:56 PM |
| #6 Sea - LMAO! Too true! It only depends upon who makes it - an idiotarian or someone from reality. You have too many reality elements in your storyboard for The Day After Tomorrow crowd... |
| Posted by: .com 2005-01-04 3:27:28 PM |
| #5 This will make the Best. Miniseries. Ever. It's got everything. 1st act: beautiful Thai wimmin, tropical paradises, frolicking tourists, international men of mystery. Earthquake, earnest seismologists, corrupt politicians, huge tsunami waves crushing everything in their path. 2nd act: Chaos, heroic acts, posturing pols, perky fresh-faced NGO workers, handsome military men, lots of helicopters and aircraft carriers, rescue elephants, mostly-nekkid villagers. 3rd act: still being written. But already we have Thai gangs dressing as cops and looting hotel rooms and bank vaults, and boodles of charity cash swirling around the globe with the associated carrion birds starting to circle... Get me rewrite! |
| Posted by: Seafarious 2005-01-04 10:45:54 AM |
| #4 and take up fishing? |
| Posted by: Frank G 2005-01-04 10:33:09 AM |
| #3 "Everyone laughed at me and said I was a bad guy who wanted to ruin the tourist industry," he added. Samith said he had no long-term plans, but was considering a run for sheriff of Amity, NY. |
| Posted by: BH 2005-01-04 10:27:19 AM |
| #2 hmm..I said, not just for hurricanes, but I need to correct that because hurricanes have excellent warning systems in place. |
| Posted by: 2b 2005-01-04 9:43:44 AM |
| #1 saying a tsunami alert was not issued for fear of hurting the important tourist industry at the peak season if it turned out to be false. This is an ongoing issue in Floriduh that becomes more acute every year as building occurs along the coast. The tourist industry does it's best to pressure the weather services not to ruin profits. The idea of a 5 day forecast was received as warmly as a frigid day in Alaska. I tried to call the director-general of the meteorological office, but his phone was always busy. Oh...I'd love to tell a few stories here....but just let me say, don't laugh. It could happen here too - and not just for hurricanes. |
| Posted by: 2b 2005-01-04 9:39:31 AM |