Bangkok--16 Dec--Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation
On 15 December B.E. 2562 (2019), Chiang Mai province, Thailand. Ministry of Interior- by the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation- in cooperation with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs' Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (UNOCHA – ROAP), Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Chiang Mai Province, organize an "Asia – Pacific Emergency Response Exercise 2019" during 15th – 17th December 2019 at Chiang Mai International Exhibition and Convention Center. The exercise carries out to examine the readiness of Thailand in coordination with an international humanitarian assistant system during emergency. This exercise will upgrade the capacity of Thailand's Urban Search and Rescue team to meet the INSARAG standard for INSARAG EXTERNAL CLASSIFICATION (IEC) APPLICATION by the year 2021. All these improvements are expected to allow Thailand to obtain National Search and Rescue Unit (TEAM THAILAND), with an international standard, that capable of withstanding extreme Disaster, either nationally or internationally.
Mr. Monton Sudprasert, Director – General of the Department of Disaster Prevention and mitigation, addresses that "At present, disasters have occurred regularly, as well as increased in its complexity and severity. International cooperation for Disaster preparedness is, thus, an important mechanism that could enhance the efficiency of disaster management and response. The Royal Thai Government has emphasized the improvement of the National search and rescue standard to cope up with disaster management at every level. In accordance, the National Disaster Risk Management Plan B.E. 2558 (2015) has set off to an establishment of the National Urban Search and Rescue Unit. Strict to the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG)'s standard, Thailand's National Urban Search and Rescue Unit is expected to obtain the adequate capacity to cooperate with the international rescue teams in both national and international incident. In 2019, Thailand hosts the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group Earthquake Response Exercise (INSARAG – ERE 2019) during 15th – 17th December 2019 at Chiang Mai International Exhibition and Convention Center to assess Thailand's capability to coordinate international humanitarian in response to the level 4 national disaster which the severity of its impact is beyond national capacity. The exercise includes the cooperation between the host government and international organizations from ASEAN and international levels.
The exercise is functional exercise and follow the INSARAG's standard. The scenario of this exercise is set out to be the major earthquake detected 7.5 magnitudes at 10 kilometers depth, affecting Chiang Mai and other provinces nearby including Chiang Rai, Lamphun, and Lampang. As a consequence of the earthquake, buildings and infrastructures are reportedly either collapse or damaged causing the vast number of affected people. According to the National Disaster Risk Management Plan B.E. 2558 (2015), the degree of this disaster is categorized as an extremely large scale (level 4) where international specialists, as well as equipment from aboard, are in critical need. In this event, there are more than 400 participants comprised of the USAR Team, Emergency Medical Team (EMT) and Disaster Management Team from Thailand, as well as Asia Pacific member countries."
Mr. Monthon further addresses that the INSARAG – ERE 2019 exercise is a crucial activity that could strengthen understanding, as well as capacity in cooperation with the international humanitarian operational units under the United Nations' principles and INSARAG's standards when the extremely large scale of the disaster has come. Moreover, Thailand's role as a host for the Asia – Pacific Emergency Response Exercise 2019 would iterate Thailand's intention and commitment to developing its USAR Team's capacity. This exercise will be an important milestone for the USAR team to be ready for the classification of the Medium USAR Team under INSARAG's standards by the year 2021. As a result, this will allow Thailand to have an international standard search and rescue unit that is able to withstand extremely large scale both disasters within, and outside the country.