The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DES) supports advancing public-private partnerships by joining hands with four government agencies—the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission, the Pollution Control Department, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration—and LINE Company (Thailand) Ltd. They signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on emergency alerting through the “Safety Check” feature on the LINE application. This initiative upgrades government disaster and emergency communication to be easily accessible, efficient, fast, reliable, and reduces confusion caused by misinformation during crises.
Chaiyachonok Chidchob, Minister of Digital Economy and Society, explained that LINE was chosen for developing the “Safety Check” feature because the government had previously collaborated with LINE on the LINE ALERT warning system. The “Safety Check” feature was developed by learning from past disasters and includes three main functions. The first is the “Safety Check” itself, which appears in LINE during emergencies. Users can tap it to fill in information such as their location, safety status, and assistance needed. Importantly, over 80% of Thai people use LINE, enabling most citizens to access information instantly. Additionally, the feature collects disaster-related news and includes options to donate to trusted foundations and agencies.
Police Lieutenant Santhiti Thammajai, Director of the National Disaster Warning Center, Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM), stated that DDPM serves as the central government agency responsible for disaster prevention and mitigation. It plays a key role in issuing early warnings, disseminating news, monitoring threats and disaster severity, and announcing the end of warnings. It provides verified disaster information through various channels, coordinating with domestic and international networks. DDPM supports mechanisms linking disaster information to other platforms and manages disaster data by collecting, sharing, and disseminating official disaster information. It acts as a central coordinator among government, private sector, and civil society to ensure effective, comprehensive disaster prevention and mitigation. DDPM focuses on supporting national disaster data by producing, verifying, and publishing official information and announcements at all levels, serving as a reference for partners to communicate with the public. It also advises on content and language to ensure clear, accessible information and supports mechanisms for data linkage, information dissemination, and continuous crisis communication drills and evaluations.
Suttisak Tantayotin, Deputy Secretary-General of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), said NBTC plays a crucial role in integrating efforts to maximize alert effectiveness. It promotes public awareness and access to accurate government information during emergencies. NBTC supports cooperation in communication systems and telecommunications networks to ensure digital platform alerts are effective, widely accessible, and function properly in crises. It also supports public communication through NBTC-regulated channels and promotes public understanding of using digital platforms to follow government information, confirm safety, and properly respond to disasters.
Thananchai Wannsuk, Deputy Director-General of the Pollution Control Department (PCD), stated that pollution incidents and pollution-related emergencies require accurate, timely information to enable proper public self-protection. PCD manages pollution and environmental issues and coordinates with government, private, and civil society sectors to ensure effective, sustainable pollution control and mitigation. Under this collaboration, PCD aims to support the public by providing accurate, easily understood information and coordinating with government agencies and partners to establish data linkage and information dissemination mechanisms. It also supports readiness, drills, and crisis communication evaluations to enhance effective joint operations.
Suriyachai Rawiwan, Director of the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), said that as the main agency responsible for safety in the capital, BMA must focus on two key tasks to reduce risks and reassure Bangkok residents. First is to ensure "transparent information reaches the public immediately," because information is life. Previously, in crises like major floods or other disasters, the problem was that alerts were untimely, inaccurate, or came from multiple sources causing confusion. BMA must serve as the “center for producing and disseminating information” by integrating accurate, reliable disaster information directly into the “Safety Check” feature to guarantee the public receives the most accurate information at the critical time. Secondly, there must be "effective, unified coordination," since disasters do not respect administrative boundaries and require cooperation. BMA wants all sectors—government, private, and civil society—to work together as one. BMA will fully act as the “coordination center,” with this platform serving as a mechanism to connect operations and alert communications in line with all partners to ensure unified and efficient disaster response.
Norasit Sitthivejwijit, Chief Executive Officer of LINE Company (Thailand), said LINE Thailand is ready to support enhancing government emergency communication through the “Safety Check” feature, which LINE developed to enable the public to access essential information quickly, accurately, and comprehensively during critical events. It also helps users monitor situations and conveniently confirm their safety. Under this collaboration, LINE will support data linkage with government agencies to ensure timely, appropriate disaster information dissemination. It will also provide technical and public communication support to promote awareness and widespread use of the service, as well as help reduce the spread of false and misleading information during crises. This collaboration reflects the government’s trust in LINE as a digital platform that Thais rely on in emergencies and marks an important step in creating a modern, accessible alert system that helps people feel safer and better prepared through public-private cooperation.
This collaboration represents a significant step in upgrading the country’s public disaster communication system to keep pace with evolving situations. It aims to enable the public to access government information rapidly, accurately, and reliably through practical digital channels. It also lays the groundwork for ongoing cooperation to enhance national disaster preparedness in the future. The “Safety Check” feature on the LINE application will be available to the public soon. Users are advised to update their LINE app to the latest version to ensure effective usage.
/ State Policy Additional