The Director-General of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation confirmed that the Indonesian earthquake did not affect high-rise buildings in Thailand, highlighting that the warning system works through joint analysis by multiple agencies. If an earthquake reaches magnitude 7.0, evacuation alerts will be issued immediately.
On 17 Aug 2026 GMT+7, Mr. Theeraphat Kachamat, Director-General of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, spoke about the earthquake in Indonesia that impacted southern Thailand. He explained that the area is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire zone near Indonesia, parts of Europe, and Sri Lanka surrounding southern Thailand. The tremor was felt about 500 kilometers away on 15 August, but inspections confirmed no impact on high-rise buildings in Thailand. Indonesia issued a tsunami warning that was canceled after 15 minutes to prevent public panic. Meanwhile, Thailand maintained surveillance for any tsunami effects.
Mr. Theeraphat added that earthquakes occurring at distances of 500-600 kilometers or more may be felt but typically do not cause damage. Local and district-level inspections, including inquiries with provincial authorities, confirmed there were no cracks or damage to buildings in Thailand as had occurred during last year's earthquake, which involved a different fault line.
Regarding how tsunami detection buoys reassure the public, Mr. Theeraphat explained that Thailand's buoys float about 540 kilometers offshore, with another buoy in the Indian Ocean roughly 900 kilometers away. These buoys detect underwater tectonic movements and send signals to satellites. Many countries have similar buoys, and the data helps analyze whether an earthquake might generate a tsunami. Movement of a buoy alone does not trigger a warning; analysis must confirm the threat. Evacuation warnings for tsunami risk are issued for earthquakes of magnitude 7.0 or higher in or near Thai waters. The buoys confirm tsunami occurrence since tsunami waves travel underwater and require coordinated analysis. Initial warnings rely on earthquake magnitude. Thailand's Andaman warning station continuously monitors the situation. Currently, efforts are underway to recover buoys with broken cables, which still transmit GPS signals.