The Thai government has explained why a Cell Broadcast warning sent during the shooting at Debsirin Nonthaburi School on August 7 did not make an alert sound, saying the silent notification was intended to protect people hiding at the scene.
Deputy government spokesperson Lalida Perthwiwatana addressed the issue yesterday, August 8, after members of the public questioned why the warning differed from previous Cell Broadcast tests, which included an audible alert.
Lalida said the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) deliberately sent the message without sound because an audible notification on the phone of someone hiding from an armed person could reveal their location and put them at greater risk.
During the incident, the DDPM sent the warning to mobile phones within approximately 5 kilometres of the school and surrounding area. People were asked to avoid travelling through or entering the area to reduce risks and allow officials to carry out their work.
The Cell Broadcast warning was issued in cooperation with mobile network operators. The system can simultaneously send messages directly to large numbers of mobile phones within a designated area without requiring officials to know recipients’ phone numbers in advance.
Officials can also adjust the geographical area, format and alert level depending on the nature of an emergency.
The DDPM said the silent approach used during the school shooting differed from warnings for disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis and flash floods. In those situations, an audible alert may be needed to encourage people to evacuate quickly.
Lalida stressed that Cell Broadcast warnings are not issued in the same format for every emergency. The alert level, geographical coverage and use of sound are determined according to the type of threat.
In an incident involving an armed person, the priority is to warn people outside the affected area not to approach while avoiding additional risks for those hiding inside.
Cell Broadcast messages can reach people within a targeted area quickly and do not require users to register or download an additional application.
The government urged people to carefully read emergency messages, follow instructions and stay away from areas identified as dangerous. It also asked the public not to share images or livestream officials responding to an incident, as doing so could affect the safety of both personnel and people in the area.
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