Thailand 'may have delayed warning to save tourist trade'

Thailand’s Meteorological Department may have delayed sounding a tidal wave warning for fear it could damage the country’s lucrative tourism industry, officials indicated today.

Sulamee Prachuab, who heads the department’s Seismological Bureau, said the agency needed to be cautious because the government’s tourism agency deems that such warnings would hurt tourism if a predicted natural disaster didn’t occur.

The department did issue warnings of the impending tidal wave Sunday, but broadcasts beamed to tourist resorts in the country’s south underestimated the threat, and a website caution was not posted until three hours after the first deluge hit southern Thailand’s resorts.

“Five years ago, the Meteorological Department issued a warning of a possible tidal wave after an earthquake occurred in Papua New Guinea, but the tourism authority complained that such a warning would hurt tourism,” Sumalee said.

Tourism is Thailand’s number one foreign income earner, and Thai government officials are extremely sensitive about any news they perceive as damaging the cash cow.

Surapong Suebwonglee, minister of Information and Communication Technology, said a fact-finding committee of independent experts and government officials would be set up early next month to determine whether the Meteorological Department failed to give a timely public warning.

“We will investigate the facts of how the Meteorological Department handled the situation,” he said.

The ministry had not yet decided if disciplinary action would be taken against officials if it was proved they failed in their duty, he said.