The Full Picture

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Earth Observation System response

to disaster reduction in Thailand

Dr Darasri Dowreang, Deputy Director, GISTDA

n Thailand, catastrophes such as floods, drought, massive

landslides and forest fires occur from time to time. Space

technology such as remote sensing technology serves human

beings as a crucial tool for disaster monitoring, mitigation and

prevention. The Geo-Informatics and Space Technology

Development Agency (GISTDA) is the public organization

responsible for development of space technology and geo-infor-

matics in Thailand including remote sensing and geographic

information systems. GISTDA has been conducting several activ-

ities concerning disaster management as follows:

Floods

Thailand is influenced by the tropical monsoon, and has suffered

annually from several tropical storms. In the middle of 2006, the ‘Pra

Pirun’ depressions reiterated by ‘Chang San’ caused severe and cata-

strophic damage nationwide. At the beginning, heavy rainfall caused

massive landslide in Utaradit, a northern province where hundreds

of people were killed, not to mention losses of properties and psycho-

logical impact. Immediately after this, a massive water mass from

the north overwhelmed agricultural areas in the central part of

Thailand.

To protect the Bangkok metropolitan, a massive amount of water

was drained into paddy fields which became a vast destination area

for inundation in 2006. People from all walks of life living in the

affected area suffered from this deluge. More than 100

scenes of satellite imagery both from optical and SAR

sensors were acquired. Flood detection and inundation

maps were produced by GISTDA and then provided to

agencies concerned with flood management and miti-

gation. As for rapid response, GISTDA has provided a

geo-information package for the Thai government, the

E-Flood Map, comprising flood maps derived from

satellite data, the GIS database, and high-resolution

satellite images, both pre- and post-flood, for decision

makers. The E-Flood Map plays a crucial rule not only

in the process of compensation, but also rehabilitation

at local level.

Coastal erosion

Extreme natural force also affected Thailand’s shoreline

during late 2006, by the southwest and northeast

monsoons. The high waves and strong winds in the Gulf

of Thailand were the main causes of coastal erosion.

Wave magnitude varied according to additional factors

influencing the seasonal monsoon, and records from the

study period show that strong high air pressure from

China prevailed continually over the southern area and

the Gulf of Thailand. During 20-23 December 2006,

EOS and biodiversity monitoring in Doi Inthanon National Park

E-Flood Map, comprising flood maps derived from satellite

data, the GIS database, and high-resolution satellite images

Photo: GISTDA

OCIETAL

ENEFIT

REAS

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ISASTERS