BANGKOK, 9 April 2012 – Deputy Bangkok Governor Malinee Sukavejworakit has instructed relevant agencies to keep a close watch on 38 fire-prone areas in Bangkok during the Songkran period.
Dr Malinee said that as the Songkran festival poses higher risks of fires, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration is coordinating with Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) and Civil Defence Volunteer to implement fire disaster management and prevention measures in disaster-prone sites.
The BMA is setting up special units which will offer 24-hour fire protection services to the residents in areas not serviced by fire stations.
One of the planned measures is dispatching DDPM and district officers to each household in the areas to provide fire safety facts and techniques. The guidelines offered will include turning off stoves and unplugging electrical appliances when leaving homes and performing frequent checks on household electrical circuits.
As part of the preparations, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation have been tasked with ordering more tower ladders as well as inspecting their existing supply of fire gear to ensure their fire safety equipment is in working order.
She also pointed out that according to DDPM’s reports, residents in 38 areas in Bangkok are advised to stay alert for possible fires. The 38 fire-prone areas included Khaosarn Road, Central World, Silom Road, Lad Krabang industrial estate, Bang Na intersection, Victory Monument and Chalermprakiet Sport Training Center.
