Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt will propose a 9-million-baht budget for procuring earthquake measurement devices for eight high-rise hospitals.
Mr Chadchart said the attempt follows the Bangkok City Council's rejection of a similar proposal in September 2023. He said the proposal would be presented again, as the previous rejection likely stemmed from a lack of perceived urgency.
"Many may not have understood the importance of the project at that time. It's understandable, as large earthquakes have not been felt in the area for a while. However, with recent developments, perspectives may have shifted," he said. He said the request could be included in the 2026 fiscal budget or could be paid for through central government funds.
The project aims to install earthquake-monitoring devices in high-rises at eight Bangkok hospitals, including the Thani Nopparat Building at City Hall in Din Daeng area, which is 37 storeys tall, and other buildings such as the 72nd Anniversary Building at Charoenkrung Pracharak Hospital (24 storeys) and the Somdet Chao Phraya Taksin Maharat Building at Taksin Hospital (17 storeys).
The total cost would be nine million baht, a modest sum given the importance of the data the devices would provide, he said.
Mr Chadchart expressed hope that, if feasible, the number of installations could be expanded beyond the hospitals initially proposed.
"This technology is now more affordable and can provide valuable data for analysis. Installing these devices in both government agencies and private entities will increase data reliability and public confidence," he said.
