Emergency Preparedness: How to Survive Disasters
Created By RISC | 7 hours ago
Last modified date : 7 hours ago
How can we be ready for disasters that could wreck our well-being as well as our homes?
The recent earthquake from the movement of the Sagaing Fault between the Indian and Eurasian plates reached Thailand, harming buildings in Bangkok and its metropolitan area. These effects were exacerbated by long-distance seismic waves and soft soil, amplifying tremors into long-period waves.
The extent of the damage suggests that Thailand has managed relatively well in terms of preparedness, according to experts. Many buildings have been designed and constructed to legal regulations, helping alleviate immediate concerns.
But what if an earthquake has its epicenter in, or far nearer to, Thailand?
Not only high-rises but also detached houses, townhouses, shophouses, office buildings, and commercial spaces might suffer extensive damage. Most buildings aren’t currently mandated by law to consider earthquake resistance in their design.
The city’s public infrastructure could also come to a standstill. Roads and traffic systems could become unusable. Electricity and water supplies could be cut off. Telecommunications systems—including phone and internet—might collapse. Even a few hours of disruption to the metro system recently caused widespread chaos.
Prevention and mitigation are the most effective ways to reduce risk. They include designing new buildings and reinforcing old ones to withstand seismic forces, incorporating fire prevention measures, and flood protection such as raising floor levels, installing flood barriers, or relocating machinery and MEP systems above flood levels.
Since natural disasters can strike at any time, we must be prepared not only for earthquakes but also for floods, fires, wildfires, air pollution, chemical explosions, and more.
What should we always carry or keep at home?
Unlike countries like Japan and the U.S., Thailand has not yet been able to invest heavily in an Earthquake Early Warning System. Without early warnings, disaster preparedness and a clear evacuation plan become essential and urgent.
Public buildings, which are responsible for the safety of many people, must be able to respond rapidly and communicate accurately and efficiently. Various agencies provide useful resources for planning and adaptation—such as emergency management handbooks for public buildings and office towers—published by the Building Resource Management Association.
Residential homes should maintain readiness by keeping essential items in stock and rotating them regularly.
- Drinking water is most critical with at least enough for 3 days (3 liters/person/day) and ideally up to 7 days depending on local conditions and the time needed for external aid or recovery.
- Non-perishable food—canned or ready-to-eat meals that do not require cooking or electricity—should provide adequate nutrition, particularly protein.
- Sanitation supplies, such as plastic bags for waste.
- Emergency bags for each person, including pets, that can be quickly taken if evacuation to a shelter or safe zone becomes necessary.
Beyond the initial preparations, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yusuke Toyoda from the College of Policy Science and the Institute of Disaster Mitigation for Urban Cultural Heritage at Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto, and a Researcher Alliance member of the Environmental Research Institute at Chulalongkorn University, offers critical insights from Japan’s disaster management experience—lessons Thailand has yet to fully integrate.
Victims don’t only die during the disaster. If their mental and physical health deteriorates due to trauma and they are separated from their families or communities while relocated to limited shelters, the isolation may lead to delayed deaths—especially among the elderly. This highlights the need for temporary housing solutions that consider family and community ties to help prevent lonely deaths post-disaster. In short, mental and social preparedness is just as important as physical readiness.
Another key point: Analysis from the 1995 Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake in Japan found that 34.9% of survivors saved themselves, 31.9% were saved by family members and 28.1% by friends or neighbors. Only 1.7% were rescued by official emergency teams. This data reinforces the critical importance of self-reliance during disasters. When a crisis hits, government response teams will already be stretched to their limits.
All of this reinforces one message: We must strengthen structures, develop mitigation strategies, and create preparedness plans to survive emergencies. The best outcome is when we not only protect ourselves and our families but also become a source of support for our neighbors and community.
Written by Saritorn Amorncharuchit, Assistant Director, RISC.
Further reading:
- Building Resource Management Association. Emergency Management Handbook for Office Buildings During Earthquakes – Tenant Access Protocol (March 30, 2025).
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Dg9PEC5RDRy1gmXfL0gXPTGxx8EBpSWS/view?fbclid=IwY2xjawJcPRxleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHS8G5gyr_NOpaJLwf3MWXmQ289hIrwQRhjKSTndUE9WXcffIWtACD05OPg_aem_6GxVDRjM9gYhWaYn37w3AA
- Building Resource Management Association. Crisis Management Guide for Public Buildings During Earthquakes – For Building Management Teams (March 31, 2025).
https://drive.google.com/file/d/16xpcz_ryvs7O_E4uHVtJSnLQjQxYeIge/view?fbclid=IwY2xjawJcPbdleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHVjviq9mNJfqqVKtVu9sOaFK_GUhfKpJFaqPW7EkzLHCfkWGkfa7SSx4kw_aem_2kWtm_hbgkGP8pnkBO4USg
- Japan Fire Research Association. Report on the Investigation into the Fires Caused by the 1995 Southern Hyogo Prefecture Earthquake (November 30, 1996).
- Japan Living Guide. Disaster Preparedness: Stockpiling and Emergency Food in Japan (January 29, 2024).
https://www.japanlivingguide.com/expatinfo/emergencies/emergency-food/