BANGKOK — BMA officials received 10 earthquake early warning sensors Tuesday as part of a partnership with Chulalongkorn University to better prepare the Thai capital for seismic disasters.
Gov. Chadchart Sittipunt accepted the “RUGON” sensors from Anatee Ruangrassamee, director of the Center of Excellence in Earthquake Engineering and Vibration at Chulalongkorn’s Faculty of Engineering, during a meeting at Bangkok City Hall.
The sensors can provide up to three minutes of advance warning before tremors reach Bangkok, officials said. That window could extend to four or five minutes when linked with monitoring networks in Myanmar, giving authorities time to halt elevators, construction cranes and surgeries before shaking begins.
“This system will help Bangkok manage disasters more efficiently, especially by accessing data through API to connect with warning systems, which will reduce panic and increase public safety,” Chadchart said.
The city plans to install the 10 sensors initially in Bangkok Metropolitan Administration schools, where they will serve as both protective equipment and educational tools for students about earthquake safety.
The sensors are part of a “Sense then Share” system that provides real-time ground motion data through a Live ShakeMap accessible via website, with historical data available for up to 24 hours. The compact devices weigh about 100 grams, operate on low power using NB-IoT communication, and have a nine-year lifespan.
Bangkok has already installed earthquake sensors at Thanee Noparat Building, Bangkok General Hospital and Vajira Hospital, with plans to complete installations at all city hospitals by fiscal year 2026.
The RUGON network currently has more than 50 monitoring points nationwide and is expanding toward 100 locations.
The initiative follows a major earthquake in Myanmar on March 28, 2025, whose tremors reached Bangkok and caused the collapse of the under-construction Office of the Auditor General building. The disaster killed 95 people, mostly construction workers, at the 2.136 billion baht ($69 million) project and prompted authorities to launch prosecutions and conduct citywide building inspections.
RUGON was developed by Chulalongkorn University’s spin-off company RUGON Co., Ltd.
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