“The exercise will be held from 8am to noon,” explained Phuket City Deputy Mayor Kawee Tansukatanon.
The drill is being staged to help residents to be prepared in case a disaster, such as a tsunami or a major earthquake, strikes, he added.
Residents, business owners and other people in high-risk areas will be asked to relocate to an emergency assembly area set up at Chai Field, located opposite Phuket Provincial Hall.
Five communities have been targeted for the exercise, including Sansook, Soi Korphai, Soi Tonpho, 40 Hong and Phuket Old Town, along with restaurants and business operators in the Saphan Hin area.
“At least 250 people are expected to show up for the drill, but everyone is invited to join in,” Deputy Mayor Kawee said.
Police and local disaster-response teams will join the exercise. Lt Trakol Thotham, Acting Director of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Phuket Office (DDPM-Phuket), and Phuket City Police Superintendent Lt Col Chow Phomna both attended a meeting on Monday to be included in the plans.
“Training for the drill will begin on Friday (Sept 4),” Deputy Mayor Kawee said. “Participants will undergo refresher courses on first-responder training and evacuation procedures at special classes held at the DDPM-Phuket offices.”