Two tsunami-warning buoys to the west of Phuket are being replaced with new ones as the warning system is updated.
The two buoys were placed in the Indian Ocean and the Andaman Sea after the devastating Dec 26, 2004 tsunami caught Phuket and the Andaman coast totally unawares, causing massive loss of life.
A ceremony to launch the vessel to install the new buoys was held at Phuket deep sea port in tambon Wichit, Muang district, at 1.50pm on Tuesday.
Boontham Lertsukhikasem, director of the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department, presided, with R/Adm Suchart Thampithakvej, deputy commander of the 3rd Naval Area, Narong Woonciew, the Phuket governor, the consuls-general of 11 countries and representatives of other agencies present.