Nakhon Si Thammarat, 12 December 2024 – The Royal Thai Navy’s Second Fleet has launched a readiness drill to enhance disaster response capabilities in five southern provinces along the Gulf of Thailand. This initiative comes amid concerns over potential hazards from shifting monsoon patterns.
Vice Admiral Nares Wongtrakoon, Commander of the Second Fleet and Director of the Maritime Enforcement Command Center Region 2, oversaw the operations at Haad Praek Muang Beach, Hua Sai District. The exercises simulated maritime disaster scenarios, with deployments including surveillance aircraft, naval frigates, and amphibious rescue teams.
The drill commenced with fixed-wing aircraft identifying targets in need of rescue, followed by helicopter-deployed frogmen assessing affected individuals. Rescue operations incorporated winch systems to extract victims and personnel from the sea, transitioning them to medical care facilities onshore.
Vice Admiral Nares emphasized the fleet’s readiness, citing round-the-clock deployment capability. “We are monitoring the northeast monsoon closely, as affected areas may include provinces from Surat Thani to Narathiwat,” he stated. The fleet’s resources and personnel, stationed in every province, stand prepared to respond immediately to any disaster and provide support to other regions upon request
