Amateur radio operators help out in flood-stricken Korat

Thailand's amateur radio society, RAST (Radio Amateur Society of Thailand), reports that amateur radio operators in the flood-stricken areas of Nakorn Ratchasima and Chaiyaphum are putting their communications talents and capabilities to good use, helping authorities with the Nakorn Ratchasima Amateur Radio Association having set up a co-ordinating centre using the callsign HS3AN.

This station, located at the Provincial Hall in Korat, has been working closely with government agencies, relaying details about the emergency situation and explaining the problems being faced to relevant officials and relief workers so that action can be promptly taken.

President of the Nakorn Ratchasima Amateur Radio Association Charnchai Siriamornpan who holds the callsign HS4XU related how radio amateurs had also pitched in with soldiers, rescue volunteers and workers from various foundations to help flood-stricken people by providing food and helping to ferry expectant mothers who were about to give birth to hospitals.

Under the guidance of National Disaster Warning Centre Adviser Manas Songsaeng, HS1DE, the Nakorn Ratchsima Amateur Radio Association club station HS3AN has also been coordinating relief work with the help of other amateur radio communications centres based in Khao Yai, Phimai and in Chaiyaphum that were also providing information to people travelling to and from Nakhon Ratchasima.

Amateur radio is a service that enables licensed individuals to communicate with one another using VHF and HF (short wave) radio communications that functions independently from cellular telephone networks and functions where mobile phone signals do not reach. There are over 100,000 such operators in Thailand.

Read the full report on the RAST website
http://www.qsl.net/rast/

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