Mobile users urged to prepare for disaster alert system test

How to set up your iOS and Android devices ahead of the public disaster alert trial

The Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CIB) is encouraging mobile users to prepare their phones for an upcoming test of the emergency alert system via SMS, following the 8.2-magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar and severely affected Thailand on March 28.

The bureau on Monday posted on its social media accounts, advising users to activate the cell broadcast service, a technology that allows mobile network operators to send short text messages simultaneously to users in a specific area, ahead of the public trial.

For iOS users, the CIB explained that they need to go to the Settings section, tap General, and then About, and that a pop-up will appear requesting an update; users should tap Agree.

After that, they should return to Settings, go to Notifications, scroll down to find the TH-ALERT section, and enable both Amber Alerts and Emergency Alerts, the bureau said, noting that this setup is available only for devices running iOS 18 or later and will not work on models older than the iPhone X.Meanwhile, Android users are advised to go to Settings, then select Safety and Emergency, tap Earthquake Alerts, and allow notifications. According to the CIB, this service will only be available on devices running Android 12 or higher.

The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) last week announced that tests will take place at three levels, small, medium, and large, on May 2, 7, and 13, 2025, all beginning at 1 pm.

The small-scale test (indoors) will include five locations: Chiang Rai Provincial Hall, Ubon Ratchathani Provincial Hall, Suphan Buri Provincial Hall, Songkhla Provincial Hall, and the Government Complex, Buildings A and B, in Bangkok.

Meanwhile, the medium-scale test (district level) will cover the Mueang District of four provinces, Lampang, Nakhon Sawan, Nakhon Ratchasima, Surat Thani, as well as Din Daeng District in Bangkok.

The large-scale test (province-wide) will take place in Chiang Mai, Udon Thani, Ayutthaya, Nakhon Si Thammarat, and Bangkok.

Residents in selected test areas will receive a test alert on their mobile phones, including both sound and on-screen message notifications, the DDPM said.

The CIB also warned people not to fall for scammers impersonating officials, and advised avoiding clicking on suspicious links or providing personal information easily.

(2025/04/28-00:00)