In times of crisis, accurate, complete, and timely information can save many lives and prevent events from escalating from danger to catastrophe. Back on March 28, 2568, Thailand experienced one of the most severe earthquakes in its history, yet many people received no government warnings, phone services collapsed, and widespread chaos ensued.

Amidst the crisis, news agencies have become one of the central points that people rely on to obtain information. 

One piece of evidence reflecting the importance of this is the significantly higher-than-normal viewership of earthquake news reports from various news outlets on the day of the event, such as: 

• Thairath TV's Facebook page has 3.9 million views and its YouTube channel has 1.2 million views.
• Thai PBS's Facebook page has 3.1 million views and its YouTube channel has 4.4 views.
• The STANDARD's Facebook page has 4.4 views and its YouTube page has 1.5 million views.

“Society expects accurate, reliable, and dependable information from the media,” says Rawee Tawanarong, former executive of several news outlets such as SpringNews and Thairath Online, and currently an advisor to the Online News Producers Association, discussing the role of the media during disasters. In times of uncertainty, accurate, precise, and reliable information helps to soothe society and simultaneously sharpens the decision-making of leaders. For example, will there be aftershocks? Should students return to classrooms? Should healthcare workers wait or proceed with emergency surgery? During such times, the media should perform what it excels at.

Provide accurate, reliable, and dependable information.

Accurate, reliable, dependable, but how fast? Media in disaster situations.

“During this earthquake, Thai media performed better than in many other cases, such as the mass shooting,” Rawee commented on the overall performance of Thai media. Rawee further discussed the issue of ‘speed’ in news reporting, especially during disasters, noting that the modern world has proven that traditional media cannot keep up with the speed of people on social media. Therefore, ‘accuracy’ is what the public expects from the media more than ever. He believes that media can report news a little slower, 5-10 minutes, but with complete, accurate information and sources, rather than reporting quickly with superficial and inaccurate information, citing the evacuation of several government buildings on March 30, 2568. Therefore, the media should focus on fact-checking to create a correct understanding within society.

"Because it's not as fast-paced as social media, people expect reliable facts from the media. Therefore, speed may not be as important as accurate information," Rawee said.

Filtering information and verifying events for 'accuracy' while reporting 'quickly' are two things that Sathaporn Pongpipatwattana, an independent journalist who has worked for several media outlets such as PPTV, ThaiPBS, NationTV, and Pacific News Center, admits are difficult in this era of rapid information flow. "It's true that it's difficult, and it's not that people who report incorrect information are incompetent. Mistakes can happen anywhere these days because information comes so fast, and sometimes it even comes from seemingly trustworthy online groups, like rescue groups," Sathaporn said.

However, Sathaporn believes that these issues can improve as journalists gain more experience and expertise on the topics.

"If you think earthquakes are important, you need to keep sending reporters to talk to experts until they become proficient. At the very least, they should be able to report accurately, knowing the magnitude of the earthquake and what units to use to measure it. It's understandable that there were some mistakes this time because we don't often report on earthquakes, but they should be able to report on recurring events like floods," Sathaporn said.

Because crises create vulnerable times, making people susceptible to misinformation or fake news that is easily circulated without verification, potentially leading to incorrect decisions and endangering their lives, it is the crucial responsibility of the media to verify the accuracy of information and provide the public with correct details.

"If a media outlet does well during the times when people want information, it's an opportunity to establish a following. That's the benefit an organization gets from investing in this type of news," offers an independent journalist, sharing their perspective from experience covering disasters both in Thailand and abroad.

“During a crisis, people lose interest in entertainment. Their primary need is reliable information—information that assures them of their safety and allows them to plan their lives. Therefore, what the media should prioritize providing the public is credible information, not mere speculation, with clear sources and scientifically explainable explanations,” Sathaporn concluded.

Hone your skills and go beyond simply providing general information.

It must be acknowledged that earthquakes are not a disaster that Thai society is very familiar with. However, having experienced one, we must learn from it to better prepare for future events. The same applies to the media. Sathaporn believes that the more expertise a journalist possesses in a particular area, the more beneficial it is to society and the media organization.

He gave an example from his time working at PPTV news agency. He trained everyone on his team to be familiar with in-depth flood data, starting from...

• We conducted an in-house training session on reading watershed maps for the editorial team.
• They are sent for training with other agencies, such as rescue teams, to understand the work processes.
• Emphasize disaster reporting by having all journalists go to flood-affected areas. This ensures that all journalists gain experience and that the central office has solid information.
• Follow up and interview sources regularly.

Through practice and expertise, journalists have elevated their news reporting from simply conveying general information to analyzing data and reporting news to warn the public about potential dangers.

“This information is factual and cannot be changed. Besides improving our news reporting, it also helps the public understand these issues and will enable our country to have a more disaster-aware population, with the media leading the way,” Sathaporn observed. In addition to reliable media information, Sathaporn added that journalists should be aware of the importance of preparedness in the face of disasters, both in terms of the necessary information for reporting and the readiness of equipment, so that journalists do not become ‘victims’ themselves.

“We can prepare ourselves well. If there’s flooding, we can prepare life jackets, waterproof equipment, and dry food. Even though we probably won’t be trapped there with them, if we are, having essential supplies is enough to feel like we’re not adding to the suffering of those affected,” said Sathaporn. He cited his experience covering the Kumamoto earthquake in Japan in 2559. As soon as he landed at the airport, the local coordinator (fixer) told him to buy all the essential supplies, such as bottled water, dry food, and plastic plates and bowls, because the Japanese believe that outsiders entering an area should absolutely not use the resources of the local people.

"These things don't create a significant burden for journalists, but it instills a shared understanding that those going to the scene of an incident shouldn't be a burden; they should be useful and appropriate. I think this is a mindset that should be disseminated," Sathaporn stated. If applied to Thailand, he suggests that all news outlets support journalists with equipment, such as life jackets for flood reports and helmets for earthquake reports. He believes this would elevate the media industry's level of preparedness and professionalism.

“It makes the overall image of the media look more professional. When most media outlets do it, it creates pressure for everyone to follow suit. This will help elevate the industry. Organizations that don't support it or lack the equipment will look outdated,” Sathaporn said before concluding, “We must instill this sense of professionalism and shared purpose in everyone involved in the work.”

Once the event is over, does the media have finished its role?

“The public expects that they will not have to face such an event again. Ultimately, it’s not just about learning from past mistakes; it’s about going back to the root causes that made the situation more severe than it should have been. What can we control and what can’t we control, we need to expand on and address those issues,” said Sathaporn. Sathaporn cited the example of the recurring floods in Bang Saphan District, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, which cause problems for villagers every year. At that time, the government used a method of having people at the flood barriers call villagers, but in reality, by the time the water reached the towers, the signal towers were all destroyed, demonstrating that the warning system was ineffective.

"The government is entrusting the lives of people in Bang Saphan to a single mobile phone. Is this a warning system? The media needs to continue reporting to show that this system doesn't work," said Sathaporn.

Rawee Tawanarong, an advisor to the Online News Producers Association, agrees that in reporting on disasters, "the media cannot stop." They must consistently perform their duty to provide accurate information, scrutinize those in power, and help investigate the causes of disasters. "We must provide additional information on why Bangkok experienced a stronger earthquake than Chiang Mai. We need additional information to help the public understand the crises and disasters that will continue to occur in the world. The media cannot stop; they must continue their duty," Rawee said. Rawee added that he personally commends the investigation into the collapse of the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) building following the earthquake on March 28, 2568, which reflects an improved performance of the media.

He also views post-disaster investigations by the media as multifaceted, including scrutinizing compensation payments, whether there was any manipulation of death or injury figures, how decisions by those in power affected the situation, who benefited from the disaster, and other important questions.

What direction should the industry take next?

While the overall perception is that Thai media reported well on the recent earthquake, an advisor to the Online News Producers Association believes the media should be more cautious when entering disaster areas, such as the collapsed building of the State Audit Office, as it made it difficult for officials to work. "In other countries, during disasters or mass shootings, they prohibit media from filming. They put up barriers to prevent filming, even during the search for missing or injured people. But some of our channels are still live-streaming constantly," Rawee said. He suggested that each media outlet should establish a dedicated 'disaster news desk' to report on events such as flash floods, PM2.5, and wildfires, creating a continuous communication channel regardless of what happens.

Sathaporn agreed on the importance of creating continuous content after a disaster, but also recognized the importance of media ratings. Therefore, if possible, he would like both viewers and external organizations with funding to cooperate.

"It has to be acknowledged that media is a business; it has to survive. So, how can we ensure that the information we consistently produce has market value, is worth the investment, and leads to real long-term solutions to problems," Sathaporn stated.

"Perhaps a financially funded organization, like the NBTC (National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission), could step in as the central body for these initiatives, so that the media doesn't have to bear the costs themselves," concluded an independent journalist who has worked for several Thai media outlets.