Thailand sees no direct tsunami impact from Philippine earthquake
Monitoring data show tsunami waves reached parts of the Philippines after the magnitude-7.8 quake, while Thai agencies continue risk checks.
- Following a magnitude-7.8 earthquake in the southern Philippines, analysis by experts confirmed there is no direct tsunami risk to Thailand.
- While the quake did generate localized tsunami waves of up to 1.4 meters along the Philippine coast, monitoring systems showed these posed no threat to Thailand.
- Thailand's national disaster agencies actively monitored the situation using a network of buoys and databases, issuing alerts that affirmed the country's safety.
- An expert explained that a tsunami would only affect the Gulf of Thailand if a significantly larger earthquake (over magnitude 8.5) occurred on the Manila fault line.
A magnitude-7.8 earthquake in the southern Philippines on Monday morning (June 8, 2026) raised concern among people in several Asia-Pacific countries after tsunami warnings were issued in several areas and damage was reported near the epicentre.
Assoc Prof Dr Seree Supratid, director of the Climate Change and Disaster Centre at Rangsit University, disclosed the results of monitoring and assessing the magnitude-7.8 earthquake in the southern Philippines on Monday morning.
He said that although the incident had caused concern among people in several countries, including Thailand, analysis of the latest data had found no risk of a direct impact on Thailand.
The earthquake occurred at 6.37am local Philippine time.
Data from the US Geological Survey (USGS) put its magnitude at 7.8, with areas near the epicentre experiencing shaking at levels 7-8 on the Modified Mercalli intensity scale, a level capable of damaging buildings and structures.
After the quake, tsunami warnings were issued for seven areas: the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Palau, Taiwan, Guam and Japan.
Authorities then gradually lifted warnings in some areas, including Guam and Japan, after close monitoring.
Seree said measurements from deep-ocean warning buoys showed that four tsunami-detection buoys had detected changes in sea level, with wave heights of about 20 centimetres.
Along the coast of the Philippines, tsunami waves of about 0.5-1.4 metres were reported.
“The information monitored confirms that tsunami waves did occur in coastal areas of the Philippines, but they were at levels consistent with the forecasts of the monitoring system, and no trend has been found that would affect Thailand’s coast.”
On disaster warnings, the National Disaster Warning Centre of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation sent SMS messages providing situation updates to agencies and related parties from 6.37am.
It also used more than 1,000 tsunami surveillance and warning databases, together with the network of monitoring buoys at sea.
At the same time, the Climate Change and Disaster Centre at Rangsit University, together with ESRI, has developed 450 warning databases covering both the Andaman Sea coast and the Gulf of Thailand.
The public can follow real-time information through the Urban Hazard Studio system.
Seree said the existing warning systems have sufficient capability to issue timely tsunami alerts, but the public should also have basic knowledge of disaster response.
“Technology and warning systems can greatly reduce risk, but knowledge and understanding of disasters remain important in helping people make decisions and act correctly in an emergency.”
As for the possibility of Thailand being affected by tsunami waves in the Gulf of Thailand, Seree explained that such an impact would have to result from an earthquake larger than magnitude 8.5 on the Manila fault line, an important source of earthquakes in the region.
If such an event occurred, tsunami waves would take about 12-20 hours after the earthquake to reach the eastern coast of southern Thailand and the eastern region, and were expected to be no more than 1 metre high.
The latest assessment, therefore, indicates that although this earthquake was large and triggered tsunami waves in some areas of the Philippines, it is not at a level that would affect Thailand, while disaster agencies and academics continue to monitor the situation to assess risks and warn the public if any changes occur.
