Power and water cuts top emergency concerns in Thai poll

Power cuts and water supply interruptions ranked as the greatest emergency concern among respondents to a Suan Dusit Poll, while 62.47% wanted the government to prepare backup plans for communication and internet failures.

The survey, released on November 8, 2026, gathered opinions from 1,183 people across Thailand through online and field surveys conducted from Nov 3–6. It examined public attitudes towards emergency preparedness, including reactions to reports that several countries had advised people to prepare supplies and emergency bags for 72 hours.

Power and water failures lead personal concerns

Power cuts and water supply interruptions were the most frequently selected concern when respondents were asked which emergency worried them most. The results were:

• Power cuts and water supply interruptions: 29.16%.
• Phone and internet network failures: 20.95%.
• Cyber threats, including banking or mobile payment failures and data breaches: 19.47%.
• Border conflicts or war: 17.68%.
• Flooding and landslides: 12.74%.

Cyber threats led the responses to a separate question about the risks respondents believed Thailand could face:

• Cyber threats, including banking or mobile payment failures and data breaches: 62.55%.
• Essential-service disruptions, including power cuts, water supply interruptions and internet outages: 62.05%.
• Flooding and landslides: 60.10%.

Backup communications top calls for government action

Contingency plans for communication and internet failures were the leading request when respondents were asked how the government should prepare for emergencies. Their priorities were:

 

• Prepare contingency plans for communication and internet failures: 62.47%.
• Provide accurate information to reduce rumours and panic: 60.19%.
• Improve mobile emergency alerts to make them faster and more accurate: 59.43%.

Dr Pornpan Buathong, president of Suan Dusit Poll at Suan Dusit University, noted that although the prime minister had urged the public to remain aware without becoming alarmed, similar preparedness advice from several countries had generated concern.

Pornpan emphasised the need for accurate information and clear guidance on responding to emergencies. The government should communicate the risks, necessary preparations and response measures, rather than rely solely on reassurance that the situation was not worrying.

Concern and confidence over the first 72 hours

Reports of overseas recommendations to prepare 72-hour supplies and emergency bags prompted concern about personal and family safety, alongside interest in learning how to prepare. Respondents described their reactions as follows:

• Concerned about their own safety and that of family members: 56.97%.
• Interested in finding more information about emergency preparedness: 53.42%.
• Prompted to become more alert and prepare: 47.84%.

Asked how confident they were that they and their families could cope during the first 72 hours of an emergency, respondents answered:

• Fairly confident: 57.14%.
• Not very confident: 27.64%.
• Very confident: 12.52%.
• Not confident at all: 2.70%.

The poll allowed more than one response to applicable questions, with percentages calculated separately for each option.

Practical preparation and locally tailored response plans

Dr Monthon Suwannaprapha, chair of the environmental health and disaster programme in Suan Dusit University’s Faculty of Science and Technology, called for practical emergency preparation and response plans adapted to local conditions.

Although most respondents expressed confidence in their ability to cope, preparedness could vary between areas, particularly in remote or hard-to-reach communities, he noted.

Monthon interpreted the findings as showing that awareness and concern about 72-hour emergency supplies had not yet translated into widespread practical preparation. He urged the government to promote emergency response skills, news verification and the ability to distinguish accurate information from false claims.

International news coverage might have influenced perceptions of cyber risk, he suggested, while concerns about power, water and internet failures underlined the importance of infrastructure in everyday life.

Monthon proposed using the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Act of 2007 as a framework linking local risk information, 72-hour plans, agency responsibilities, backup communications and incident command centres.

Emergency drills, performance indicators and post-incident reviews should support those arrangements to achieve a rapid, coordinated response suited to each area’s circumstances, he added.