Hanoi, April 23 -- Thai authorities announced on April 23 that the country will begin testing a mobile phone-based disaster alert system, following public criticism over the lack of warnings issued during the powerful earthquake that struck Myanmar last month and caused damage in Bangkok.

According to Phasakorn Boonyalak, Director-General of Thailand's Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM), the Cell Broadcast System (CBS) will be piloted next month in several areas, including the capital Bangkok, which was badly shaken by the 7.7-magnitude quake in neighbouring Myanmar.

The system will use three mobile networks to deliver warnings "quickly and with wide coverage, both on natural disaster and security threats."

The pil...