Ten pole mounted emergency call buttons have been set up at different points along the mountainous routes in Khao Yai national park, to allow visitors in distress to alert park officials.

The new communication tool is a joint effort between the national park and the King Mongkut Institute of Technology to provide visitors with a means of calling for help if they get into trouble, such as a road accident, car breakdown or an encounter with wild elephants on the road.

The buttons are installed at kilometre markers 16, 18, 20, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34 and 36.

The park’s chief, Adisak Phusitwongsanuyut, said the emergency signal system will offer improved safety for visitors, because mobile phone signals do not cover the whole area.

Those who need help simply press the button on the panel for five seconds, until the light flickers, which means the signal has been sent to the control centre. The centre will then alert park officials closest to the scene to go and provide help.

Adisak said that the emergency buttons are currently on trial and they are working well.

Since the beginning of this year, 1,147,412 people have visited the park, the most to visit any national park in the country during the period. In October alone, 157,662 visitors were recorded, despite the enforcement of strict COVID-19 preventive measures.