The flood map, which the Ministry aptly called the Thai Crisis Planner and Reporter, was developed by the Chulalongkorn University. It is an open-source geographic information system and can provide floodwater details and water levels for all 50 districts of Bangkok.
The data centre will make use of modern Geo-Informatics technology in order for concerned government authorities to make well-informed decisions during times of natural calamities.
The MOST, Hydro and Agro Informatics Institute, Royal Irrigation Department, Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, are among the many agencies that are actively making use of satellite image maps from GISTDA as a significant tool for monitoring the effects of the recent disaster.
Read more: TH: Satellite Data Centre for disaster management
Government agencies are planning a major push to help the country achieve "Smart Thailand" status, involving the widespread use of information technology and the adoption of international standards, to prepare Thailand for implementation of the Asean Economic Community in 2015.
Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Minister Anudith Nakornthap said Smart Thailand would involve smart connected community networks, smart digital government services and smart collaborative business support.
Capt Anudith Nakornthap (pictured), minister of Information and Communication Technology (MICT) Group said pilot provinces would be selected to upgrade government services using high speed internet.
He said the ministry would meet with the concerned agencies including the ministries of public health and interior on database development and applications in two months and pilot provinces would be named afterwards.
Read more: Thailand to increase internet coverage up to 85 per cent
Call it "Mission: Possible" - in the next couple of years, the new government's Smart Thailand initiative will see rural residents submitting their house registrations online at their local tambon office instead of having to travel to the main district town.
This high-tech mission will also enable them to have new smartcard IDs made at their local post office, consult with doctors in Bangkok from any health station in the country and, for students, study in virtual classrooms.