Decoding Disaster Communication via Social Media in Disaster-Affected Countries: Lessons for Thailand’s Policy Development

Abstract

In the 21st century, natural disasters have increasingly occurred with greater frequency and severity, making early warning systems crucial for reducing loss of life and property. Data from government agencies and various organizations demonstrate that the use of social media as a primary tool for communicating risk and disaster alerts yields significant outcomes. There are two research objectives in this study. The first is to study the patterns of disaster warning communication via social media, particularly in the context of countries that frequently experience continuous natural disasters. And the second is to synthesize international practices and formulate recommendations for the development of disaster warning communication strategies via social media in the Thai context. Qualitative research was used as the methodology. The research methodology included a scoping review approach. For relevant content, top databases including Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were searched between 2015 and 2024. According to preliminary results from 18 chosen articles, nations that are regularly hit by natural disasters—like Japan, and the United States—use social media in a variety of ways regarding communication tactics, content formats, and crisis information management. The results showed that the effectiveness of communication depends on speed, credibility, and audience engagement. Lessons learned from this research highlight the importance of systematic planning, two-way communication, and the adaptation of risk communication models, such as the Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication Model (CERC), as relevant to the context of social media.