International Collaboration Mapped Out for Urban Resiliency at Bangkok Crisis Management Conference
Thirteen Cities Unite to Bolster Urban Disaster Preparedness
In a bid to tackle intensifying climate-induced emergencies, representatives from thirteen cities worldwide converged in Bangkok, Thailand for the Crisis Management Conference 2025. Hosted by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), the event championed enhanced cooperation in urban disaster preparedness.
A two-day conference (May 22-23) at the Asawin Grand Convention Hotel saw delegates from cities like Delhi, Hanoi, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, London, Manila, New Taipei City, Seoul, Singapore, Taipei City, Tokyo, and Ulaanbaatar sharing knowledge under the theme "Collaboration for Crisis Management."
On the second day, the attendees embarked on a field trip to study high-rise rescue operations and flood management.
Practical strategies and proactive approaches to urban disaster resilience were at the heart of the discussions, with a heavy emphasis on integrating cutting-edge technology alongside community-based disaster risk reduction initiatives.
Bangkok Deputy Governor Tavida Kamolvej, in her keynote address, underscored the need for cities to transition from reactive emergency responses toward strategic resilience-building. Bangkok grappled with significant challenges during a recent major disaster, she noted, with search and rescue efforts particularly problematic.
Tavida highlighted the city's vulnerabilities – including surging sea levels, extreme weather due to global warming, and aging infrastructure ill-equipped to handle contemporary climate realities. Bangkok now faces "rain bombs" and increased flood risks that current systems cannot fully withstand, she pointed out, as the infrastructure was designed for a different climate and urban landscape.
To tackle these challenges, Tavida proposed the incorporation of smart monitoring systems into high-rise buildings, along with legal reform and inclusive procedures to ensure rapid response – especially for vulnerable groups like the urban poor and elderly who constitute a considerable portion of Bangkok's population.
Tavida also advocated for stronger links between academia and practitioners, enhanced regional data sharing, and integrated systems across ASEAN and the Asia Pacific to better anticipate and respond to cross-border hazards, pollution, and climate impacts.
During panel discussions, Thai experts addressed Thailand's national disaster management system, while highlighting technological innovations such as drone technology and IoT systems that have significantly reduced response times. Practical challenges in disaster scenarios were also discussed, emphasizing the importance of integrating technology with community-based responses.
Singapore's focus on training and preparedness, Malaysia's community engagement, and Metro Manila's integrated flood mitigation planning served as model approaches to urban disaster preparedness. Tokyo's ongoing evolution in dealing with CBRN threats demonstrated the continuous need for innovation in disaster response training.
In sessions, innovations for smart cities, climate change adaptation, comprehensive hazard planning, and coordination strategies during crises were explored. The integration of AI and underground systems emerged as particularly promising areas for boosting urban resilience.
The Annual Report from the Crisis Management Network Secretariat outlined the network's commitment to capacity building through human resource development and knowledge sharing. The network, now in its 22nd year, has facilitated joint exercises with Tokyo's Fire Department, international urban search and rescue courses by Singapore's SCDF, and disaster prevention programs in Taipei.
The network's emergency hotline, enabling real-time information sharing between member cities, was underscored as a critical tool for enhancing crisis response coordination across borders. Seoul was announced as the host of the 2026 Crisis Management Conference, with the city's Fire and Disaster Department expressing its commitment to advancing disaster response through technological innovation and citizen engagement.
Closing the conference, Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt shared his belief that crises will inevitably hit cities sooner or later. His sobering reflections were underscored by the collapse of a 33-storey building in Bangkok during Myanmar's recent earthquake – an incident that broke two world records.
Having spent 48 days on-site during rescue and recovery efforts, Chadchart emphasized the importance of training, technology, and community engagement – particularly in the case of drones – and called for continued collaboration at the next conference in Seoul.
Exhibitions on city vulnerable populations, road safety, and urban flooding were also featured, with the aim of increasing public awareness and promoting practical solutions for safer cities. As delegates departed Bangkok, the overriding message remained: building resilient cities demands sustained international cooperation, technological innovation, and community engagement in the face of increasingly frequent climate-related disasters.
- Bangkok Governor: Chadchart Sittipunt
- Conference Location: Bangkok, Thailand
- Conference Dates: May 22-23, 2025
- Conference Theme: "Collaboration for Crisis Management"
- Crisis Management Network Secretariat: Host of International Urban Disaster Management Training and Exercises
- Future Conference Host: Seoul, South Korea
- To combat intensifying climate-induced emergencies, the Crisis Management Conference 2025 in Bangkok, Thailand, emphasized the integration of cutting-edge technology alongside community-based disaster risk reduction initiatives for strategic resilience-building.
- In her keynote address, Bangkok Deputy Governor Tavida Kamolvej advocated for stronger links between academia and practitioners, enhanced regional data sharing, and integrated systems across ASEAN and the Asia Pacific to better anticipate and respond to cross-border hazards, pollution, and climate impacts.
- Tokyo's ongoing evolution in dealing with CBRN threats demonstrated the continuous need for innovation in disaster response training, serving as a model approach for other cities.
- The Annual Report from the Crisis Management Network Secretariat outlined its commitment to capacity building through human resource development and knowledge sharing, with Seoul hosting the 2026 Crisis Management Conference to advance disaster response through technological innovation and citizen engagement.
