NNSA’s Office of Counterterrorism and Counterproliferation provided the Office of Atoms for Peace (OAP) – part of Thailand’s Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation – with Emergency Preparedness and Response training and equipment in Bangkok, Thailand, Nov. 18-22.
The radiological incident response equipment – Spectral Advanced Radiological Computer Systems, or SPARCS – will not only enhance OAP’s capacity to respond to radiation incidents but will also allow the office to provide training to internal Thai chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) defense response teams from the Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology and the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation.
“Understanding our international partner’s needs and helping them build capacity for emergency preparedness and response training helps NNSA and the entire Government of Thailand,” said NNSA Foreign Affairs Specialist Andrae Brooks.
The SPARCS equipment will be used to enhance mobile radiation detection and support major public events that will strengthen the radiological and nuclear incident response capability for the OAP and the Government of Thailand.
During the week, the NNSA team also visited the one megawatt Thai Research Reactor 1/ Modification 1 (TRR-1/M1) located at the Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology. The visit was instrumental in providing a better understanding of safety precautions, research missions, and the commercial applications of the reactor for Thai industries.