Communicating for Understanding in Crisis

MGR Online•General•11d ago

Reader Briefing

Assistant Professor Chatnarong Wisutkun analyzes the challenges of crisis communication during the Bangkok floods in September 2026.

•The Bangkok floods in late September 2026 highlighted gaps between official technical language and simplified online communication.
•The Media System Dependency Theory explains that people rely more on media during uncertain events to determine their actions.
•David K. Berlo's SMCR model illustrates how differences in skills and experience between senders and receivers can lead to communication failure.

•Assistant Professor Chatnarong Wisutkun discusses how Bangkok residents need specific information on locations and coping mechanisms during heavy rain and floods.
•Heavy rain and flooding occurred in Bangkok during late September 2026.
•The Thai Meteorological Department issued a warning on September 23, 2026, using technical terms like low pressure areas and monsoon troughs.
•The page Tee Lom Fa Akat provided warnings using urgent language such as "72 hours remaining" and "heavy rain will strike severely."
•Technical language from government agencies may be accurate but lacks clarity for immediate public action, while online language may trigger panic.
•The Media System Dependency Theory by Sandra Ball-Rokeach and Melvin DeFleur is used to explain why public reliance on media increases during uncertainty.
•David K. Berlo's SMCR model suggests communication failure occurs when there are gaps in the source, message, channel, or receiver's experience.
•Assistant Professor Chatnarong Wisutkun suggests government agencies provide two levels of data: short warnings for immediate action and technical details for verification.

Full article content is available on the original source.

Chatnarong Wisutkun(ชาติณรงค์ วิสุตกุล)

Assistant Professor and lecturer in the Digital Performance Communication program, Faculty of Communication Arts, Dhurakij Pundit University.

Sandra Ball-Rokeach(แซนดรา บอล-โรคีช)ℹ️

Co-proposer of the Media System Dependency Theory.

Melvin DeFleur(เมลวิน เดอเฟลอร์)

Co-proposer of the Media System Dependency Theory.

David K. Berlo(เดวิด เค. เบอร์โล)ℹ️

The creator of the SMCR communication model.

Dhurakij Pundit University(ม.ธุรกิจบัณฑิตย์)ℹ️

The university where Assistant Professor Chatnarong Wisutkun teaches at the Faculty of Communication Arts.

Thai Meteorological Department(กรมอุตุนิยมวิทยา)ℹ️

The government agency that issued technical weather warnings on September 23, 2026.

Tee Lom Fa Akat(ที’ ลมฟ้าอากาศ)

An online page that presented weather warnings using short, direct, and emotionally stimulating language.

Bangkok(กรุงเทพฯ)ℹ️

The city that experienced heavy rain and flooding in late September 2026.