Thai Meteorological Department confirms termination of Tomorrow.io platform after finding test results incomplete
The Thai Meteorological Department has issued a clarification letter to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (MDES) regarding the procurement project for the Tomorrow.io weather forecasting platform, a matter that has garnered significant public attention due to the project's high value of 497 million baht.
Upon investigation, it was found that the letter had been submitted to the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society since July 14. The core content confirms the official termination of the platform's usage, as practical performance tests revealed that the system remains incomplete and does not meet the established standards.
Previously, this project faced heavy criticism regarding its cost-effectiveness and the appropriateness of spending a massive amount of state budget to procure foreign technology, with many parties questioning whether it could accurately address weather forecasting within the context of Thailand.
The decision to terminate this project is considered a significant step in ensuring the transparency of government agencies. The Thai Meteorological Department stated that it is necessary to prioritize the best interests of the public; if the imported technology cannot function as intended, the project should not continue in order to prevent the wasteful expenditure of the budget.
Currently, the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society and relevant agencies are in the process of considering the next steps, including reviewing the contract and all procurement details, to conclude the matter and inform the public about the progress of managing this portion of the budget.