E-mail from a friend..

Hi Greg,

Actually, I'm pretty impressed with the progress in Phuket over the past 48

hours.

The Thai military is here with their heavy equipment. International aid

groups are organized all over Phuket. The locals and expatirates have jumped

in to help out wherever they can help out.

The Thai gov't has rapidly risen to the occasion. Kata Beach (where I live)

is already almost clean. People are jogging, swimming and playing

volleyball. The fishermen are out fishing. The restaurants are packed.

People are shooting off fireworks and turning this into an event like

buddies who survived a war together.

The beach road in Patong is closed for repair. The rest of Patong is busy as

usual. My wife and I just returned from Patong.

The supply of food, water and electricity was never interrupted. Telephone's

are spotty because the systems are overloaded.

Many people are cancelling their vacation plans. Based on the news, I can't

say I blame them. Personally, I would have no hesitation coming here for a

vacation right now.

Tomorrow morning I'm going for a jog and a swim.

Enjoy your family and friends in the States. Looking forward to seeing you

back here.

Good stuff Greg, we need more of this and less announcements like 'Phuket will take up to 2 years to reconstruct' as I read somewhere. If we don't all get behind Phuket (and quickly) alot of locals will suffer an 'economic tsunami' this season.

I'm still going to Phuket as planned later this month and emailed everyone on our newsletter to also support & visit the region as soon as the cleanup and emergency crews are done.

I rcvd alot of positive response. Yet one guy called it 'callous' to go ahead with my planned visit...I was left wondering how on earth the fellow I offended, planned on assisting the locals in the longer term, since he thinks it 'innapropriate to visit this season at all '... (thereby ensuring a lost season/jobs/remaining hopes etc, etc. sigh)

Enuff of that- another shred of light: I rcvd a photo from Surin Beach (yesterday) showing a beach restaurant completely re-built and open. As well as a photo (today) of Phuket Laguna beach, cleared.

I also read in the Nation 'letters' section today, a GM from a hotel stating they are FULLY open and only 5 rooms were under renovation in the complex. He's obviously looking past next week and recognises, if visitors don't return this season, the result will be massive lay offs and a trickle down on the entire local economy. I can't recall but this may have been the GM of the Laguna (anyone?).

Another photo I rcvd (today) was of tourists & locals pitching in together and cleaning up Patong beach. Way to go guys!

Edited December 28, 200421 yr by bahtandsold

So everything is ok then?

Just a few phone lines not working,sounds great.I'm booked to stay in the Tropicana,thats ok as well?

Edited December 28, 200421 yr by bartender100

So everything is ok then?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sadly, no. 'Everything' is not ok. Of course it will take time and for those who've tragically lost loved one's alot of time but at least there's signs of progress as Tornado and others on the ground have posted.

I too believe 'some' parts of Phuket will spring back much sooner than people might think.

So everything is ok then?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sadly, no. 'Everything' is not ok. Of course it will take time and for those who've tragically lost loved one's alot of time but at least there's signs of progress as Tornado and others on the ground have posted.

I too believe 'some' parts of Phuket will spring back much sooner than people might think.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

On the + side, yesterday 27th a flight left Copenhagen with 167 tourists out of

180 booked bound for Phuket, only 13 cancelled.

I hope this trend will keep up thats one way of helping Phuket back to normal.

Any idea where they are staying?

Sorry, but its to soon to start pretending everything is ok,maybe in a week or two,but at the moment bodies are still being washed up on the beach.

Please have some respect.

Thai Govt actually urging tourists to stay away from the affected areas for least two weeks. (heard on Radio BKK)

All charter trips to the affected areas from Sweden have been cancelled for the next month.

After that there will doubtless be very little interest in visiting the west coast or the islands there.

Edited December 28, 200421 yr by etxkgh

It would be nice if these charters were rebooked to the east coast, or somewhere else in Thailand. I'm sure the country will really need the revenue as this is going to be a very expensive disaster and reconstruction.

cv