SITUATION SUMMARY, SOUTH THAILAND

[FrancieL]

Dear ThaiVisa:

I am writing you from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, where my employer is the Honourary Consul-General for the Kingdom of Thailand. I thank you so much for the updated news from Thailand - we are getting a number of calls to see if travelling to Thailand is still viable - of course I say yes! A lot of people going there for the first time are not aware of the distances between the Phuket area and Bangkok and are afraid that the tsunami had affected other areas of the country as well.

I will forward the string to our local news media - no guarantee that they will use it, however.

The Royal Thai Consulate-General in Calgary has joined forces with the Calgary Consular Corps to raise monies for the entire area; however, it has also joined with the Thai community to raise monies specifically for Thailand. I will keep you informed as to how much we get - the Thai community has already raised over $5,000.00. The monies will be forwarded to the Royal Thai Embassy in Ottawa to be disseminated throughout the affected areas on the west coast of Thailand.

Again, thank you so much for the update - our prayers and sympathy go out to the Royal Family, as well as to all who lost loved ones.

With very kind regards,

Francie Lorren

PA to the Consul-General

Royal Thai Consulate-General, Calgary

[DaveYo]

Well, based on your statement George vs the media, vs reports coming from individuals who are seeing and or visiting the affected areas, quite frankly in my opinion it is this as follows:

Everyone is viewing this in different ways, reporting it in different ways, and showing such in different ways. Find and tell me one station or reporting agency that shows the precise and accurate picture of any event, and I will believe even myself that it is all reliable. Your forum here has been giving so many different views coming from members and or from your posts, and it's gotten out of hand nowadays, so now it is darn awful confusing to say which is which and what is accurate. So who's fault is this, the members or you???????? I pose this question to you here.

As of the media itself and or TV agencies or radio stations or even some internet outlets that provide news etc., they always run the show so much they practically burn themselves out by repeating the same crap over and over for long periods of time. Quite frankly I avoid the news channels after about 3 days. From that point on they have very little that is new to report. This is common knowledge to most folks. That is why they are sickos for the most part because they don't know when enough is enough.

Daveyo

[Claw]

Greetings, fellow LOS-lovers.

>>>>>>>>>>>

Is it healthy to forget loved ones so fast ?

>>>>>>>

This is such a difficult subject that there is no 'one' answer. Every individual is different and we all cope with death and disater in different ways. What is a 'respectable time' for mourning? Here in Greece, many women wear 'black' for the rest of their lives after loosing a husband. I think it is the same in some other countries also, as a sign of respect. In other countries, in certain circumstances, it is a time for rejoicing as the dead person is believed to be going to some kind of Heaven...

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Well the bottom line is that the Thais need to find ways to make some money now to pay the rent, put food on the table,clothes on their children's backs and get clean water, basic survival.

The various aid packages may take awhile to reach the victims.

Thais don't have the luxury of wringing their hands and taking massive amounts of time to mourn while living in comfort (like most of the posters) over this disaster.

Yes, the Thais are honoring the dead but that alone will not feed them.

The media tried to twist the remaining tourists on the Phuket beaches as ogres for having fun while others suffer but unless one is trained in search and rescue or a medical professional, untrained people just get in the way.

The blood banks are turning away donations as they've gotten enough for now.

The tourists staying in Phuket and other beaches are doing exactly the right thing by staying in the hotel rooms,eating out and partying as their money enables the Thais to earn a living.

Tourism is one of Thailand's major cash cows.

I'd say getting the commercial faction back on it's feet is just as important as recovering the bodies.

Claw

Edited January 4, 2005 by Claw

[Hermano Lobo]

NAI YANG BEACH

Nai Yang Beach, just south of the airport, is decimated, however the two major hotels – Crown Nai Yang Suite and Pearl Village – set some way back from the beach – have received only nominal damage and will be back in full operation within a week or two, though the latteris not currently recommending bookings. Nai Yang Beach Resort is closed until further notice. Along the road closest to the beach, there is not a single shop, bar or restaurant that has not been destroyed – some are simply not there anymore. On the Thursday after the wave the clean up operation was in full swing. Some places have even started rebuilding.

About five years ago I used to go to Nai Yang beach. I stayed at a chalet place run by a Swiss chap called Chris. It was by the main road that run by Nai Yang. The beach was a short journey down a small road. He had an excellent restaurant and some very nice chalets.

Does anyone have any information about this place?

To be with a girl you know I always found Nai Yang a great place for privacy.

I remember it had one or two very good restaurants just in front of the beach.

I can't imagine that much is left ? - Terrible........

[sonthaya]

Just to show that we all care, please have a look at this site, it's i Danish and English, we all try to help.http://www.helpphuket.dk/default.asp?ID=9

[JML]

There seems to be a few threads going on in this topic, and I would like to address a couple of those. I watched the entire episode from Railay Beach, from the white wall of water that hit Ao Nang, to the wave that came in and nailed our beach. And yes sirs and ma'ams, did I have to run. Ever see a picture of a longtail boat in a tree? You will.

As most of you know, Railay was not hit all that bad, and had very few fatalities. We were luckly. My parents and I toasted to that every night, as there were many reasons as to why I may not have ever seen them again.

1) I am planning on going back in a few weeks. When we left on the 30th, the beaches were getting cleaned up, and all the buildings were being made structurally sound again. The worst problem with the beaches now is that they are burning the boats and other wreckage on the beach. That means watch out for nails on the beach ... keep your flipflops on, and you should be fine. A photographer needed me to translate for her to interview the owner of Sandsea resort. He was expecting to be back in 100% order again within 14 days of the tsunami. And when we left, it was looking well on track. I was staying at Railey Bay at the time, and by the 29th they had a new computer already up to book reservations.

And even by the 28th we were able to order an entire fish, freshly caught. According to the owner of the Sandsea, he did not believe (opinion, of course) that the fishing boats around Ao Nang were badly damaged, just the longtails. I would estimate 80 - 90% of the longtails were decimated. Don't feel bad about tipping the longtail boat guys ... normally I never do that, but this is an exception.

Point being ... by now there are LOTS of clean, now quiet, very friendly places awaiting your business. The people there were great, best service I have ever had after 4 years of going to Railay, and having lived there for 4 months.

2) Someone said that the Thais are looking down at the foreigners partying on the beaches. Not the ones I saw, because the only way for us to get beer was to buy it on the beach, and they were more than willing to sell us beer, food, whatever, and NOT inflate the prices.

In fact, on Tonsai, not only did we get drunk, they got drunk, and the next day we helped pick up what what left of some of their businesses, even the parts which had been tossed into the very flimsy bathrooms towards the backs of the bars and resteraunts. For the first time, the flys were not so interested in the humans anymore. But that was at least a week ago now, I am sure that will be unseen and unheard by now.

If you want to help support the Thais, help them support themselves. They help each other out better than us farangs can. But they need tourist business, both from farang and other Thais. I don't exactly recommend that people head to Phi Phi yet, but there are loads of places in Krabi and Phuket which are fine, can use your business, and willl treat you very well in return. And with a lot of the perfect weather we have been having, a relatively empy beach at this time of year is something that has not been seen in many, many years.

I am no tour agent or anything like that, but if you want information on where you can stay, I can give you the names of places at different price ranges, some of which you can't imagine that there was ever a disaster anywhere near you. Just send me a message.

Oh, one word of warning ... if the resteraunt you go to does not have the dish you ordered, just take it in stride, thank the man or woman, and pick your next favorite dish.

[Akamai]

My partner and his family was staying at the Khao Lak Orchid Resortel. Luckily they were out on a boat when the tsunami struck. However they really would like to know the situation with the great staff at the hotel.

He arrived back in the UK with nothing but today he appeared on the Hong Kong missing list as his HK identity card had been found (we have advised all the authorities). But as the card was in his hotel safe we can only guess the state of the hotel.

We have already donated but we are lucky to be insured and will be donating the total amount received back to Khao Lak somehow.

If anyone has any information please let us know.

[george]

Here is an updated Phuket summary dated 2005-01-05:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=24212

[udon]

Go There. They Need You

The human misery caused by last week's tsunami is likely to be compounded by the devastation to the tourist industry in South-east Asia. That is why we must visit as soon as possible, says Tony Wheeler, co-founder of Lonely Planet

Link to the Indy

[Hermano Lobo]

This speed of the clean-up is amazing !

http://www.phuket-photos.com/frameme.php?p...-yang-beach.htm

http://www.phuket-photos.com/frameme.php?p...wave-day1-3.htm

[mistermint]

NAI YANG BEACH

Nai Yang Beach, just south of the airport, is decimated, however the two major hotels – Crown Nai Yang Suite and Pearl Village – set some way back from the beach – have received only nominal damage and will be back in full operation within a week or two, though the latteris not currently recommending bookings. Nai Yang Beach Resort is closed until further notice. Along the road closest to the beach, there is not a single shop, bar or restaurant that has not been destroyed – some are simply not there anymore. On the Thursday after the wave the clean up operation was in full swing. Some places have even started rebuilding.

About five years ago I used to go to Nai Yang beach. I stayed at a chalet place run by a Swiss chap called Chris. It was by the main road that run by Nai Yang. The beach was a short journey down a small road. He had an excellent restaurant and some very nice chalets.

Does anyone have any information about this place?

To be with a girl you know I always found Nai Yang a great place for privacy.

I remember it had one or two very good restaurants just in front of the beach.

I can't imagine that much is left ? - Terrible........

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Chris and his place are ok. My dad had contact with him a few days ago. Which were the restaurants you were refering to?

All of the beachside restaurants have heavy damage, but most of the people are ok.

[Steely Dan]

I stayed at a guesthouse on Klong Khong beach (Ko Lanta) a few weeks ago. The people there were so lovely; they treated us like family. I have not been able to get through by e-mail and though I'm very worried for them I don't want to burden them with unneccessary phone calls. Can anyone tell me whether this part of Lanta was spared - I would love to help by confirming this and recommending them to everyone I know as a brilliant holiday destination.

P.S Lanta Merry Hut Resort is their name; I just pray they are all ok, does anyone have any info on Klong Khong beech???

[Matts]

There seems to be a few threads going on in this topic, and I would like to address a couple of those.  I watched the entire episode from Railay Beach, from the white wall of water that hit Ao Nang, to the wave that came in and nailed our beach.  And yes sirs and ma'ams, did I have to run.  Ever see a picture of a longtail boat in a tree?  You will. 

As most of you know, Railay was not hit all that bad, and had very few fatalities.  We were luckly.  My parents and I toasted to that every night, as there were many reasons as to why I may not have ever seen them again.

1) I am planning on going back in a few weeks.  When we left on the 30th, the beaches were getting cleaned up, and all the buildings were being made structurally sound again.  The worst problem with the beaches now is that they are burning the boats and other wreckage on the beach.  That means watch out for nails on the beach ... keep your flipflops on, and you should be fine.  A photographer needed me to translate for her to interview the owner of Sandsea resort.  He was expecting to be back in 100% order again within 14 days of the tsunami.  And when we left, it was looking well on track.  I was staying at Railey Bay at the time, and by the 29th they had a new computer already up to book reservations. 

And even by the 28th we were able to order an entire fish, freshly caught.  According to the owner of the Sandsea, he did not believe (opinion, of course) that the fishing boats around Ao Nang were badly damaged, just the longtails.  I would estimate 80 - 90% of the longtails were decimated.  Don't feel bad about tipping the longtail boat guys ... normally I never do that, but this is an exception. 

Point being ... by now there are LOTS of clean, now quiet, very friendly places awaiting your business.  The people there were great, best service I have ever had after 4 years of going to Railay, and having lived there for 4 months. 

2) Someone said that the Thais are looking down at the foreigners partying on the beaches.  Not the ones I saw, because the only way for us to get beer was to buy it on the beach, and they were more than willing to sell us beer, food, whatever, and NOT inflate the prices. 

In fact, on Tonsai, not only did we get drunk, they got drunk, and the next day we helped pick up what what left of some of their businesses, even the parts which had been tossed into the very flimsy bathrooms towards the backs of the bars and resteraunts.  For the first time, the flys were not so interested in the humans anymore.  But that was at least a week ago now, I am sure that will be unseen and unheard by now.

If you want to help support the Thais, help them support themselves.  They help each other out better than us farangs can.  But they need tourist business, both from farang and other Thais.  I don't exactly recommend that people head to Phi Phi yet, but there are loads of places in Krabi and Phuket which are fine, can use your business, and willl treat you very well in return.  And with a lot of the perfect weather we have been having, a relatively empy beach at this time of year is something that has not been seen in many, many years.

I am no tour agent or anything like that, but if you want information on where you can stay, I can give you the names of places at different price ranges, some of which you can't imagine that there was ever a disaster anywhere near you.  Just send me a message.

Oh, one word of warning ... if the resteraunt you go to does not have the dish you ordered, just take it in stride, thank the man or woman, and pick your next favorite dish. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I was at Railey when the wawe camed I sure was lucky,I runned up on a hill and was safe,anyway I feel very sorry for the Thaipeople,I tried to help out the best I could,then I went back home,but I will be back,I love Thailand! Matts...

[Hermano Lobo]

NAI YANG BEACH

Nai Yang Beach, just south of the airport, is decimated, however the two major hotels – Crown Nai Yang Suite and Pearl Village – set some way back from the beach – have received only nominal damage and will be back in full operation within a week or two, though the latteris not currently recommending bookings. Nai Yang Beach Resort is closed until further notice. Along the road closest to the beach, there is not a single shop, bar or restaurant that has not been destroyed – some are simply not there anymore. On the Thursday after the wave the clean up operation was in full swing. Some places have even started rebuilding.

About five years ago I used to go to Nai Yang beach. I stayed at a chalet place run by a Swiss chap called Chris. It was by the main road that run by Nai Yang. The beach was a short journey down a small road. He had an excellent restaurant and some very nice chalets.

Does anyone have any information about this place?

To be with a girl you know I always found Nai Yang a great place for privacy.

I remember it had one or two very good restaurants just in front of the beach.

I can't imagine that much is left ? - Terrible........

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Chris and his place are ok. My dad had contact with him a few days ago. Which were the restaurants you were refering to?

All of the beachside restaurants have heavy damage, but most of the people are ok.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Glad to hear that Chris is OK.

I have some good memories of his place.

I have not been there for five years, all I remember was having some nice meals by the beach.

[sonthaya]

We are several here in Denmark trying to convince the Foreign Ministry to withdraw their travel warning to Phuket, ok keep it on for Khao Lak and Phi Phi, but the big tour operators won't resume flights to Phuket as long as the warning is still in force, and I think the best way to help is go to Phuket on your holiday as planned.

[fleeing]

Congratulations Sonthaya, your efforts have obviously had an effect.

The Danish Foreign ministry has, at last, revised it's advice, so that only Khao Lak and Phi Phi are on the black list now. Major tour companies are expected to resume their activities on Phuket and Krabi from the 8th February, although they expect to only be running on 45% of capacity.

This is at least a step in the right direction.

Well done

[sonthaya]

Congratulations Sonthaya, your efforts have obviously had an effect.

The Danish Foreign ministry has, at last, revised it's advice, so that only Khao Lak and Phi Phi are on the black list now. Major tour companies are expected to resume their activities on Phuket and Krabi from the 8th February, although they expect to only be running on 45% of capacity.

This is at least a step in the right direction.

Well done

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thank you very much, I'm happy we finally got through to them, now we just have to get people to go ahead with their travel plans to Phuket, and I believe that many will go, those I have spoken to so far is all set to go some on Mytravels first flight on Feb 7th.

[peteinwales]

i would like to help with this disaster but don't know how to go about it. I am 19 male and live in Wales I really would like to go over and help in any way i can. I've got money for a flight but would really appreicate any information on what to do next. My email address is [email protected]

[mr_lob]

Hi guys, if you or anyone you know would like to help the Krabi, Phi Phi and Koh Lanta areas in particular, please visit the following site to donate: www.krabirelief.com. The site is endorsed by the Mayor of Krabi, and set up by the ex-pats here in Ao Nang. Cheers.