Thai Tourism Sites Not Affected By Quake

[george]

Thai tourism sites not affected by quake in Indonesia

BANGKOK: -- Last night's strong earthquake in Indonesia has not affected any tourist sites in Thailand's southern Andaman region and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) plans to publicize the fact to the world community, according to a TAT top executive.

Mr. Suraphon Svetasreni, the TAT's Deputy Governor, told TNA today that TAT offices overseas had been instructed to publicize the accurate information to foreign tourists in their respective areas.

"No tourist sites in Thailand, including those in the country's six southern Andaman provinces hit by the last December tsunami, have been affected by the new strong quake in the Indonesian Nias Island, North Sumatra, last night, and the TAT's overseas offices are publicizing the fact to foreign tourists", he disclosed.

A local tourism association said that no tour programmes booked in advance had been canceled so far.

The earthquake, measured at 8.7 on the Richter scale, took place at around 11:09 p.m. yesterday, causing the Meteorological Department to issue an urgent warning of the possibility of a new tsunami.

The urgent statement of the Meteorological Department, issued through official and media channels across the country, suggested an immediate evacuation of local residents and tourists in the country's six southern Andaman Province to highlands.

The provinces, which were hit by the first series of massive waves on 26 December, include Phuket, Phang-nga, Krabi, Ranong, Trang and Satun.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra told journalists here this morning that Thailand's tsunami warning system would be established within one week.

The prime minister said that the country's tsunami early warning system would be linked to major media networks, particularly TV and radio stations, and local telecommunication systems, namely mobile phone networks.

--TNA 2005-03-29

[bniv99]

Thai tourism sites not affected by quake in Indonesia 

The prime minister said that the country's tsunami early warning system would be linked to major media networks, particularly TV and radio stations, and local telecommunication systems, namely mobile phone networks.

--TNA 2005-03-29

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I didn't know Thailand set up an early warning system yet....

Or is that Thai fisherman out there with a rock and rope measuring the wave height?

Edited March 29, 2005 by bniv99

[Som Nam Na]

Thai tourism sites not affected by quake in Indonesia 

The prime minister said that the country's tsunami early warning system would be linked to major media networks, particularly TV and radio stations, and local telecommunication systems, namely mobile phone networks.

--TNA 2005-03-29

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I didn't know Thailand set up an early warning system yet....

Or is that Thai fisherman out there with a rock and rope measuring the wave height?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No.

It's a guy sitting in Bangkok watching BBC World news with a paper cup and a bit of string.

[Foggy Bottom]

The "no effect" bit is also totally wrong

On TV last night (BBC showing Thai TV pictures) I saw a major hotel with a serious stress crack running horizontally immediately above the first floor lintels along two sides of the building - in the west the hotel would be closed until building inspectors decided the extent of damage (chance of next quake shearing off the hotel upper floors along that crack line)

The USGS map showed over 30 quakes in the last week in the upper Sumatra area - apparently that's fairly standard, so how long until that hotel topples?

[norainu]

Thai tourism sites not affected by quake in Indonesia 

BANGKOK: --  Last night's strong earthquake in Indonesia has not affected any tourist sites in Thailand's southern Andaman region.

Except for all the people running for the hills and the paranoia factor of most tourists who still stay away.

I was down in Phuket not too long ago and it was lovely. I'm not afraid of no ghosts.

Edited March 29, 2005 by norainu

[OliverWard]

Well, it doesn't deter us, my wife and I are visiting the Khao Lak area for 3 weeks in May, as we have done for the past 3 years, a lot of people to see (hopefully) and lots to do too!!

[sonthaya]

It's not going to stop me from going to Patong for 6 weeks in Sep. Oct, I have been doing this for years, life is going on and you will have to enjoy it fully, that's better than sitting home being bored to death.

[sriracha john]

The prime minister said that the country's tsunami early warning system would be linked to mobile phone networks.

...but, for some reason, this only applies to AIS customers. All you DTAC, Orange, and Hutch users are out of luck.... Sorry.

[sriracha john]

It's not going to stop me from going to Patong for 6 weeks in Sep. Oct, I have been doing this for years, life is going on and you will have to enjoy it fully, that's better than sitting home being bored to death.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I just hope you're not staying at the same hotel as mentioned by Gaz ChiangMai... or if it is, then I hope they've done more than just spackle over the huge crack.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

The prime minister said that the country's tsunami early warning system would be linked to mobile phone networks.

...but, for some reason, this only applies to AIS customers. All you DTAC, Orange, and Hutch users are out of luck.... Sorry.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

" Business is business ". So sayeth Fearless Leader

[sriracha john]

I'd certainly avoid the Amanpuri hotel.... based on their below stated logic??

"The Patong Bay Garden Resort, where they were staying, evacuated about 60 people to the owner's home on a nearby hill, general manager Rachim Thongmarkkul said.

But at the luxurious Amanpuri resort on Phuket's Andaman coast, executive manager Yin Saivipan said they did not evacuate their 150 guests because the quake seemed too far away to cause damage.

The resort was 80 percent full, mainly with European tourists vacationing for the Easter holiday, she said."

[ssparks111]

Mr. Suraphon Svetasreni, the TAT's Deputy Governor, told TNA today that TAT offices overseas had been instructed to publicize the accurate information to foreign tourists in their respective areas.

Publicize accurate information?!?! Since when has the Thai government started doing that? Is this a new trend for them?

[Jai Dee]

Thai tourism sites not affected by quake in Indonesia 

The prime minister said that the country's tsunami early warning system would be linked to major media networks, particularly TV and radio stations, and local telecommunication systems, namely mobile phone networks.

--TNA 2005-03-29

I didn't know Thailand set up an early warning system yet....

Or is that Thai fisherman out there with a rock and rope measuring the wave height?

I heard on the radio this morning that stage 1 of the system would be operational within a month.

What they didn't say was how many stages had to be implemented before a fully functional system would be operational.

[buadhai]

It seems they will have a tsunami warning system in place long before they have a tsunami detection system!

[astral]

The prime minister said that the country's tsunami early warning system would be linked to mobile phone networks.

...but, for some reason, this only applies to AIS customers. All you DTAC, Orange, and Hutch users are out of luck.... Sorry.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

" Business is business ". So sayeth Fearless Leader

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I expect the warning will be in Thai.

Not much help to tourists over here..................

[meadish_sweetball]

The prime minister said that the country's tsunami early warning system would be linked to mobile phone networks.

...but, for some reason, this only applies to AIS customers. All you DTAC, Orange, and Hutch users are out of luck.... Sorry.

" Business is business ". So sayeth Fearless Leader

I expect the warning will be in Thai.

Not much help to tourists over here..................

I actually think they can manage to sort which language warnings are sent to which mobile phones.

Foreign mobile phones with foreign SIMs are currently sent a welcome message in their own language upon arrival in Thailand, which means the technology to target individual SIMs is there and should not be too hard to implement with a warning system.

Sending out a dual-language (Thai/English) message to all mobile phones with Thai-registered SIMs would ensure most expats are covered by the system as well.