Sweden To Subsidise Trips To Thailand

[george]

Sweden to subsidise trips to Thailand

STOCKHOLM: -- Relatives of the 543 Swedes killed or missing in the Asian tsunami will get government subsidies to help pay for memorial trips to Thailand later this year.

The Swedish government on Thursday said it would contribute a total of 12 million kronor ($A2 million) to arrange memorial services in Thailand on November 4 and November 11, and to help relatives pay for the trips to attend.

"For many whose relatives were lost in the tsunami, it is an important part of processing their grief to go the place where it all took place," Defence Minister Leni Bjorklund said.

More than 20,000 Swedes were spending their Christmas vacations in Thailand when the tsunami hit.

So far, 461 have been confirmed dead, while another 82 are listed as missing, making Sweden one of the Western countries hardest hit by the disaster.

Relatives and loved ones can apply for the subsidies from a special council that was set up to help coordinate efforts to help the Swedish victims of the disaster.

Stina Wessling, a spokeswoman for the council, said it was still unclear how big the individual subsidies would be, or who could apply for them.

"It will be for the closest relatives," Wessling said.

The announcement comes ahead of the six-month anniversary of the December 26 disaster, which claimed as many as 300,000 lives in Indian Ocean nations.

--AAP 2005-06-23