Island Evacuation To Start Tomorrow

ParadiseLost · March 30, 2011

I just spoke with a tourist here on Koh Phangan; apparently the word was put out that everyone stranded on the island should gather at the Thongsala pier for evacuation but this has now been delayed (indefinitely?).

The end result is there are now a few hundred (?) people looking for accommodation in or near Thongsala, with only a handful of guest houses, resorts in the town.

It is still chucking it down...

Enough already!

JUDAS · March 30, 2011

Helicopters lifting people off Koh Tao atm.

Jose · March 30, 2011

A helicopter just flew over my house in KP.

Also saw it go past, headed straight for Samui airport.

Fresh produce now all gone from Tesco (and 7/11) shelves. No fish, and very little fruit and vegetables left at the two Thongsala markets.

I think Koh Pha-Ngan will be in food supply trouble with two more days of no boat deliveries. Something to think about down the track, when peak oil starts to affect the only way in and out of this island.

Jose · March 30, 2011

Fresh produce now all gone from Tesco (and 7/11) shelves. No fish, and very little fruit and vegetables left at the two Thongsala markets.

Looking at the weather forecast, we can expect most boat deliveries to resume some normality tomorrow (Thursday) morning.

John 1 · March 30, 2011

everyone will be praying that weather prediction is correct we sure need a clear day Thursday. It does look good if you look at satellite photo's

angiud · March 30, 2011

Perhaps on KP they can dig out the Thai Navy retired battle ship, sitting in sand, in Tongsala & at least get those off Phengan!

No kidding, before driving in Thong Sala I saw the big ship and "wow they are arrived already".

Fk is just the sandy ship!

ParadiseLost · March 30, 2011

Fresh produce now all gone from Tesco (and 7/11) shelves. No fish, and very little fruit and vegetables left at the two Thongsala markets.

Looking at the weather forecast, we can expect most boat deliveries to resume some normality tomorrow (Thursday) morning.

The problem is then with the mainland flooding; even if the ferries start it sounds like the transportation cannot get through to Don Sak? Never mind the damage the fresh produce suppliers are experiencing...

Nawtier · March 30, 2011

Latest news is they have fast tracked the 6 subs to help out also..

islandguy · March 30, 2011

Latest news is they have fast tracked the 6 subs to help out also..

powderpuff · March 30, 2011

2 words. Water wings.

bridge · March 30, 2011

Thailand has Sea Harriers?

Is that not a jump jet. THey are are hardest planes in the world to fly. UK planes. Thailand has trained harrier pilots?

Who knows?

Thailand has Sea Harriers that cant fly because they have no spare parts. The Thai media has nickname their aircraft carrier the Thai-Tanic.

MSingh · March 30, 2011

Any idea when this Aircraft Carrier is leaving ??

I have a Friend on it who i apparently have to pick up in PKK soemwhere who called me earlier today advising me that he was on it & it was going to Dock in Prachuab somewhere but didn't know where & now his Phoen is dead it seems ??

Nawtier · March 31, 2011

Tis cold enough for icebergs....hope the ThaiTanic has not sunk.

Anyone got a pic of this Thai shock and awe war machine ???

samuijimmy · March 31, 2011

BBC and Aljazeera now showing pictures of rescues.... and bringing in food supplies to parts of southern Thailand .... Aljazeera reported 600 mls of rain in last two days on Samui.... It has started raining again, after a few hours break!

John 1 · March 31, 2011

Looking at current weather radar it appears a small storm passing through. Any update welcome as this could effect flight's

yorkie100 · March 31, 2011

Any idea when this Aircraft Carrier is leaving ??

I have a Friend on it who i apparently have to pick up in PKK soemwhere who called me earlier today advising me that he was on it & it was going to Dock in Prachuab somewhere but didn't know where & now his Phoen is dead it seems ??

According to my wife it left Samui at 7.00 pm last night with 700 pax on board bound for Phangan, Tao and destined for near U Tapao/Chonburi.

Rumoured it is coming back as 1000 from Samui, 1000 from Phangan and 800 from Tao still need to leave (Thai and tourists).

MSingh · March 31, 2011

Any idea when this Aircraft Carrier is leaving ??

I have a Friend on it who i apparently have to pick up in PKK soemwhere who called me earlier today advising me that he was on it & it was going to Dock in Prachuab somewhere but didn't know where & now his Phoen is dead it seems ??

According to my wife it left Samui at 7.00 pm last night with 700 pax on board bound for Phangan, Tao and destined for near U Tapao/Chonburi.

Rumoured it is coming back as 1000 from Samui, 1000 from Phangan and 800 from Tao still need to leave (Thai and tourists).

That's strange, the Fella i know on it boarded it Mid Afternoon yesterday & said he was off the Coast of Koh Tao & was coming inot somewhere in Prachuab Kiri Khan....

Still haven't heard from him..

yorkie100 · March 31, 2011

Rumours abound, who knows the truth?

Still, less rain today and more flights in and out.

Maybe the tourists will start getting away by air now and don't need evacuating by sea.

MSingh · March 31, 2011

Rumours abound, who knows the truth?

Still, less rain today and more flights in and out.

Maybe the tourists will start getting away by air now and don't need evacuating by sea.

Seems your Missus was right, Fella turned up in Sattahip a couple of Hours ago..

imola · March 31, 2011

Rumours abound, who knows the truth?

Still, less rain today and more flights in and out.

Maybe the tourists will start getting away by air now and don't need evacuating by sea.

Seems your Missus was right, Fella turned up in Sattahip a couple of Hours ago..

correct singer , watched thai news at mid day , after 50 hours of no lecky, watched people climb aboard then arrive in sattahip

you ok??

yorkie100 · March 31, 2011

Bangkok - Thailand's sole aircraft carrier delivered 618 foreign and Thai tourists safely to the Sattahip naval base Thursday after rescuing them from an island in the Gulf of Thailand.

The Chakri Naruebet evacuated the tourists off Tao Island, 412 kilometres south of Bangkok, in helicopters and small boats Wednesday afternoon, then shipped them overnight to Sattahip, 120 kilometres south-east of Bangkok on the mainland.

From the base, the navy arranged 18 buses to take the tourists to Bangkok.

The tourists had been stranded on the island all week due to a storm that has hit Thailand's southern provinces since the weekend.

Another 500 tourists who were reportedly stranded on Tarutao Island in the Andaman Sea were rescued by chartered speedboats, authorities said.

Thousands of foreign tourists were also stranded on Samui Island, 470 kilometres south of Bangkok, where authorities were forced to shut down the airport late Monday and halt ferry services to the mainland because of heavy rains and high seas.

Bangkok Airways and Thai Airways International resumed flights to the island Wednesday.

Floods caused by incessant downpours since the weekend have killed at least 15 people in Thailand's central southern provinces between the Gulf of Thailand in the east and the Andaman Sea in the west.

The floods have caused an estimated 7 billion baht (233 million dollars) in damage, according to the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce.

The storm-struck area includes some of Thailand's most popular beach and island resorts such as Krabi province and the islands of Phuket and Samui.

Meteorologists blamed the heavy rains on a high pressure front coming down from China and La Nina, a three-to-six-year climatic phenomenon characterized by heavy rains.

The phenomenon has lowered temperatures throughout Thailand, which is coming to the end of its high season for foreign tourists.

More cold weather, heavy rains and high winds were predicted for the rest of the week, the Thail Meteorological Department said, with the rain easing and temperatures rising next week.