More than 6,500 to attend tsunami memorial services

Published on December 22, 2005

More than 6,500 people, including 1,359 foreign guests, will attend the tsunami memorial service in Phuket, Deputy Prime Minister Suwat Liptapanlop said yesterday. Suwat said 6,596 people – 1,359 foreigners and 4,761 Thais, along with 476 VIPs – had confirmed they would attend the service on Dec 26. The five countries most heavily represented will be Sweden, the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany and France, he said.

The king of Sweden would not attend because he was be required in his home country to mark the loss of his citizens on the same day.

Swedes, however, will be represented in the greatest numbers here, with 400 people coming to pay their respects.

The Thai government has allowed a Bt300-million budget to pay for guests’ travel expenses, accommodation and other related costs, but some 500 foreign guests had insisted on covering their own bills, helping the government save Bt30 million, Suwat said.

Some 500 students from seven universities had also volunteered to help guests during the event. There would be one student for every 13-14 visitors, he said.

Memorial ceremonies will be held at seven locations, at 10am on December 26: Phuket’s Patong beach, Kamala beach and Mai Khao morgue, Phang Nga’s Bang Nieng and Ban Nam Khem beach, Krabi’s Phi Phi Island and Trang’s Chao Mai beach.

In the afternoon, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra will attend a ceremony to lay a foundation stone for the tsunami monument at Phang Nga’s Khao Lak-Lam Ru National Park. At 8.20pm Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya, who lost her son Poomi Jensen in the tragedy, will preside over ceremonies for six religions.

Meanwhile, Suwat dismissed a warning by Australia about possible terror attacks during events to remember the tsunami victims.

“The Australian travel warning has had no impact on our foreign guest list,” Suwat Liptapanlop, a deputy prime minister responsible for organising the anniversary commemoration events, said.

“We are not panicking or worrying, and no matter which country issues a warning, we have been reassured by our national police office that they have laid out security plans,” he said.

Piyanart Srivalo

The Nation

More than 6,500 people, including 1,359 foreign guests, will attend the tsunami memorial service in Phuket, Deputy Prime Minister Suwat Liptapanlop said yesterday.

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Some 5,000 police and soldiers will provide security and crowd control for a series of anniversary events in Thailand's tsunami-hit region next week, a senior police commander said on Tuesday.

Hmmm... almost one cop/soldier per visitor...

On Friday 23 December Andaman News on TV channel 11 at 8.30-9am will have a live interview with the Phuket Governor about the final preparations for memorial ceremonies on the 26th; plus a special report for the year past on the Tsunami Volunteer Centre;

NEXT MONDAY 26 DECEMBER ANDAMAN NEWS WILL BROADCAST LIVE FROM PATONG BEACH FOR THE MORNING TSUNAMI MEMORIAL CEREMONIES, WITH MORE ENGLISH COMMENTARIES OR PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE DAY.

Andaman News is usually on air Mondays to Fridays, at 8.30-9am, in English, with the latest local Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi news, reports, interviews and weather forecasts on local TV Channel 11 (VHF dial) AND NOW ON CABLE, NATIONWIDE & WORLDWIDE THROUGH THE LINK HERE: www.prd.go.th/mcic/radio/ram/live_tv11.ram

and also on Radio Thailand FM90.5 in Phuket, Phang Nga & Krabi., plus text and mini-videos on www.thaisnews.com

Hmmm... almost one cop/soldier per visitor... 

 

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Probably, one bar girl per visitor.