Phuket officials will spend over B1.5 million on Tsunami 10th anniversary

The fateful 2004 Tsunami killed an estimated 230,000 – 280,000 lives across the Indian Ocean. Photo Daniele Valdifiori.

PHUKET: Officials plan to spend more than B1.5 million to mark the 10th Anniversary of the Asian Tsunami, which killed close to quarter of a million people around the Bay of Bengal, around 10,000 of them along Thailand’s Andaman coast.

The main event will be a full-scale evacuation practice involving Rawai, Patong and Kamala. The latter two were the places on Phuket worst hit in the December 26, 2004, catastrophe.

At a meeting on Friday morning (November 21) at the Governor’s private office, also attended by Phuket Provincial Administration Organisation President Paiboon Upatising and a variety of officers, the Department of Information, Deputy Director-General, Russ Jalichandra, explained, “Boosting confidence is our main reason for marking the 10th anniversary of the Tsunami.”

He explained that the main government memorial event will take place at the site in Khao Lak where the Royal Thai Navy patrol boat 813, washed in by the Tsunami, still sits, 800 metres from the sea.

“The Ministry of Foreign will invite 23 consuls to join the event and we plan to have live broadcast through national and local media, and international media such as the BBC and CNN.

“VIP guests will help us broadcast the memorial event so that everyone will understand that we have not forgotten,” he explained.

The Governor’s office will contribute B400,000 to support events in Phuket, and the OrBorJor will put in at least B1 million.

“The event is a memorial [to those who died in the] tsunami. It’s not something to celebrate. It’s a sad situation so we should not make it fun,” said Gov Nisit.

The meeting concluded with a decision to hold an event to remember the 10th anniversary, with a full rehearsal the day before (December 25).

“The warning tower will send out evacuation drills in Patong, Kamala and Rawai. The drill will include all relevant staff, food and a control centre,” he added.

“This will notify all tourists and locals to follow safety measures and reassure them that they still work, in case another tsunami kicks off in Phuket,” he explained.

Phuket officials will use the media to inform the public that the drill is not real, “The media will play a very important part, if they are not involved people may not be aware that it is just a rehearsal,” Gov Nisit noted.

The anniversary will commence with the traditional ceremony to honour those who lost their lives with a ceremony at the Tsunami Memorial Wall in Mai Khao. It will then be followed by a traditional “Light Up Phuket” candle-lighting ceremony on Patong Beach, supported by OrBorJor Phuket.

The tsunami on December 26, 2004, killed 5,398 people, with more than 3,700 people who went missing when the waves struck Phuket. In total, the disaster claimed an estimated 230,000 to 280,000 lives across the Indian Ocean.

In Phuket, hundreds of tourists, expats, local residents and migrant workers died or went missing. In addition, hundreds also died on Koh Phi Phi, where the devastation was horrific. In Phang Nga province, north of Phuket, the death toll reached the thousands.

The ceremony at the Tsunami Memorial Wall in Mai Khao on December 26 will be a multi-faith service, and wreaths will be laid along the wall.

At 6:30pm, the annual Light Up Phuket candle-lighting ceremony will be held on Patong Beach. Each year, thousands of people turn out to dig holes in the sand and place lit candles within to remember the tsunami victims.

“For this year, we plan to play Gospel music at night during December 26 to 28 – a special project offered by the OrBorJor,” said Mr Paiboon Upatising.

“We have spent about B1 – 1.5 million each year, but for this year, we plan to spend a bit more to support the 10th anniversary,” he added.

All guests are invited to join the event.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-officials-will-spend-over-b1-5-million-on-tsunami-10th-anniversary-49774.php

-- Phuket News 2014-11-23

Lest ee forget

That's really not much, especially considering that much of the plan is a preparedness exercise.

Spending all that mney when they haven't even finished 'rebuilding' is a shame. Some areas still have not fully recovered crazy.

Lest ee forget

Indeed....many don't realise the magnitude of these numbers because they all occurred in a relatively short time frame.

To put it into perspective, more US citizens are killed on the roads every single year than were killed in the Viet Nam war in total, or so I have read. Anyway you get the picture. The nation was mobilised (rightly so IMHO) to get out of the war...but accept the road toll.

How many people died when the twin towers were attacked?......doesn't even come close to the numbers perishing in the Tsunami. But then again it was in a far away country full of foreigners.

Not having a go at the US - every country is the same.

That's peanuts in view of all the international donation money that went missing or the millions of Baht spent on unnecessary "refurbishments".

"The warning towers will send out evacuation drills" so long as nobody has nicked the batteries and wiring again!!

Surprised Nai Yang wasn't mentioned....not so many deaths as its a much quieter tourist area but as a holiday town it was almost eradicated!!

Why dont we have a "murdered foreigners memorial" along with a "jet ski rip off memorial"

Oh I forgot they wont shine out like this memorial showing the world Thailands "caring side"

The Americans gave a early Tsunami warning BOUY out in sea, That needed replacement of batteries every 2 year,, and it took many years before was changed , if remember right , it was not working for over 3 years before batteries was changed , and now i think is time again to change this batteries.

Having a memorial service is a good thing, but is having an evacuation drill on Xmas day really feasible or wise. How exactly will "The Media" inform tourists, just recently arrived that it is a drill and not a real evacuation.

I hope the day is well remembered.

The tsunami was horrific on the Thailand kohs and more so because no warning and the failure of Thailand having a tested early warning system. There was no evacuation plan and no knowledgeable hotel staff. Inadequate response from Thailand government and their refusal for help. But the hours and days following this tragedy would bring relentless horror to those families who's love ones were creamated without first being identified. Sorrow on top of Sorrow. For them and the love ones that were swept away and never found there is no closure. I pray for each victim and every family who lost love ones.

The "memorial" would be enhanced by using this opportunity to get rid of the scammers off the beaches! Perhaps I am just an optimistic tourist?

maybe some official have a great idea and dumb a big bomb in the sea nearby, thus creating a

MAGICAL little tsunami