Phuket tragedy

[Eric_Olthwaite 0]

I am sure everyone here will join me in offering up a little prayer for the people of Phuket and Phi Phi.

[Kinnie 0]

I am sure everyone here will join me in offering up a little prayer for the people of Phuket and Phi Phi.

Sure Eric,

 

I wondered If anybody knew how the tings are going now on this moment in Pattaya ? My parents are currently there !

 

Thanks for reply or news on kinnie200@yahoo.com

 

Kinnie

[davethailand 91]

Sure Eric,

 

I wondered If anybody knew how the tings are going now on this moment in Pattaya ? My parents are currently there !

 

Thanks for reply or news on kinnie200@yahoo.com

 

Kinnie

Don't worry Pattaya is completely un-affected.

 

I'm with you Eric. :crying

[BarrioRunner 0]

My prayers go out to all that are suffering right now.

[RICHERTS 0]

It hits hard when you know that you were in that beach just 5 weeks ago. Everything along that seafront must be gone by now.

My heart goes out to all those affected by this disaster not only in Thailand but Indonesia,India and Sri Lanka.

Our prayers are with them all.

 

Ric

[laffnliv 78]

Pattaya is OK. I called there early this morning when I heard of the disaster. My lady tells me all is OK. No high water. Said they felt the earth move a little. Hell. I felt the earth move when I first heard of the calamity and before details unfolded about the areas affected. Scared hell out of me! Was an emotional relief to heard my lady's voice when I called.

Death toll now above 11000 - and rising. Number of injured,....impossible to know at this stage.

Roy

[cowboy 0]

Talked to my wife a couple of hours ago. She said TV reports in pattaya are saying more than 100 falang died in phuket, hundreds more injured. With all the different scuba trips and islands etc off of phuket it will take days until the true damage and suffering in terms of human life are known.

[PSBG 0]

The sad lost of lifes is a terrible tragey and for sure everybody is with you Eric.

 

The Thai authorities have instructed the tourist to leave the region (the rescue effects require it).

 

What it follow it will be the pain of the so many people affected for this disaster in the south, specially small business, people who survives the rest of the year thanks to the high season. I guess the opportunity to help in some way it will come.

 

I wonder if there is any other way to assist at the moment. Blood donation is one of them. Any idea if this is being organized somewhere?

[Mescalito 19]

My heart goes out to all the people affected by this tragedy, locals and falang alike. The devastation and loss of life defies the imagination. I realize that by comparison, what few troubles exist in my own life are so insigificant as to not be worth mentioning.

 

I genuinely grieve for the people whose land and culture has so dramatically changed my life for the better.

[daves 0]

our thoughts go out to everyone affected by this terrible event.

 

an appeal has been launched by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies: http://www.ifrc.org/index.asp

[Eric_Olthwaite 0]

My girlfriend in Pattaya is very upset at the loss of Prince Bhumi, the 21 year old grandson of the King. Odd that none of the media (at least here in the UK) seem to have picked up on that particular story.

[rkt 0]

My girlfriend in Pattaya is very upset at the loss of Prince Bhumi, the 21 year old grandson of the King. Odd that none of the media (at least here in the UK) seem to have picked up on that particular story.

i'm sure they have, but at the moment he is just one of 55,000. i can understand your girlfriends grief, the thais really worship there king,and i am sure when the final death toll is reached ( wich will be impossible ) he will be mentioned along with many other notable people who have been killed in this monstrous disaster, my prayers go out to all of them.

 

 

regards raykaytat.

[stiffler 0]

My heart goes out to EVERYONE affected by this terrible, terrible disaster! its looking like the worlds worst disaster EVER and its going to take alot of relief effort to help all countries affected!!!

I urge everyone if they can to donate what ever they can in this very sad and difficult time!!!

 

Stiffler.

[Trvlr 50]

Terrible diasater though it is, it is not the world's worst by a long shot. The Bangladesh cyclone of 1970 killed at least 500,000. There was no tsunami that I know of, but the death toll was so high for similar reasons - the storm surge caused the sea to rise and wipe out everyone in low-lying islands..

Life hangs on by a thread, and we dont realize we are lucky to be alive until something like this happens...

[Eric_Olthwaite 0]

Tsunami email hoaxer admits guilt

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/lincolnshire/4142463.stm

 

I know it's easy to over-react, and I know I should stick to my New Year's resolution and rise above these things, but after due consideration I think someone really ought to find this Cxnt and beat nine kinds of shit out of him.

 

[rkt 0]

The world is united as it as never been before, i hope this continues long after this monstrous dissaster.

 

Were are the megga rich arab countries.

 

I might be mistaken but i havne't heard one of these countries mentioned pledging aid to ther fellow faith and religeious brothers ?.

[Bazle 1,483]

Where are the mega rich Arab countries?

 

I might be mistaken but I haven't heard one of these countries mentioned pledging aid to their fellow faith and religious brothers.

It doesn't surprise me we haven't heard anything; it's not the sort of thing that gets much publicity. So you have to enquire. I did a quick Google search re Saudi and it appears they are giving $10m (report copied below). Relatively, it does not sound very much, but better than nothing.

 

Four Countries to Benefit From Saudi Tsunami Aid

Mohammed Rasooldeen • Arab News

 

RIYADH, 3 January 2005 — The Kingdom will dispatch relief supplies to four countries affected by tsunamis that killed more than 150,000 people and rendered millions homeless.

“The countries chosen for aid by the Kingdom include Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Maldives,” a spokesman at the Ministry of Finance told Arab News, adding that two planeloads of relief materials have already been sent to Colombo in the past two days.

Of the two cargo flights to Thailand, one will leave for Bangkok today. He said Indonesia and Sri Lanka would receive at least five consignments, while Thailand and Maldives will get two and one flight load of relief aid respectively.

“Currently, we are working out the flight schedules of these cargo planes in coordination with the respective countries,” the official added.

On hearing the news of devastation, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd, Crown Prince Abdullah and Prince Sultan sent cables of condolences to the leaders of Indonesia, Thailand, India and Sri Lanka expressing shock over the casualties and damage caused by the earthquake-triggered tsunamis.

On Tuesday, Saudi Arabia pledged a $10 million aid package to the victims of the disaster. Under the program, $5 million worth of supplies including food, tents and medicines will be airlifted and distributed through the Saudi Red Crescent to the four countries during the course of this week. Officials from the Ministries of Finance, Health, Information and the Saudi Red Crescent will accompany the cargo to the four destinations.

“The aid will be handed over to the International Red Cross Society (ICRC) through the Saudi foreign missions in the respective countries,” the spokesman said.

In addition to various relief supplies, each consignment comprises 1,500 tents, 7,000 blankets and 2,000 packages of dry rations which includes rice, sugar, oil, milk and infant foods.

Thanking the Saudi government for its generous gesture, First Secretary at the Indonesian Embassy Arif Suyoko said the Saudi aid will reach Medan International Airport in the north of Sumatra island.

“This airport is only 400 km away from the devastated area of Aceh and the supplies could reach the victims quickly,” the diplomat said. “To speed up transportation of relief materials by aid workers from donor countries, Indonesia has issued 50 flight clearances and the accompanying passengers have also been granted visa-on-arrival facility,” Suyoko added.

“The Kingdom has been prompt in coming to the rescue of my country whenever there is a crisis,” said Mohammed Lootfi, the second secretary at the Thailand Embassy. He pointed out that some 4,500 people have been killed due to the monster waves and a large number have been left homeless.