Phuket Tidal Wave - How bad?

Hi All,

I'm was supposed to go to Thailand in two days.
But now that a tidal wave has hit,
http://www.news.com.au/common/story_...5E1702,00.html
and divers are missing,
http://www.news.com.au/common/story_...5E1702,00.html
I am wondering how much damage was done and will it be worthwhile going?


No. I have not forgotten about the dead. Condolences to their families.

To all who are concerned about the passengers, crew and staff of Ocean Rover
Dive Cruises. . At the time of the disaster the boat was, and continues to
be, in Myanmar Mergui Archipelago which was unaffected by the tidal waves.

Management is in continuous contact with the boat via satellite phone. The
office and office infrastructure is intact. Communications in Phuket are
very limited at this time. Updates will be posted if necessary.


"Darth" <darth@home.com> wrote in message
news:41cea4a7$0$14485$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
> Hi All,
>
> I'm was supposed to go to Thailand in two days.
> But now that a tidal wave has hit,
> http://www.news.com.au/common/story_...5E1702,00.html
> and divers are missing,
> http://www.news.com.au/common/story_...5E1702,00.html
> I am wondering how much damage was done and will it be worthwhile going?
>
>
> No. I have not forgotten about the dead. Condolences to their families.
>

Call your travel agent. I wouldn't plan on going.




On Sun, 26 Dec 2004 19:45:47 +0800, "Darth" <darth@home.com> wrote:

>Hi All,
>
>I'm was supposed to go to Thailand in two days.
>But now that a tidal wave has hit,
>http://www.news.com.au/common/story_...5E1702,00.html
>and divers are missing,
>http://www.news.com.au/common/story_...5E1702,00.html
>I am wondering how much damage was done and will it be worthwhile going?
>
>
>No. I have not forgotten about the dead. Condolences to their families.
>

It is a lot worse than we first expected so we are cancelling the trip. The
problem now is that it is a public holiday today and tomorrow and the travel
agent and insurance company are closed. Not much help when we were expected
to leave tomorrow.


"Diver" <gratefuldiver@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:008ss0ldjip5mtbci1ecfve883d2jp8fci@4ax.com...
> Call your travel agent. I wouldn't plan on going.
>
>
>
>
> On Sun, 26 Dec 2004 19:45:47 +0800, "Darth" <darth@home.com> wrote:
>
>>Hi All,
>>
>>I'm was supposed to go to Thailand in two days.
>>But now that a tidal wave has hit,
>>http://www.news.com.au/common/story_...5E1702,00.html
>>and divers are missing,
>>http://www.news.com.au/common/story_...5E1702,00.html
>>I am wondering how much damage was done and will it be worthwhile going?
>>
>>
>>No. I have not forgotten about the dead. Condolences to their families.
>>
>

Darth wrote:


>>
>>>Hi All,
>>>
>>>I'm was supposed to go to Thailand in two days.
>>>But now that a tidal wave has hit,
>>>http://www.news.com.au/common/story_...5E1702,00.html
>>>and divers are missing,
>>>http://www.news.com.au/common/story_...5E1702,00.html
>>>I am wondering how much damage was done and will it be worthwhile going?
>>>
>>>
>>>No. I have not forgotten about the dead. Condolences to their families.
>>>
>>
>
>
I don't think the diving would be very good - for a lot of reasons.
From what I saw on the telly - it is not a place I would want to be
right now. They are in a world of shit. I am sure most of the
infrastructure is in chaos.

Simon wrote:
> Joe English wrote:
>
>> Darth wrote:
>>
>>
>>>>
>>>>> Hi All,
>>>>>
>>>>> I'm was supposed to go to Thailand in two days.
>>>>> But now that a tidal wave has hit,
>>>>> http://www.news.com.au/common/story_...5E1702,00.html
>>>>>
>>>>> and divers are missing,
>>>>> http://www.news.com.au/common/story_...5E1702,00.html
>>>>>
>>>>> I am wondering how much damage was done and will it be worthwhile
>>>>> going?
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> No. I have not forgotten about the dead. Condolences to their
>>>>> families.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>> I don't think the diving would be very good - for a lot of reasons.
>> From what I saw on the telly - it is not a place I would want to be
>> right now. They are in a world of shit. I am sure most of the
>> infrastructure is in chaos.
>
>
> No idea what the diving is like but it appears that at least in Phuket
> some of the damage (although still horrific) is being over stated. We
> dived with these guys a month ago - they were right behind Kata beach so
> you would expect major damage.
>
> http://www.scubaboard.com/t82583-phu...m_a_local.html
>
>
> I also heard earlier rumours the laguna beach hotel had been pretty much
> destroyed - apparently however they currently only have about 10 rooms
> out. Sheraton even less and Banyan Tree/Allamanda guests didn't notice
> anything. Even Dusit only has about 30 of it's beach front rooms
> unusable. Patong looks a complete mess as does Kata Yai and Phi Phi Don
> appears devastated but for Phuket even Patong which looks the worst hit
> is pretty much immediately up a hill once you are over the beach road so
> it will be limited.
>
> Living in SE Asia I have been amazed by the resilience of people here.
> The Balinese after the bomb showed great fortitude and I fully believe
> the Phuket residents will be the same - I certainly hope so. I for one
> will be going as soon as possible. The tourism trade makes up
> apparently 10% of Thai GDP, they need our support in this area as well
> as immediate aid or their national disaster is going to get much worse
> in the long run. I have seen some local sites here where all LOBs are
> still going ahead. I hope people show up.
>
> Sri Lanka and others looks a different story - the damage looks far
> worse. I think the media coverage is less due to the lower
> international interest as the east side is not really a tourist
> destination, at least not to the same degree.

An update from one of the better known Phuket operators.



Here is a short report about the situation in Phuket and Khao Lak. As
most of you know already, yesterday a Tsunami hit the West-coast of
Thailand and damaged the coast line very badly.

The holiday destinations of Kata, Karon and Patong were not badly
affected and only shops and bars in direct beach front have damage.
We don't know how many lives the wave claimed but we believe most of the
tourists escaped luckily with not much more than a scare.
Ao Chalong in the South-East of Phuket and also Sea Bees were not
affected at all and all Sea Bees members and our customers are safe and
sound. Not so lucky was the destination of Khao Lak. The Tsunami hit the
coastline here much harder and damaged or destroyed most of the hotels
at the beach and beyond. There were also there many losses of life but
we don't know yet how bad it will be.
As we don't know the whole scale of the disaster we ask all Sea Bees
customers who have booked their Khao Lak holiday with us to contact us
per e-mail.
Phuket is not affected by this and the daytrips as well as the
liveaboard tours with the MV Marco Polo and the MY Genesis (destination
port now Phuket) will run on schedule.

Please contact us if you need any further information but please also be
a bit patient if it takes a bit longer with the responses.

Your Sea Bees Diving Team Phuket, 27.12.2004

I am desperately looking for my brother, Justin Ledingham and his
Fiance Seda Tekoz who were due to go diving on the 26th. They were
staying at the Princess Beach Resort on Phi Phi Island and we don't
know who they chartered their diving with. If you have any info. that
might help us locate them, it would be greatly appreciated.
Kind regards
Victoria

In article <1104329044.593281.21020@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups. com>,
<vpenfold@worldonline.co.za> wrote:

€ I am desperately looking for my brother, Justin Ledingham and his
€ Fiance Seda Tekoz who were due to go diving on the 26th. They were
€ staying at the Princess Beach Resort on Phi Phi Island and we don't
€ know who they chartered their diving with. If you have any info. that
€ might help us locate them, it would be greatly appreciated.
€ Kind regards
€ Victoria
€

Try here:

http://www.phuketitcity.com/

or here:

http://s6.invisionfree.com/quake/