JW
I am now in Patong Beach, Phuket, and thought I would post this to give a perspective of how the locals see things from here.............
The devastation is something that I just could not imagine until I saw it personally. I came to the region, as I have many friends here and lost contact with many of them when the quake struck last week. It seemed grossly incorrect that I should remain in my cossetted existence in Dubai, whilst those whom I cared for were possibly dead or in terrible suffering.
From the moment I reached Bangkok Airport, it was clear that the international community was mobilised to help. The airport was swarming with uniformed personnel form various international relief agencies and fire rescue crews (on my internal flight to Phuket, it was mainly French personnel), as well as media from every imaginable location.
Upon reaching Phuket Airport itself at midnight on 31st December 2004, no celebrations, other than those who had just landed on the same flight as me, quietly hugging each other in a dignified way, to mark the passing of an old year. However, the task in hand remained at the forefront of everyone's mind.
Upon reaching Patong Beach itself (the site of most of the devastation), the entire town inland was ablaze with the sight of fireworks, and the deafening sound of them was somehow surreal given the circumstances.
The local Thai people remained forever smiling, and I was re-united with some friends who had simply been unable to make contact with me in the preceding week. However, behind the smiles, was very clearly a strained expression and pain deep in their eyes and minds - you would need to be here and know the locals and their ways to fully understand what I am meaning.
Life tries to continue as normal - but it cannot really. The stench is terrible. The devastation is real - it looks just as it does when I saw it a few days ago on BBC World. I don't know why I expected it to be different when I actually got here. All over the town on lamp posts and billboards, there are messages posted for missing persons. It's terribly sad.
And, it is entirely "freaky" somehow to be sitting quitely in bar in a largely deserted holiday resort. Thge music still plays. The shows still go on. Playing largely to empty seats.
And it is even more "freaky" to be sitting in those same bars, and see household names from the BBC, Sky, ITN all walking past me, with their crews and cameras and photographers with their sophisticated cameras carried in bags which appear larger than some Thai homes!!!!!
ITN announced here the night before last that they would be doing a piece on how the local gay community was helping disater victims, by having the famous lady-boys parading in the street, rattling cans and collecting donations for the victims and survivors.
The locals are all bemused my the media presence, but are daily increasingly taking it in their stride.
I was amazed - and slightly amused to be honest - when one Thai friend of mine, pointed to one particular crew that walked past and said 'Oh, those are from Sky News in London......", almost as if it was normal.
They appreciate the seriousness with which the media has handled this story and the sensitivity with which all anchors currently here appear to have shown when presenting live from the beach.
Their biggest concern is about being suddenly forgotten when the next big news story breaks elsewhere. That is probably a reality though.
Are there any plans back in Europe to have a Live Aid type event to help the victims? Isn't someone planning such an event? I think it would go a long way to helping more.
James
The devastation is something that I just could not imagine until I saw it personally. I came to the region, as I have many friends here and lost contact with many of them when the quake struck last week. It seemed grossly incorrect that I should remain in my cossetted existence in Dubai, whilst those whom I cared for were possibly dead or in terrible suffering.
From the moment I reached Bangkok Airport, it was clear that the international community was mobilised to help. The airport was swarming with uniformed personnel form various international relief agencies and fire rescue crews (on my internal flight to Phuket, it was mainly French personnel), as well as media from every imaginable location.
Upon reaching Phuket Airport itself at midnight on 31st December 2004, no celebrations, other than those who had just landed on the same flight as me, quietly hugging each other in a dignified way, to mark the passing of an old year. However, the task in hand remained at the forefront of everyone's mind.
Upon reaching Patong Beach itself (the site of most of the devastation), the entire town inland was ablaze with the sight of fireworks, and the deafening sound of them was somehow surreal given the circumstances.
The local Thai people remained forever smiling, and I was re-united with some friends who had simply been unable to make contact with me in the preceding week. However, behind the smiles, was very clearly a strained expression and pain deep in their eyes and minds - you would need to be here and know the locals and their ways to fully understand what I am meaning.
Life tries to continue as normal - but it cannot really. The stench is terrible. The devastation is real - it looks just as it does when I saw it a few days ago on BBC World. I don't know why I expected it to be different when I actually got here. All over the town on lamp posts and billboards, there are messages posted for missing persons. It's terribly sad.
And, it is entirely "freaky" somehow to be sitting quitely in bar in a largely deserted holiday resort. Thge music still plays. The shows still go on. Playing largely to empty seats.
And it is even more "freaky" to be sitting in those same bars, and see household names from the BBC, Sky, ITN all walking past me, with their crews and cameras and photographers with their sophisticated cameras carried in bags which appear larger than some Thai homes!!!!!
ITN announced here the night before last that they would be doing a piece on how the local gay community was helping disater victims, by having the famous lady-boys parading in the street, rattling cans and collecting donations for the victims and survivors.
The locals are all bemused my the media presence, but are daily increasingly taking it in their stride.
I was amazed - and slightly amused to be honest - when one Thai friend of mine, pointed to one particular crew that walked past and said 'Oh, those are from Sky News in London......", almost as if it was normal.
They appreciate the seriousness with which the media has handled this story and the sensitivity with which all anchors currently here appear to have shown when presenting live from the beach.
Their biggest concern is about being suddenly forgotten when the next big news story breaks elsewhere. That is probably a reality though.
Are there any plans back in Europe to have a Live Aid type event to help the victims? Isn't someone planning such an event? I think it would go a long way to helping more.
James