The disastrous tsunami waves that stuck many parts of Asia on 26 December 2004 caused huge damage to 17 countries, including Thailand. It was the world?s worst natural disaster in a century, with the death toll rising to over 5,000 in Thailand and more than 280,000 in other affected countries, such as Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, the Maldives, Madagascar, Malaysia, and Myanmar.

In his address broadcast on television nationwide on 28 December 2004, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra described the massive tsunami as one of the worst natural disasters in the history of humankind. He said that the Government had learned with the deepest sadness of the tragic death of Khun Poom Jensen, the only son of Princess Ubol Ratana. Khun Poom was found among the dead victims at Khao Lak, Takua Pa District of Phang-nga Province when the unprecedented tsunami hit the shores of southern Thailand. The Prime Minister expressed his condolences to all the families of those who lost their lives in this tragic incident.

On the part of Thailand, six coastal provinces in the Andaman Sea were affected; they included Ranong, Phuket, Krabi, Phang-nga, Trang, and Satun. The Government promptly instructed the Ministry of Interior and the respective provincial governors to search for and rescue the victims. Police and military forces, civilians, local officials, and volunteers were called to join relief operations. The Government also sent ships and aircraft to help evacuate people from the sea and various islands.

Following the incident, medical teams were sent to provide immediate treatment for affected people. Foreign embassies and consulates were asked to join Thai officials in identifying foreign casualties. The Government issued temporary passports for the affected foreign nationals who lost important documents. It also provided temporary shelter for them in Bangkok, while they were waiting to return to their homeland.

Moreover, the Government called for assistance from the people by opening hot lines. Many people from all over the world asked for information from the hot lines. The Prime Minister assigned Cabinet members to take charge of various special missions to ease the hardship of people. In this connection, a southern rehabilitation committee was formed, and the Cabinet approved the Ministry of Finance?s proposal to offer tax reductions for affected people. All state-owned banks were told to provide urgent financial assistance as well.

Prime Minister Thaksin and his Cabinet visited the South to tackle head-on this tragic devastation. The Prime Minister?s Office issued an order appointing a fact-finding committee to investigate the tsunami catastrophe, and set guidelines and offer recommendations for disaster prevention and mitigation. Thai volunteers and foreign experts worked together to search for the missing and to care for the survivors, without any discrimination.

His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej donated 30 million baht from his personal fund through the Rajaprajanugroh Foundation under royal patronage to help the tsunami victims. Concerned over the affected people, he called on Thai people to unite in handling the situation, saying that unity among the people would make the tackling of problems easier.

A number of foreign governments and international organizations sent their messages of condolence to Thailand. Several countries, such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Norway, Japan, and Germany, sent their ministers to Thailand to offer assistance in tsunami recovery. Many foreign tourists affected by the tsunami said that they were satisfied with assistance offered by the Thai government. Since they had seen and experienced ?nam chai,? literally meaning ?outpouring of the heart,? shown by Thai people in their assistance for the tsunami-affected people, they confirmed that they would come back and spend their holidays in Thailand again. Thais were said to have responded humanely and selflessly to the misery of tsunami victims.

Thailand was admired by the United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, for its ability to promptly cope with the tsunami disaster. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, self-reliance in terms of budget and personnel was cited as a major factor enabling Thailand to deal with the situation effectively. The situation in Thailand differed from that in other tsunami-affected countries, since many foreign tourists lost their lives in the incident here. Taking into account assistance and information provided for foreigners, Thailand was quite successful in handling the disaster.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was informed that Mr. Jan Eckmann, a Swiss student, submitted a letter to the Royal Thai Embassy in Switzerland, expressing his thanks to the Thai government and people for their help and efficient relief operations in the disaster. Mr. Eckmann was on holiday with his family in Phuket and Phang-nga when the tsunami waves rushed in. All members of his family were safe and received aid from the Thai government in terms of food, accommodation, air tickets, and necessary documents. He said that the lack of warning measures alone should not be blamed for the casualties, since the cause of the natural disaster was beyond control. However, he confirmed that he and his family would visit Thailand again, for its prominent for beautiful scenery and the hospitality of the people. The Eckmann family also gave an interview on the tsunami in Thailand for the SF 1 television station, which is a popular German-language channel in Switzerland.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also revealed that Mrs. Darina Belicova, a Slovak woman, had sent a letter to Prime Minister Thaksin expressing her admiration to the Thai government and people for their help to tsunami victims. Mrs. Belicova and her husband spent their holidays in Krabi Province when the tsunami hit the Andaman coast. The couple, as well as other tourists, received prompt assistance in terms of food, medical care, and relief and rescue operations. Mrs. Belicova said that she was impressed by the excellent operations of various Thai agencies, especially their process of moving injured persons to military aircraft. She had good understanding about the difficult task, since she and her husband were mountain climbers. She thanked Prime Minister Thaksin, saying that he should take pride in leading this wonderful country, where people are brave and serve as good hosts. Mrs. Belicova said that she intended to come back and spend her holidays in Thailand again soon.

The Cabinet, during its meeting on 11 January 2005 in Chiang Rai, approved three strategies for tourism rehabilitation in the six tsunami-affected provinces on the Andaman coast.

The first strategy, consisting of immediate and medium-term plans, seeks to restore tourist destinations and develop tourism resources. The immediate plan, which was completed within one to three months, involved a clean-up campaign, the improvement of infrastructure, and the development of major tourist spots, such as Khao Lak, Kamala beach, Pa Tong beach, and the Phi Phi islands. Stricter law enforcement was imposed on land use and construction controls.

The medium-term plan, to be implemented within one to two years, focuses on rehabilitating the worst-hit tourist destinations, so that they would have a new image as sustainable tourist attractions. Campgrounds would be arranged in natural attractions to accommodate visitors during the tourist season. Marine resources, such as coral reefs and sea grass, would be restored as near as possible to their original state. Tourism operators would be provided with assistance, so that they could continue their businesses. Some of the worst-hit sites, such as the Phi Phi islands, would be selected as special zones for sustainable tourism development. In this connection, a master plan would be mapped out to ensure safety for tourists and develop the areas into world-class tourist destinations. In addition, locations on the Gulf of Thailand would be developed as alternative attractions for international visitors.

The second strategy seeks to turn the crisis into an opportunity by enhancing the quality of tourism services to international standards. Emphasis was placed on ?Thainess? and the development of local people?s quality of life. Under the immediate plan, a campaign would be launched on a continual basis with an emphasis on ?Thai hospitality.? Public health measures were implemented to prevent disease outbreaks in the affected areas. No disease outbreak was found in any of the tsunami-affected areas, although the problem of economic impacts to the tourism industry was a major cause of concern. Following the incident, an early warning system was installed and a ?Bay Watch? was arranged at all tourist sites on the Andaman coast.

As for the medium-term plan, the Tsunami Memorial would be constructed as a study center in the form of an interactive museum. A comprehensive early warning system would be established, linking with other local and international networks. Basic education would be adjusted with the inclusion of knowledge about natural disasters and disaster mitigation in school curricula.

The third strategy calls for tourism marketing promotion, so that the six affected provinces will be able to maintain their markets. Regarding the immediate plan, related government agencies issued an official announcement to express condolences to the relatives of the tsunami victims. Public relations campaigns have been carried out to restore the confidence of both tourism operators and tourists. A special offer package was proposed to the Asian market and other markets that have been less affected. Both public and private organizations have been urged to organize meetings or seminars in the six provinces, while event marketing activities will be introduced in the areas.

The Cabinet also approved the formation of a committee for tourism rehabilitation on the Andaman coast. The committee would serve as an effective mechanism for tourism management in the affected areas.

In January, a group of media people and representatives of tour agencies from Japan were invited to visit the affected areas. After Japan, members of the press from the European Union came to see tourism rehabilitation there. The six affected provinces suffered about 40 billion baht in damage. These provinces generated about 160 billion baht in tourism income to Thailand each year. The amount accounts for 24 percent of the country?s total revenue from tourism. Several promotions have also been launched to Andaman attractions with special discounts.

Less than five weeks after southern Thailand was hit by the worst-ever natural disaster, Thailand?s Ministry of Tourism and Sports and the World Tourism Organization (WTO) organized jointly the Emergency Session of the WTO Executive Council in Phuket Province. After the session, the Phuket Action Plan was adopted to bring fast recovery to the tsunami-hit countries and rebuild their tourism industries.

The Chairman of the WTO Executive Council and South Korea?s Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mr. Chung Dong-chea, told a press conference that the South Korean government agreed to provide US0,000 for the implementation of the Phuket Action Plan. In addition to this, South Korea would contribute another million for recovery. Other international agencies and governments also agreed to share the burden of easing hardship of the affected countries. The Phuket Action Plan consists of five major operational areas, namely marketing and communication, community relief, professional training, sustainable development, and risk management.

Meanwhile, a report from the Office of Tourism Development, Ministry of Tourism and Sports, shows that the tsunami disaster also has had an impact on the foreign filming business in Thailand. Each year, around 100 foreign films are shot in Phuket, Phang-nga, and Krabi, the three foremost tourist destinations in southern Thailand. From January to March 2005, Thailand?s income from foreign filming dropped by 14 percent against that of the same period last year.

The December 26 tsunami caused damage not only to the lives and property of millions of people but also to the environment. Thailand has made strong efforts to rehabilitate the environment in the affected areas on the Andaman coast. It remains committed to bringing confidence back to its coastal communities and visitors, both local and foreign.

Among the six southern provinces that were hit, the famous Phuket Island sustained very little damage when compared with the five other provinces. The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, was among the first agencies to get to the affected areas to help in environmental rehabilitation. Its officials dived down into the Andaman Sea to remove debris and clear piles of wreckage left by the massive waves. In addition, the Department has played an important role in reviving coral and protecting it from destruction.

Thailand is listed among the few countries in the world with splendid coral reefs, which comprise lines of stony external skeletons formed by living coral. A coral reef is important to the marine food chain, as it serves as a habitat and food source for marine animals.

Director-General of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources Maitree Duangsawasdi said that, fortunately, an assessment of the environmental impact showed that only 5 to 10 percent of the coral reefs in the Andaman Sea were damaged by the tsunami. In an attempt to protect the coral reefs, the Department launched a project to install and repair buoys in front of Patong beach in Phuket. The project has expanded to cover other areas as well, such as Kata and Karon beaches, which have recovered quickly.

Due to the impact of the tsunami, a number of buoys were damaged. The Department has repaired them and they are now functioning normally. More buoys have also been installed in several areas to provide greater protection for coral reefs. There are two types of buoys. The first one is yellow and is used to mark the coral reef line. The second type, to which boats can be tied, is orange. These floating objects anchored to the bottom of the seas are also designed for swimmers or divers to grasp in order to keep them from trampling on the coral.

Before the Department started the work on buoy installation, it had sought the opinion of local people on suitable spots. It believes that when villagers agree with the sites for installation, they will be ready to give a helping hand and take care of the buoys. Most of the prime diving sites now offer better diving because of the improved environmental situation.

At the 10th meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical, and Technological Advice on the Convention on Biological Diversity on 7 February 2005, Permanent Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment Petipong Pungbun Na Ayudhya said that the tsunami disaster reminded people of their vulnerability to the forces of nature. The human cost of the natural disaster was tremendous, and at the same time, the loss of biodiversity was likely to be significant. He said that journalists were impressed by how effectively mangrove forests and coral reefs helped reduce impacts from the tsunami.

Thailand is taking the opportunity to improve coastal and marine resources management in the affected coastal provinces by promoting sustainable tourism industry.

In the aftermath of the tsunami disaster, a number of international meetings were held to address the issue. These meetings stressed the importance of international cooperation in establishing early warning systems to safeguard the lives and livelihood of the people.

At the Special ASEAN Leaders? Meeting on the Aftermath of the Earthquake and Tsunami, held in Jakarta, Indonesia, on 6 January 2005, Mr. Surakiart Sathirathai, who was then the Foreign Minister, cited knowledge and early warning as the keys to disaster prevention. In his statement, the Foreign Minister proposed an effective, functioning, real-time early warning system that would cover the Indian Ocean in the same manner as the system used in the Asia-Pacific region. He also proposed that the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center in Thailand be enlarged and utilized as a focal point to develop such a regional early warning system. This center was established in 1986 and comprises about 30 member countries with the requisite geographical and political footprint, including ASEAN, South Asia, and Northeast Asia. It also has not only the necessary infrastructure, organizational and legal, and qualified human resources, but also the experience and expertise in building awareness and training on early warning and disaster management.

Thailand suggested that priority should be given to the enhancement of the awareness of the threat posed by natural disasters through education, such as by integrating disaster management into the curricula of schools for those who have not done so. Unfortunately, disaster prevention awareness had not been integrated into Thailand?s general education or the tourism industry. In addition, tsunamis had never happened in Thailand before. People just did not know what the warning signs were and what to do next. This was in contrast to the tribal group called the Morgan, who live on the southern Surin islands off Phuket Island. With their traditional knowledge handed down from their sea-roaming forefathers, the Morgan villagers were able to detect the first signs of receding water and take refuge in the hills without any loss of life. There were other instances in some resorts where people with knowledge of tsunamis noticed its early sign and advised everyone to vacate the beaches. It has been well proven that 10 minutes advance warning could save hundreds of lives.

Thailand called for more transfer of technology and capacity-building on disaster monitoring and assessment. The country earlier discussed obtaining technical assistance from the United States, since it was prepared to set up an early warning and monitoring systems of its own.

The tsunami summit in Jakarta issued a declaration endorsing debt relief to help affected nations and backing a tsunami warning system to save lives in the future. Thailand handed over one million US dollars towards the humanitarian relief efforts in some of the affected countries.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology organized a two-day Ministerial Meeting on Regional Cooperation on Tsunami Early Earning Arrangements in Phuket on 28 and 29 January 2005. Participants in the meeting were from the 10 ASEAN countries and from India, Sri Lanka, Maldives, and Timor-Leste, which were affected by the December 26 tsunami. Many other countries, as well as international organizations, also joined the meeting.

The ministerial meeting concluded with the issuance of the Phuket Ministerial Declaration, which underlined the need to invest in preparedness, in particular early warning, to reduce losses from similar disasters in the future. It indicated that an effective early warning system should contain risk assessment, hazard monitoring and detection, prediction and formulation of warnings, dissemination and communication of warning messages, and knowledge and preparedness to act. It thus requires not only technology, but also adequate supporting infrastructure that provides for awareness, information and knowledge sharing, and training. Any tsunami early warning system must be integrated into existing hazard warning systems to promote a multi-hazard approach, and be integrated into national development plans.

In the declaration, participants in the meeting recognized the readiness of the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center to serve as a regional center or focal point for a multi-nodal tsunami early warning arrangement in the region, working with relevant national and regional institutions. They also welcomed Thailand?s pledge of the amount of million as seed money for a Voluntary Trust Fund on Tsunami Early Warning Arrangements in the India Ocean and Southeast Asia.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Thaksin said that Thailand needs support in terms of modern techniques and proper methods of rehabilitating natural resources for sustainable development. Several countries, such as Australia and Japan, have offered assistance for Thailand in this regard. He revealed that Thailand?s first tsunami detection outpost had been established in the Similan archipelago by the Royal Thai Navy, a step taken immediately after the tsunami. The outpost was also the first of many steps to develop a comprehensive national tsunami early warning system.

Thailand?s National Disaster Warning Center was officially opened on 30 May 2005 on Ratanathibet Road in Nonthaburi Province. It is expected to be fully complete by the end of 2006. Thailand is the first among the tsunami-hit countries to make significant progress in disaster prevention.

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, in his weekly radio address on 30 April 2005, stressed the need for Thailand to conduct tsunami evacuation drills.He told the radio audience about his visit to Phuket on April 29 to observe a tsunami evacuation exercise. Phuket was the first tsunami-hit province to launch the drill in line with a master plan for tsunami evacuation in the six coastal provinces. The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation was entrusted with mapping out the master plan after the December 26 tsunami catastrophe. After Phuket, other provinces, namely Phang-nga, Krabi, Trang, Ranong, and Satun, would launch their drills as well.

The Prime Minister said that the existing early warning system was efficient enough to give information about the earthquake situation. The Government was installing a buoy system to make the early warning system complete, linking with a similar system in other countries. He explained that when an earthquake occurred, a signal would be sent through mobile phones, radio, and television to inform the people. As for those who are at the beach without these things at hand, they would hear a siren from a disaster-warning tower.

Three warning towers had been set up at Patong beach in Phuket. The Prime Minister said that a German company constructed these towers for Phuket free of charge. A large number of people, business operators, tourists, volunteers, and officials took part in the country?s first-ever tsunami evacuation drill. Members of the diplomatic corps and several ministers also observed the drill. Prime Minister Thaksin thanked all parties for their cooperation in the evacuation exercise, saying that Thailand was ready to show to the world at large that its major tourist destinations were safe, as they were equipped with efficient disaster warning systems. He said that the Government would support all educational institutions in the country to provide education on tsunami.

After the evacuation exercise in Phuket, the Prime Minister proceeded to Phang-nga to be presented with 229 town houses, built by the private sector for tsunami-affected people. The general public had donated a fund for the house construction through a television channel and the stock market. He revealed that each house cost about 300,000 baht on average and said that the house construction reflected the outpouring of generosity from Thai people in the face of this human tragedy.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Kantathi Suphamongkhon expressed Thailand?s appreciation to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) for its assistance and task of post-tsunami development. In his statement on April 29 at the inauguration of the UNDP Regional Center in Bangkok, Mr. Kantathi suggested that the UNDP Regional Center should work closely with the Bangkok-based Asian Disaster Preparedness Center in the area of disaster prevention.