Thailand

Thailand was less affected by the tsunami than India, Indonesia and Sri Lanka, but the earthquake on December 26 was still the worst to affect the country in 459 years. Thailand lost thousands of lives, and also suffered massive damage to property along coastal areas.

The coastal provinces of Ranong, Krabi, Phang Nga, Phuket, Trang and Satun were severely affected. The tsunami swept over hundreds of kilometres of Thailand’s south-western beaches, and killed over 10,000 people. It flattened villages, hotels and bungalows, carried away boats and fishing equipment and damaged corral reefs and beaches along the seashore.

The earthquake was felt significantly in the islands, and especially Phuket, Phi Phi and Ban Pak Jok. The tourist island of Phi Phi was one of the worst affected -- all survivors were encouraged to leave the island after the waves receded. Ban Pak Jok was also completely abandoned.

Although the Thai government estimated the damage caused to be around US$ 510 million, the disaster did not hit Thailand’s economy as much as it did other affected countries. But it did weaken the tourism industry -- the country’s second biggest industry -- since the tsunami struck during peak tourism season.

Apart from losing their homes and property, many tsunami affected were also troubled by both private debt and debt incurred through the government’s village-fund scheme.

Unlike Sri Lanka and Indonesia, Thailand was not interested in debt relief and wanted to maintain its credit rating. It instead suggested special tax breaks in the international market for Thai products – a kind of preferential treatment in times of duress.

Thailand has already moved forward with its recovery plan. The rubble has been completely cleared from some affected areas. Businesses and hotels that had only been slightly damaged have reopened, and more tourists are starting to arrive.

Fortunately, Thailand has relatively more advanced infrastructure that is able to cope with natural disasters. The country is making good progress in the post-tsunami period, and has also turned its attention to long-term safety precautions.

An early warning of the tsunami could have saved thousands of lives, but none was issued. The Thai government is now planning to install a tsunami warning system within a few months.