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E-mail updates from Thailand February 28, 2005 From Simon who is helping the Jamanee family on Phi Phi Island
Sawasdee The second reason is they are very local !! a little voice cannot shout loudly to big government. The third, I think they don't really have the license or something. the fourth , Government is stupid... Try helping your self first! that's what I always hear from Government. However , Government is doing not bad... Most peoples thought PhiPhi only has the main town ! so they don't really know where to stay in PhiPhi. and the main reason is that Thai people so scare the ghost ... they all afraid so no one want to go PhiPhi. The money that from all over the world!! It is just the number ( but no real money) it is not directly like you are bringing here!! many rich countries are saying Oh we donate hundred million dollars but in the real place !! we don't really see where 's the money. Most of money from Gov will be given to Phuket area , Phang Nga , PhiPhi main town. I used to ask pron about why she didn't get any helping. she gave all evidences about Tsunami destruction but the helping only arrived at Tonsai main town. Not even food!! her place is forgotten place. Anyway , it is not too bad old friends that used to stay at her place are helping her as well. As usual , Pron always say I am Fine , and then smile. If you see the photos when Tsunami hit her place!' you will say!! She has very strong heart !! I went to help some peoples to sell the package tour for a few days It was quite tired and I still lost my voice from shouting at that travel mart. that company sold a lot of packages ! it was a good sign of Similan ( 9 paradise islands) Similan is top ten of the most beautiful island on earth! I have been talking to you quite a while haha so let's me introduce myself
My thai nickname is Satung which mean money ( 100 is equal 1 Baht)
I am originally from Northeast of Thailand called Nakhonratchasima.(well
known as Korat) I have been travelling to the south many many times and
visited Tohkoh about 6 times.that's why I am low in cash right now haha OH i
can meet up you in Bangkok !! would love to meet you!!
I love travelling and taking a photo. haha
(February 28, 2005) From Tisha Dore in the US whose Father we are going to visit in Phuket. They are helping children. Subject: UPDATE ON KAMALA KIDS Hi Shanti Ð I spoke w/ my dad and Tik again tonight. One thing that needs to be updated with you and our website is the number of Kamala Kids. I transposed the numbers for grades age 7-12. There are 347 of them, not 437. Also, another update that needs to go up tomorrow is the work they are doing for the younger kids (oldest is age 6), which is called the junior class. That class has 187 students. I have re-confirmed these numbers, so weÕre good to go. I just wanted to let you know of my error and about the additional kids in the junior class. Attached are some photos of them. I probably wonÕt post them on the website b/c some of their undies are showing during nap time, but they are fine to send to you to show you how sweet they are. They are all from the same school, but the junior class has been temporarily moved a couple miles away so they can be indoors. Also, we have found that there is a 6th kid (in the junior class) that also lost both his parents. Because he was in the juniorÕs class and they were separate, the teachers did not mention him figuring his teacher would. Anyway, thatÕs how you determine needÉkeeping the dialogue going and hearing more storiesÉ We will be doing special projects for him and sponsoring him over the next year just like the others. Tik will be speaking w/ his grandma today, but FYI that his story is particularly sad. He actually lost both of his parents years ago, and was adopted by another family in the village, and then they died in the tsunami, so heÕs with their parents now. The boyÕs picture is attached here. It was taken with a Swedish volunteer who was injured as a child in a fireÉsheÕs been there on the ground helping with TikÕs efforts for the last month. Also attached are more photos of the kids. Also, while we have been doing things for both classes all along, the juniors are next in line for a gift-giving like the other class had previously. They have gotten all sorts of things, but not a Òline up, we all have something for youÓ kind of day yet. Perhaps this is what you can do with the extra money? Spoke w/ Tik about doing a similar school kit with satchel, but with coloring book, crayons, etc. Tik will figure out what is best. If you want to do something else, we still plan on giving out such a satchel with supplies for these kids, so donÕt feel pressured to do this. You can decide once you are there what will be best to do w/ the beanie baby money raised. Great job, by the way. Also, FYI, my dad says donÕt worry about picking up pens, crayons or whatever. They have it all, crayola, everything, and they can get it for cheaper! Sorry for the crazy email. I was just up with my son, and I wanted to get this info to you, but am a little blurry right now. I just wanted you to know this stuff before your event tomorrow. Please let me know if you have any questions. T: )
(February 21, 2005) From Marcel who is involved with rebuilding Koh Phi Phi Hello Shanti, Thank you for your interest in HiPhiPhi foundation and your offer to help. I also had a look at your website and pictures. At the moment it is perfectly safe to come to Koh Phi Phi again. Actually we encourage people to come because it is a very good way to support the local community. You will help many people, because since PP has been hit by the Tsunami, many tourists seem to avoid coming here. Due to this, many people can't work and don't have an income. When you are here this time, you can enjoy Koh Phi Phi with allmost empty beaches. However, when you realize why this is, it hits you. And when you are here there might be something for you to do as well; Currently some tourists are helping us, for instance with the cleaning of PhiPhi Island. We have volunteers from all over the world that joined us and picked up a shovel, a broom or a wheelbarrel to help. Working together with the local people from the community and a unique wonderfull atmosphere is created. At this time a large area of Ton Sai village has been cleaned already. Many resorts and shops and bars have opened their doors again. It is good to see some activity back on Koh Phi Phi although the road to recuperation will be a long one. When you come to Krabi please visit us at the Tsunami Help Center in Klong Hin. If you bring supplies we can help to make sure it goes to the people that need it most.
Kind regards,
(Feb 18, 2005) This is a new organization I have connected with that has direct cases of families that need to be "adopted." It can cost as little as $2500 to help build a whole family a house. Hi Shanti It's really nice that you and your friends can help. We visit Thailand every year and are simply devastated at the loss and suffering that has happened. We have spent the rest of our vacation doing what we can. We have been in touch with the affected families in the Bangtao locality in Phuket on a daily basis and helped where we could with aid from private donors. All the case summaries on the site are first hand information and we have sent some back to UK to seek help. Almost all the help we received so far has been privately funded. Things are moving along and as of the last 3 days, lots have happened. That's also the reason for our late reply (our apologies). A Catholic group has undertaken to take care of all the household items and such for all the cases and others in the community. Also, it appears that some funding has been arranged for fishing nets and boat engines. Homes are being built and accommodation sorted out as we speak. We will know more within the week and if things really move, we think perhaps you could focus on Khaolak in Phangnga province further north where the need is perhaps still desperate. I will put you in touch with a contact person there within the next few days. Look out too for case summaries on Khaolak after this.
On the subject of what to bring ... One other thing, there has been no known outbreak of disease here. The authorities and volunteers were quick to clean up the mess and most places are cleared of debris. You probably just need the usual shots you would take on vacation to Asia. You may contact me or my wife, Jenny at 09-5424892; the country code is 66. When you dial, you need to drop the "zero" in front. Just one thing though, we will be here only until 28 February, 2005, so it looks like we may not be able to meet up. But do call us so we can give you an idea of what's been happening here.
Thanks too for reaching out.
Jenny and Clive Higgins
(February 17, 2005) This is from Simon, a Thai friend of the family we stayed with on Koh Phi Phi. He is helping them re-do their place.
Hi Shanti, About a day trip to visit P'pon at PhiPhi Island, you can make it easy by taking a ferry from the new sea port which is going to Island two times a day and cost a around §400($10) for a round trip. So you can take a earlier boat to reach there around 11a.m. then come back in the afternoon. By the way, about the situation in PhiPhi, there is nothing to worry about. It is totally safe. They have a decease checking every two days. And now(these couple days) there are a thousand of volunteers from abroad come to clean & renovate the Island. Even me, i've been there two times already after Tsunami to help P'Pon taking care of her customers and to bring them some more customers(who are my friends). But during March, I will go to Europe for my uncle business for a couple weeks. I will see, may be i can make it and spend sometimes with you here in Thailand. About the organization, I do not know the grassrooot one. And i think if you give those money to the big organization, they will give local people in term of food and consumer products which people already have that. But what they need is the money to buy nessary stuff, to pay for things, and to renovate their home and business. So i suggest that may be you could just turn Dollar to Baht, then go to the real site like Phanga, PhiPhi. And give money to those people directly. Anyway, i will try to contact some friend to get more information about that. I might can find some nice grassroot Organizations for that.
yours,
(Feb 7, 2005) Hi Shanti To find projects helping families on Lanta who lost their homes see www.do-ww.com/bucho/letters.htm. This is a 'give money direct to people who need it most' scheme. We've already channelled money to friends who've lost everything, but have just heard that a friend of our who lost his whole family (wife & 3 kids, mother + father in law), business, everything is in hospital & needing money for hospital bills, so we'd love to give some to him. I completely agree with you about not giving to large organisations - no-one here has seen anything from any of the large charities etc.
Let me know if I can give you any more info on anything.
(Feb 4, 2005) Shanti. That all sounds great. Wa Ning, the boat club manager, is still not back from Mecca and now I am going to go to Australia for a month or so as I have been offered work there which I really need to take up if we are to get a new engine and get the boat ready to run again. On the brighter side, we are starting to have a trickle of Scandanavian tourists coming through as their governments are clearly better informed and less inclined to scare-mongering than our countries! We have had 2 trips to Hong Island and I hope to be back by the beginning of March to help with distributing the funds and hopefully go back to sea. I will be in email contact on this address throughout and I can contact Sun by email too if necessary. Keep up the good work. We are so happy to know you are putting so much effort into helping us. Elizabeth and Sun
(January 27, 2005) From thaitornado@hotmail.com He is helping the family we met on Ko Phi Phi get their life, homes, etc....back in order. Radha sent $590 she raised from her friends in Portland to them to start the process of sending financial aid to Thailand. I sent $2600 this week to Lyndy Worsham in Thailand who will be taking the money to Ao Nang.
THE EMAIL: What happen right now in PhiPhi? the situation is back to normal but all tourists still scare of Tsunami and many peoples don't want to come to travel because they think it is bad to travel when people just died. So at Tohkoh there are no tourists and many businesses are shutting down. I would like to ask you guys to email or help to promote about traveling in the south as well. Otherwise if no people go there and more peoples will suffer. All my American friends want to go with me to the south but what happen Is the embassy or some of Us department warned them not to go !! Even it is truly safe right now!! Tsunami is not happen every month! and also about disease!! Thailand has a very good management and also in PhiPhi the health department has set up team to watch out all things, so it is even safer than before Tsunami. I really hope that all tourists will be back very soon before all alive peoples will be so sufferred because they all rely on money from tourists. Save the Andaman spirit.... Have a good time!! thanks for all helping!! All your money will help her so much!! Keep Tohkoh beach ALive!!!!! I will bring this email to show her again .... thanks for you kindness Have anything to talk to Porn's family let's me know
(January 15, 2005) From Saffron and Darrel at the Narima in Koh Lanta Hi Shanti, - Good to know you are OK! Your website looks very cool & sounds like you're doing a fantastic job raising money. Lanta is really suffering from the lack of tourists at the moment and we are looking at ways to increase tourism to Ko Lanta - if you have any ideas - please let us know - otherwise our current plan is to make a brochure/magazine promoting Lanta. - see below. Take care & Good Luck & hope to hear from you soon Darrel & Saffron xxxxx Photos, Articles and Stories about Ko Lanta Wanted! Hi there, We are putting together a magazine/brochure all about Ko Lanta in an effort to promote tourism to Ko Lanta. At the moment, there are only a handful of tourists visiting Ko Lanta, during what is supposed to be their peak, peak season. Most resorts and hotels were fully booked for January and virtually all resorts have experienced 100% cancellation. Many resorts have had to get rid off most of their staff, many shops are closing and the people here are worried that tourists are too scared to come back to Ko Lanta. Ko Lanta has been extremely fortunate and has suffered very little damage during the Tsunami. However they are now suffering from the second devastation of a complete lack of any income. Nearly all people that live on Ko Lanta are dependent on tourism for their livelihoods. We would like to use this quiet time to promote Ko Lanta globally and more particularly in Bangkok, where they are doing their best to direct tourists to the Gulf of Thailand and away from Phuket, Krabi and Ko Lanta. Ko Lanta does not feature prominently in any travel literature on Thailand, even the Tourist Authority of Thailand only dedicates a couple of lines to Ko Lanta this is something we would like to change. We would like to invite you to send any beautiful photos you have of Ko Lanta, funny stories about activities you have enjoyed on Ko Lanta, and if you have the time to write a short article either about Narima, Narima Diving or any other aspect of Ko Lanta that you have enjoyed. If you enjoyed your time in Ko Lanta, maybe you can write to Lonely Planet, Rough Guide or any other travel co to urge them to encourage people to come back to Ko Lanta. If you have any contacts or ideas for distribution, or other ideas on how to raise Lanta's profile please let us know. Up to date information about Ko Lanta, Diving and Narima can be found on our website www.narimadiving.com.
Thanks very much for all your help,
NARIMA DIVING
(January 10, 2005) Update from Elizabeth on how we will be helping Ao Nang. I voiced some concerns about just sending money to the boat club and also wondering how we could make sure some of the people who really need it could get it and here was her response.--Shanti There are a few things so I will go into lawyer mode and number them... (Shanti's note: I forgot that Elizabeth was a lawyer in her old life! This is excellent) 1. The guy in charge of the boat club has gone on a pilgrimage to Mecca. He'll be back in a few weeks. 2. He is a really good person and I trust him to give out the money evenly. 3. The email address (to reach people at the boat club) would have to be through me because no-one there speaks or writes English. 4. When he gets back we can set up the route for the money etc. 5. Maybe we could put aside a certain sum (say 25000) for the family of the boatman who died seeing as he is not around to benefit. Sun and I would be happy to administer that money ourselves. 6. Reporting via email monthly is no prob and I am sure a camera sent through fedex would get here OK, but developing the film could get a bit expensive. A digital would be better if you could find a very cheap one. (If anyone has an old digi cam they want to unload for cheap I will buy it. Let me know, shanti@shantisos.com) In general, things here have got even worse. Our employee driver quit today until things get better. He earned 500B in the last three days ($12). The tourists are getting fewer daily and he told us lots of the boatmen sent their engines to get cleaned and fixed but now don't have the money to retrieve them from the mechanic! We all just live in hope that the tourists will come back soon. Talk soon. E and S
(Janaury 9, 2005) Message from Toh koh beach I'm a thai man who used to stay at Toh koh beach.The restaurant has been destroyed and some bungalows also damaged too. However, Pi Porn's family is safe from Tsunami like a miracle. The owner has a message for a people who would like to help her from the affect of Tsunami. the help. The bank account number below is Pron 's husband account Thai commercial Bank Mr. Thongchai Janmanee Phi Phi branch Account number 794 -201 - 7432 Many peoples and I called to the owner and offer helps to her and she is very appreciate The restaurant and some bungalow has been damaged by Tsunami, However the situation is back to normal and she is welcome all the tourist to visit again. The Tsunami hit the phiphi's main town hardly but Toh koh beach is situated in the other side so it wasn't a directly hit by Tsunami. The owner and her family is trying to clean the beach and redevelop but lack of funding due to it is a home business so it would be great if anyone who has been traveled to her place can support her in anyway. The beautiful scenery of Phi Phi Leh ( the beach movie) is still pristine and beautiful and it wasn't attacked by Tsunami. The Coral reefs of Bamboo Island which is only 20 minutes by boat from Tohkoh beach is also recieved NO affect. Thus it is still in good condition for snorkling and scuba diving. She would like thank to all people and wish to offer friendly service to all friends around the world again. Simon , Thai student
(January 8, 2005) Hi Shanti We thought you might be interested in an update about the aid situation here. There is a lot of ill feeling towards the government in my local community because it is felt that al the aid which has been sent Thailand does not seem to be going to directly to those who have suffered loss. The Government seems to be taking a big brother approach by overseeing all repair and reconstruction work. For example, the day after the wave, we were told that we would receive compensation for up to 80000B per boat. This is almost 4/5 of replacement cost. No-one really believed it but we had hopes. Then rumors of around 30-40,000 were heard. Everyone thought that that would be a good start at least. Now we have found out that those whose boats are unrepairable will receive 10,000B, and those with damage can have it mended by gov't contractors using wood collected from National parks. We investigated this option but Sun said that there was no way would he let them near the boat as the quality of the wood and repairs would not last the rest of this season let alone a year. In any event we found out too late having already bought our own wood which incidentally has gone up in price about 30%. Similarly, those who have lost house are having small, cheap houses built for them by the gov't (about 130,000B) which will provide basic accommodation. But no cash. Those who want to rebuild their own houses the way they want will get no help. I can only assume it is so gov't officials can line their own pockets from kickbacks etc. Maybe I am too cynical but that is the word all around me. Everyone in our community is feeling very disappointed and hopeless as regards the future. Blanket warnings from governments with respect to nearly the whole of SE Asia mean that have no customers anyway...some places may well be dangerous but here is fine. We only wish they would be a bit more specific and informed. Hope you are all well your side. Elizabeth and Sun
Also, we received word from the Swedish family we met. The daughter (Isa) wrote us to tell us they were fine but they had quite an experience. Here's what 14-year-old Isa had to say. Hello Shanti! we, Sofi, me and Felix just wanted to tell you, your friend, sister and mother that we are ok.... You were so lucky that you werent at Koh Lanta when the Tsunami came, allthough we are allright and physically unharmed, we are still shaky over the size off this catastrof (do you say that?) We were at Lanta when it happened but the narima hotell is , as you know high over the water surface so even though me and Sofi were in the water when the wawe came we were able to run up to the resturaant in time to see the wawe stealing all our sunchairs and every dropp off poolwater.... one good thing is that the owner got her beloved sand back.... and a lot off it ;) In the fear off aftershocks we changed bungalow to one higher upp the hill.... before the Tsunami we did not know anybody at the Narima well but now we are good friends with the couple with the cute Indian daughter (Leela, I think her name was something like that), and the couple with a mother from asia, a father from america, and two sons 4 and perhabs 6 years old... so now you know, even when you read in the news paper that over 2000 Swedish tourists are missing, that we are ok and home in our more than ever loved stockholm.. best regards isa sofi and felix your friends from Narima...... |