Happy new year from Phuket Thailand

I would have surely wished a new year from Thailand in better circumstances, but life is buzzing again here.
I heard via the web the RTE news from yesterday about the situation here. Sorry if I won't make friends with that, but the media in Ireland don't give a real and honest view about what's going on here.
Yes a lot of tragedies are still happening here, but I repeat loudly that in Phuket we are not living in tents without water and food.
Everybody here, locals and tourists are doing their usual business, one group selling the other one enjoying the sun and the beaches. Of course nobody forgot overnight the deaths but many here would like to see a bigger picture of what's really is the life here.
We got like many people a sad but normal New Year dinner, and nothing ws missing on the menu, including lobsters and beers. It doesn't mean nobody are concerned anymore, but we just want and we have to live.
Another thing I know for sure, is that in Thailand (I am speaking for only what I know and I am sure it's not the same in Sri Lanka) they need the tourists. If you have planned your holidays in Phuket, don't cancel them.
If you do that, it could be the worst thing to do to their shaken economy. I was talking with a general manager of  a well known hotel here, and they have an estimated figure of 22 000 unemployed hotel and restaurant staff in one week. Even if you are scared by the sea (and I think it's largely exagerated), you still have a lot of things to do here.
So please tell the media to give more hope and more positive reports, even if of course a lot of people are still missing.
One example of a great strong character is Barry Murphy who has his girlfriend missing from Phi Phi Island.
I met him yesterday, believe me he's well and even if he look a bit lost, he's one at the front to help and search for missing people. I don't know if I would be able to be strong as him if I lost someone close to me, but he's an example of what is truly a human spirit.
To conclude this post, some recent pictures. (click on the pictures to see a bigger one)

  
Beaches and tourists in Kata 1 January 2005

 
View from the Hilton, beautiful even with the rain

Our restaurant for the New Year's Eve (I love the Thai signs, so much fun)


The lobster and the tiger prawn, included in a festive menu for something less than 20 dollars.

 

3 Comments

  • Paschal, Thanks for your work at first. I was in Phuket 2 weeks ago, so I totally understand and feel the pain..

    >> So please tell the media to give more hope and more positive reports

    I concur!

  • The beach was hit by the tsunami, and the picture has been taken one week after

  • Paschal,

    great to see someone paint a truer, more positive picture about Phuket. I was staing at the Orchidacia Hotel in Kata Beach when the tsunami hit and found within 24 hours 75% of the shops/hotels/bars were open again. We stayed until our scheduled flight out on the 29th when we went to Bangkok until 1st when we flew back to Sri Lanka (where I live and we are now).

    We didn't celebrate the New Year, although we did go out with the intention of doing so. We just couldn't face it. I just had a couple of cans and read a book :( It's a very personal thing how to deal with a tragedy like this.

    The stories I am starting hear from Sri Lanka are making what happened in Kata Beach sound very tame.

Comments have been disabled for this content.