UN Thailand :: Media Monitoring

Impact on Thailand

   - Social protection
   - Livelihood recovery
   - Environmental
     rehabilitation
   - Disaster preparedness

Six Months On

Challenges and achievements six months after the tsunami

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Media Monitoring

Sources: Bangkok Post, and ThaiNews

16 November 2005:

Worst-hit area begins its own response plan
The government's slow progress in installing tsunami early warning devices and preparing evacuation plans has prompted villagers in Ban Nam Khem, the worst-hit area, to design their own tsunami response plan. Meeting points have been set up and each household now has an evacuation kit with important documents, spare clothes, a flashlight, drinking water and instant noodles. They have also set up a village committee to take charge of disaster preparedness and evacuation. The activity sponsored by the United Nations Development Programme and Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre.

16 November 2005:

Rehabilitation centre to close
The Public Health Ministry will close its mental rehabilitation centre for tsunami victims at Khao Lak in Phang nga next year. More than 20,000 patients have already been treated and discharged while 3,000 cases are still under its supervision. Setting for Dec 12 and 13, the centre would organise a commemoration marking the first anniversary of the tsunami. This aims at giving tsunami survivors guidelines on how to cope with their sufferings and encouraging the mass media to convey messages of hope through a photo contest.

17 November 2005:

UNDP: Focus should shift to rebuilding of people's lives
Thailand has handled post-tsunami rehabilitation relatively well compared to Sri Lanka and Indonesia, but it needs to focus now on integrating various economic activities and the livelihoods of people receiving aid to help them to get back on their feet, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) officials said yesterday.

18 November 2005:

CPD will lend no interest loan to assist Tsunami hit members
The Cooperative Promotion Department (CPD) has approved a loan without interest to its members who were affected by the tsunami disaster last year. The loan will help them find new job opportunities. The financial assistance is worth more than 25 million baht. The CPD will also support the members in various fields.

19 November 2005:

Underwater town plan proposed
The chairman of the sub-committee for the Tsunami Memorial Project has come up with an idea to construct a lavish underwater town below the Andaman sea as a new attraction near the tsunami memorial and museum in Khao Lak Lamru National Park. The new underwater world would be made of artificial coral reef and would replicate a small ruined town ravaged by a tidal wave that lies beneath the Andaman sea over 1,000 years ago.