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Home | Tsunami in Thailand | Impact on Thailand | Recovery Issues |
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Useful links
Ministry of Interior, Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM)
Ministry of Social Development and Human Security
Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)
The Andaman Forum
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Impact on Thailand
Recovery Issues
Introduction
Once the emergency response phase was felt to be largely over, and the transition to longer term rehabilitation began, in April 2005 the Royal Thai Government reassigned responsibility for recovery coordination to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Thailand International Development Cooperation Agency (TICA).
At a TICA workshop on technical coordination on May 4, participants agreed that Government-led coordination of post-tsunami efforts in all sectors would lead to the most sustainable and successful recovery in Thailand. With the Government now working on longer term rehabilitation and recovery in four key areas, the United Nations Country Team is implementing programmes supporting: social protection, livelihood recovery, environmental rehabilitation and disaster preparedness.
Over 38 million USD of technical assistance has been committed to projects with a mid- to long-term perspective, to be implemented and completed in 2006
Close collaboration with Thai Government and other organizations through partnership, also on lessons learned workshops and donor coordination, for example
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Social Protection
The tsunami caused significant psychological trauma for children and adults, and increased the vulnerability of many children. Successful recovery in the affected provinces will require the participation of all people and communities.
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Livelihood Recovery
This is a major factor affecting recovery in all sectors, not least the wellbeing of families. Workers need new skills, communities need diversification of livelihoods. Sustainable livelihood recovery is a long term challenge, not a quick fix.
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Environmental Rehabilitation
The damage sustained to the environment is also impacting on people's livelihoods, especially in the tourism and fishing sectors. The tsunami has brought an opportunity to re-evaluate coastal management and tourism planning.
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Disaster Preparedness
The unprecedented loss of life in the tsunami was attributed to the lack of warning and public awareness on the nature of and response to the hazard. Establishing regional and national early warning systems is a national priority.
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Challenges and concerns
Vulnerable groups : ensuring that assistance to communities like Muslims, Sea Gypsies, and migrant workers is sensitive to local needs and cultural diversity;
Child protection : need to strengthen capacity for care of children especially in shelter camps; and provide more trauma counselling. Children becoming more vulnerable now, in families with little or no income. Local communities and authorities need more help to build capacity to take care of children;
Livelihood restoration : this is a major factor affecting recovery in all sectors. Diversification of livelihoods is needed in areas dependent on one form of income generation (especially in tourism and fisheries);
Tourism : the fact that this sector is not rebounding as quickly as hoped compounds the above; confidence measures and stronger marketing are needed.
Land issues : people being unable to rebuild their lives where they used to live is hindering recovery;
Trauma : is impacting on people's recovery, not helped by loss of livelihoods: counselling and income generation/skills development are essential mechanisms for Thailand 's recovery;
Coordination : remains a concern for Government and other partners in the recovery effort. Recent developments have included the installation of the Donor Assistance Database (DAD) in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to aid tracking of tsunami assistance to Thailand.
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