26th December - Phuket

[Andrew_ge]

Hi All

Before I begin - this looks like a pretty cool forum, I found it on a google search.

I was on Phuket Island from the 18th December to the 4th January, and thus was there for the Tsunami.

I should point out - the diving there is stunning, so I strongly urge you all to visit once they have rebuilt. I personally will be re-visiting later this year to help their economy if nothing else...

on the 24th December, I completed my Padi advanced open water certification on Phi Phi island (did shark point, King Cruiser wreck and the bay where the film "the beach" was shot, if anyone has been there).

Unfortunately I got an ear infection in my left ear from having problems with equalizing my left ear during the deep dive and as such was put on 2 days rest, so I wasnt involved on the diving between the 25/26th of December (believe me at the time I was upset, as I wanted to crack on with my wreck diving cert), so I spent the two days doing shallow swimming/ snorkling in either the pool or the sea.

I awoke on the 26th at around 8am to find my hotel room was shaking, fairly mildly - which was an aftershock of the 6am quake, I slept through (some people I met though woke to find stuff falling off the table.etc). From having a background in tetonic activity, I was aware that it was a quake, but I assumed that it was a) local and b) low level. After a minute or so, it subsided and I thought nothing more of it, got up and went to breakfast.

It was a beautifully clear/ hot day so I didnt think any more of the tremour and went down to the IT suite to send a few emails back to the office in the UK to touch base (as I run an internet firm), and check that everything was OK - which it was so I hit the beach.

The first thing I noticed from the beach was that the waves hitting the sand were a bit choppier than usual, but not much and assumed it was a tide change.

I swam out to around 50-70ft out to sea where I talked to some other early bathers, when all of a sudden this allmighty current started pulling, and literally in about 2 seconds I was 100ft further back, ankle deep in water which should have been up to my neck. so I started walking back to the beach, when the water came back in and litreally pushed me back up the beach (wasnt a head over heals thing though).

Completely puzzled I treaded water in the sea for what must have been about 30 seconds trying to figure out what the hell just happened. Just then the water started swooshing out again, much harder than before. As I was in shallower water, I literally punched my arm into the sea bed, held my breath and rode the current out.

The people I was swiming with, didnt have that luxury and were too deep out to touch the bed or swim against the current and got sucked out.

I got up and ran over to some Thais with jet ski's (used to rent them out.etc), who had allready seen them and in a heart beat where on those ski's and picking them up. And I must say i've never seen such strength in my life, they litterally pulled these guys out the water buy grabbing their hands and wrenching them out (the people were clinging onto a boey for dear life). By the time the jet ski's had pulled the people out, there wasnt any water left on the beach, so both went straight out to sea, put the nose of the ski down into the water and sort of flipped it 180 degrees around, reved the engines and went full throttle up the beach till the jet ski wouldnt move any more. they then all piled off and ran up the beach.

Other people however didnt see the urgency of the fact the sea was now dissapearing behind the horizon, and walked right out to sea to look at corral/ fish.etc whilst the life guards went nuts.

about 30 seconds later, the first wave started coming in. Was about 5 metres high and jet black with a foam rim on the top. and the next thing we knew, it was smashing these people that were out to sea into the rocks, was horrific.

I run up to my family and start yelling at them to get out the beach, when a life guard grabs my shoulder and points to a small child sitting by the edge of where the sea should have been, and just yelled "get the kid". So i started running towards this boy along with 5 other guys. One of the guys who was closer than me got there first, scooped him up over his shoulder and starts running back up the beach, so I did the same. By this stage the wave was worryingly close (about 20ft behind me), and I dived over a brick wall to get out of its way.

The wave hit the top part of the beach and then receeded back out to sea. At this point I re-entered the beach area to see if there was anyone under collapsed shacks and parasols, as well as to try and see if I could find my sandals (which amazingly I did). I then found out that the man that grabbed the kid was in fact my dad, who was clinging to a collapsed parasol after it tried to drag him back out (my dad threw the kid at a life guard who was off the beach before getting hit by the wave). So I helped him up and checked if he was OK.

At that point we saw the second wave, which was much bigger, and travelling far faster than the first. We both darted over the brick wall and behind a building and watched it coming in.

To our astonishment it destroyed this building and leveled the wall, so we turned and started to run.

Unfortunately, my exit route was blocked by an olympic sized swiming pool, as I exited the beach slightly further left than my dad (who got out the pool area ok).

The only reason I survived was that there was a small path that ran down the middle of the pool (presumably for novelty/ diving off) which I was able to run down.

I turned round to see the sea had allready hit the pool and was still coming. so I ran down a small shopping strip, into the lobby and out to the front of the hotel, where the sea was waiting as it had travelled round the hotel (by this time though, it was about 4ft deep and had stopped traveling, so you could just wade through it).

[Andrew_ge]

We then ran up a large hill into a rubber plantation and had arrived just in time to see the final wave hit Patong city - which was horrendous.

About 4 minutes after the wave had been and gone, all you could hear was sirens eminating from the beach front (where I had dinner the night before).

I climed the hill with another man and his family (wife and 2 girls) and was talking to him about where he was.etc and if he had a phone. The rubber farmer at that point came over to see us, as he was probably puzzled by what we were doing there, and his crop. As he approached, he saw patong then looked at us and ran off. Myself and David (the man with the family) looked at each other then saw him coming back with the basic contents of his house.

he provided us with matts to sit the kids on, fresh water and food. It was heart warming that although he had nothing, he was prepared to give it to us. both myself and David reached into our pockets to give him some baht for his troubles, but he actively refused our cash, where we apologized if we insulted him.

Several hours later, we decided to take our chances and leave the hill side (after saying thanks to the farmer and returning his stuff), David and myself first went down and saw the wreckage of the hotel and the BBC news (which was being broadcast from a bar giving us basically all the info, CNN at the time was no help - gave coverage of lisa minelli falling out of bed and the australian news channels only had sketchy information).

We managed to buy some coke and some sweets from a local shop (I say bought, the store keeper gave them to us, and to any other tourist -again showing thai generosity).

We went back up the hill, gave everyone the coke/ sweets and then started moving down the hill.

David and his family had a contact in Kaoh Lak which came over and picked up his family (they offered to take us but there wasnt enough room in the car), so we stayed and let him get his wife and babies out.

We then returned to the hotel to grab the essentials like passports/ phones.etc

[Andrew_ge]

We then got a cab to take us to Kaoh Lak, which unfortunately went through Patong.

The sights in there were nothing short of horrific, and I wont go into on this forum. The Army was now down there trying to maintain order, and the expressions on the soldiers faces basically said it all.

As we were driving down the main street of patong, word got out that another wave was about to hit, and there was just a wave of people running towards the car, people jumping onto scooters that had obviously never ridden before and ended up hitting walls, cars or just other people.

We yelled at the driver to turn round, and after what seemed like an eternity, he managed ot get the car turned round despite all the people in the streets and floored it on the wrong side of the road (he was fantastic).

He took us back up the hill and started consoling my mother, who had begun crying from what she had seen.

We then went into a small resteraunt, and sat there watching the BBC. I then went up to the waiter and asked if they had any food. His response was "we only have beer, water and rice as all our other food for today never got delievered". So I ordered rice and water for my family (and I have to say, itwas the best bowl of rice i've ever had, had vegtables, chicken.etc inside it), I then asked the bill from the waiter who like all the other thais refused to accept money.

We then went down back to the hotel to see if they had made a statement. As my dad walked down the hill, his sandals finally broke and he went barefoot, and was limping. a Thai girl ran up to him and gave him her sandals and said "you need them more than I do", which my dad refused to take as he knew she wouldnt take money for it, so in the end she got him on her scooter and drove him to the hotel.

The hotel had absolutely no information, so we returned back up to the resteraunt where we had dinner.

The waiter turned to my table and said "my boss doesnt want you to sleep her tonight, he wants you to sleep at his house, where you will be more conftorble", and we were taken to a 1 roomed house round the back of the resteraunt. There I had a shower and fell asleep on the couch thinking the nightmare was over.

At around midnight he ran in and yelled "WAVE, EVERYONE UP THE HILL", so we were again running back up the hill near the plantation.

Some men up there had laid out cardboard by the roadside and had lit a fire to stop the mosquitos, where we stayed till around 2am (they again brought bed linen and food again for us).

at 2 they then said, we want you to stay in our house, so we followed a thai man down to a small metal shack, where he insisted he sweapt the insides before letting us in. He then took his bed out off the floor (a piece of corrogated iron), and put the bed linen we had in, and lit some candles. They then used a scooter to light the entrance so we could get in (by this time, we had been joined by 2 australian and 2 south african families).

The next morning they even offered to drive us to the airport which some of the families took up but both myself and my dad wanted to assist in the clean up of the hotel as a thanks to the Thais for all their help.

The Thai's physically are small people, so it took 4 of them to lift something it took either myself or my father a bit of groaning to do, so we handled the heavier stuff like twisted iron and concrete whilst they salvaged what they could to re-use.

The hotel manager came down to see us and burst into tears that we would help them, and invited us to have lunch with the staff (which was also amazing), we had fresh water melon, apple, pear and grape fruit along with about 300 staff learning our names and joking with us (they had a wicked sense of humour ;)).

They had to close the hotel though due to the structural weakness, so we were evacuated to the local Hilton (arcadia), which was nice, but not the same.

[Andrew_ge]

A week went buy and I thought that, my adventure was now over, however I was walking back from a market (to get some dodgy DVD's and clothes, and something for the girlfriend back home) when I saw this lady run into the road, and consequently get hit by a scooter.

So both myself and my dad spent most of the morning assisting in a road accident (as we were both first aiders), and the locals in their panic didnt know how to react to their friend who wasnt breathing, and the cyclist in shock.

We got one of the thais to call for an ambulance, which arrived but ony had space for one, so they whisked her off to Karon Hospital, luckily a police man was on the road and heard the radio call, and came straight to the scene and was able to radio in another ambulance. unfrotunately none were free, so one of the make shift body vans arrived (luckily was on its way to Patong, not back so was empty - just had lots of ice), so we loaded her into it and they took her to hospital.

[Andrew_ge]

Apologies for the ultra-long story, but I just wanted to point out my thanks to the Thai people for absolutely everything. They could have quite easily have pumped up the pricing and make a huge profit from the diaster with clean water.etc, but instead gave it away, opened their homes to us and gave us food and water as well as making us feel part of their community.

[mania]

It's an amazing story. Thanks God you and your family survived.
All the best
Mania

[Kim]

Andrew. Thank you so much for posting this, it's an amazing account! I'm very glad that you and your family stayed safe and were treated so well, and that you had some chance to help as well.
I am going to Phuket next month so I will get to see first hand how they are doing, as well as the state of the diving etc. As you say - tourist dollars can do nothing but help. My first boat that I had booked already in November unfortunately won't operate this season. There are however many others that are and I rebooked onto the Mermaid 2 with no problems.
Once again - that was an amazing account of what happened that I think will interest a lot of people - and I wish you very well!!

[Andrew_ge]

Hi

Thanks for your comments, and not a problem - I think the generosity of the Thai's hasnt been covered nearly as much as it should be by the press.

What part of phuket are you going to?

If your nearish to Patong, would you mind asking somone how Le Meridian is doing? (where I stayed), I heard it was due to re-open round about now and was a really beautiful hotel (Le Meridian Khao lak was totally wiped out though :().

[Kim]

As it's the first time that I am going there I'm not quite sure exactly where it is - Karon beach - but I'm going onto a liveaboard almost immediately. I'll ask about Le Meridian but you might even get better answers already from people on SB who actually live there. I'm leaving Japan on the 20th March and I'll post a detailed trip report when I get back - about 2 weeks later.

The Thai people sound wonderful!

[cancun mark]

I just wanted to point out my thanks to the Thai people for absolutely everything. They could have quite easily have pumped up the pricing and make a huge profit from the diaster with clean water.etc, but instead gave it away, opened their homes to us and gave us food and water as well as making us feel part of their community.

That is the way that the Thai people are. It makes you wish there were more buddhists in the world. Treat people like you would like to be treated.

Thanks for posting Andrew.

[Andrew_ge]

As it's the first time that I am going there I'm not quite sure exactly where it is - Karon beach - but I'm going onto a liveaboard almost immediately. I'll ask about Le Meridian but you might even get better answers already from people on SB who actually live there. I'm leaving Japan on the 20th March and I'll post a detailed trip report when I get back - about 2 weeks later.

The Thai people sound wonderful!

Karon Beach is just down the road from Patong (about 20mins to 30 mins drive via a tuk-tuk - their version of a taxi).

Le Meridian is on the road into Patong, so you pass it on the way.

Hilton arcadia is on Karon Beach (just off the main shopping road), if you have a chance pop in and see the lobby - its huge!

Also try one of the club sandwiches from the "lost horizon" pool - come very highly recommended indeed.

Hilton Arcadia also has a good dive centre, one of the guys that runs it is an ex military diver and has lots of good advice on sorting out problems like equalizing your ears, and how to do and buy things in Thailand without paying tourist pricing.

Yeah the Thai people really are a great people - Like I said before, it was seriously humbling during the disaster on how they helped us.

You can buy lots of great stuff in Karon too (like DVD's, clothes - or general touristy stuff), and there is a great resteraunt there too which is incredibly cheap (literally, just a few bucks). I have a feeling though, that alot of the shop keepers have now closed their shops as the tourist season is over, and they arnt expecting a great deal of trade.

[marigodiva]

WOW! What a story. Thanks for sharing. I was just in Phuket a couple of weeks ago and the clean-up is coming along nicely. We talked to many Thai locals about their experiences during the tsunami, and it was very interesting. They are such nice, welcoming people with the most genuine smiles I've ever seen! While we were there, we saw a lot of damage, but they really seemed to be recovering and moving on. The diving was excellent and we saw very little damage under water. I would definitely recommend going ASAP. They need your financial support and you will not be disappointed at all. It was the trip of a lifetime for my husband and me. Thanks for doing as much as you did to help out.

[clive francis]

That is the way that the Thai people are. It makes you wish there were more buddhists in the world. Treat people like you would like to be treated.

Thanks for posting Andrew.

you were really lucky to have survived, you were lucky to have kept you shorts on as well. i saw people butt naked as the sea ripped of everything (under normal circumstances it would have been funny).

Yes the Thais (mostly) were generous, but there were a few restuarants in Patong that put up their prices (doubled, trippled and some more).

before people start ranting, my wife who is Thai said that the Thai TV news had reported it, and the government were sending officials to stamp it out.

I think that everyone here will agree that while most industries and people profit from another persons loss, this sort of profitering is just sick.

i am a firm believer of what goes around comes around, and these people will get their just rewards.

[Kim]

before people start ranting, my wife who is Thai said that the Thai TV news had reported it, and the government were sending officials to stamp it out.

I think that everyone here will agree that while most industries and people profit from another persons loss, this sort of profitering is just sick.

i am a firm believer of what goes around comes around, and these people will get their just rewards.

I think that I would prefer to believe Andrews' eye witness accounts than draw general conclusions from what was reported on the Thai news and is very possibly an isolated incident. There have been NO other reports of this kind of behaviour as far as I know - I certainly haven't heard of any. In fact, to the contrary, I have only heard and read about people helping each other out as far as they could, so I think that it is entirely appropriate for Andrew to point out how generous the Thai people were. To suggest that most of them weren't is IMO a rather negative assessment of this situation and is out of place in this thread.

[Batfish]

If your nearish to Patong, would you mind asking somone how Le Meridian is doing? (where I stayed), I heard it was due to re-open round about now and was a really beautiful hotel

According to their web site, Le Meridien will open June 1st.

Patong beach is pretty busy now, though most of the beach facing businesses are still closed up. It's all cleaned up, but there is some discussion about how to rebuild.

Karon and Kata beaches are both in good health. I think the Boathouse is still closed and Karon beach resort? Everything else open.

Update on hotels : www.phuket.com/hotel-status.htm (http://www.phuket.com/hotel-status.htm)

Glad you are thinking of coming again. We had this one customer who was on the beach like you and got a bit cut up. At the time he was in shock and couldn't face any diving. He has been back twice already to conquer his fears and show support for the area.

Wishing you happy diving.

[clive francis]

I think that I would prefer to believe Andrews' eye witness accounts than draw general conclusions from what was reported on the Thai news and is very possibly an isolated incident. There have been NO other reports of this kind of behaviour as far as I know - I certainly haven't heard of any. In fact, to the contrary, I have only heard and read about people helping each other out as far as they could, so I think that it is entirely appropriate for Andrew to point out how generous the Thai people were. To suggest that most of them weren't is IMO a rather negative assessment of this situation and is out of place in this thread.

you obviously didn't read my eyewitness account, that statement was not made from watching tv in the uk, it was made after watching tv in phuket during the days after the tsunami.

channel 5 (i think) was continually running news on the damage and they reported that some restuarant in Patong had increased their prices excessively and that steps were being taken to stop it.

the Thai government are hardly going to release a statement to the international press that there was profitering and looting going on.

just because you haven't heard it doesn't mean it wasn't happening.

having been there quite a few times, been ripped off and seen many a farrang loose large sums of money, their houses and lives by loved(?) ones and associates nothing is impossible!

the only reason it looks a negative statement is because you have reversed my statement!

i said most were good and a few were bad, you have turned that to read most are bad and a few good, are you a politician?

[Kim]

Yes I did read your account but that is hardly the point here. This thread was started by Andrew to give his account and to thank the Thai people for their generosity. I did not turn anything from positive to negative, you did that twice now. In you first post you admitted as much with the statement:
before people start ranting...
which clearly shows to me that you knew full well that some people might take exception to your post, so you tried to already justify it.

Whether or not what you are saying is true is also of no consequence in this thread, as the point Andrew made very eloquently was a highlighting of the generosity of the Thai people that he came in contact with. Maybe he didn't go to the restaurants that you are talking about, he talked simply about what he did do.
Yes - you used six words to acknowledge the generosity of 'most' Thais. However you have used a lot more than that in both your posts that are extremely negative.
As I said before - true or not - it has no place in this thread.

[Rick Murchison]

My experience in Thailand has always been positive and enjoyable. I've visited off & on since the mid '70's, and never run into the few bad apples Clive mentions.
Though I wasn't there for the Tsunami, a friend was, and his report is consistent with Andrew's. I'll be going back as soon as the pocketbook allows.
S

[Ringo]

Hi

Thanks for your comments, and not a problem - I think the generosity of the Thai's hasnt been covered nearly as much as it should be by the press.

What part of phuket are you going to?

If your nearish to Patong, would you mind asking somone how Le Meridian is doing? (where I stayed), I heard it was due to re-open round about now and was a really beautiful hotel (Le Meridian Khao lak was totally wiped out though :().

Andrew, glad to hear that you and your family got out ok. Also your praises to the Thai's should be recognized by more people. They were incredible with their kindness and thoughtfulness during such a time. We lost our beach branch and it's contents and the Thai's tried very hard to recover some of the equipment. Even though very little was recovered their efforts are greatly appreciated.

Another example: a local beach vendor from Kata Beach risked his own life to save a street dog who was caught dragging back in the second wave!! He ran into the drag picked the dog up (weighs about 30 kilo's) and carried him all the way (+/- 50 meters) to higher grounds. Bob - the dog - was so traumatized from the fright and his injuries that he spent 2 weeks at the local vet. Glad to say that Bob is a happy chappy now.

As for the Meridian, it was originally scheduled to open in June. However it is now re scheduled to the end of Juy as the restaurant and pools are still being refurbished. Nevertheless reception is presently operating for reservations.

Hope this helps.

[Zoe83]

Andrew, Thank you for posting, it was very interesting to hear your account of the tsunami. I am really glad to hear you and your family are safe and well. I havent been to thailand however this year myself and my husband-to-be will be visiting phuket for our honeymoon. After hearing your account of the Thais I'll bet we will have a fantastic time!

[Thaidiver]

hi andrew gee
The meridian yacht club has been open all year & the meridian near patong has been renovated and is again operational. The khao lak meridian only received slight damage and was not totally wiped out due to its location and the surrounding sand dunes....This is again now open for business.The Novotel was however pretty much wiped out.
As for the diving it is as good as it ever was.......seeing loads of mantas already this year & a whale shark on elephant head rock 10 days ago, oh & not so many divers because of the rumors that the place was thrashed.........!!

[Joanne Hughes]

I am enthralled by this thread. I was in Thailand some 3 years ago over the Christmas period and stayed at both Phuket and Phi Phi. It was horrifying to see on UK tv the very place we had stayed at being battered by such forces of nature, it stayed in my mind for months after the tragedy. I wonder if Phuket and Phi Phi are getting back to normal, it was those very places which began my interst in diving, and have led to me taking the plunge with both of my teenage children - we commenced a PADI OW course in England just last week. I shall go to Phi Phi and Phuket again very soon, the Thai people are such a kind and gentle race, so undeserving to have to suffer such loss. Has anyone any news on how the reefs and diving situations are now, is diving getting back to normal yet?

[Ringo]

Joanne - Hurry on over, the diving is great! In fact the season is presently busy. Exactly what we needed after such a dreadful year.

[Andrew_ge]

Hi All

Been a long time since I read this thread.

I was actually planning on going back over for Christmas 2005, but one thing led to another and the hotel I was planing to stay in got fully booked. So I went off to Florida in the end (couldnt find any dive centres there!).

I will most likely be returning for xmas this year though, as I'd like to see how things have recovered, and continue helping their economy to recover.