Tital wave hit's phuket

[Guest]

Damn shame is right JD. I have changed my plans and now will stay in BKK and go to Pattaya first then maybe Phuket the last week of my trip as this will give the place time to re-organise itself.

I don't really want to skip it altogether as I have many good friends down there and well they rely on the tourist trade and I am sure they already are having a mass exodus and cancellations.

Ironic isn't it that we were all being warned about terrorist activity in phuket and it was a natural disaster that did the most damage. They are robust though these Thai's and I am sure they will bounce back.

Chohk dee khrap

[Snick]

You are one hell of an optimist Ozzie. My guess is it will be at least February before Patong is open for biz, and many more months until it is bacv to normal.

I cancelled my trip for end of January.

[Guest]

I always try to be optimistic Snick but I realise in this case I might be a little too optimistic

I will keep my fingers crossed that it does not take them too long to get back so some sense of normality.

[Guest]

Current estimates from Associated Press is 15,000+ dead, who knows how many missing and homeless.

[Guest]

Current estimates from Associated Press is 15,000+ dead, who knows how many missing and homeless.

That's really sad!

I feel bad about the girls I met last year in Patong. I hope they are all alright. Wondering what happened to our superstar Areeya...Any info?

[wisetraveller]

You are one hell of an optimist Ozzie. My guess is it will be at least February before Patong is open for biz, and many more months until it is bacv to normal.

I cancelled my trip for end of January.

It took Bali about 2 years to bounce back from the bombing.

[dommy6]

Damm shame. Phuket has been Like my second home for the last 2 years even if it was 2 weeks in the year in Feb. I went there to relax, think the rest of the year out, shut myself of from everyday life and of course to party. But of course that is material and will be repaired.

Just cant stop thinking of all the smiling faces from hotel staff, bargirls, vendors, beach attendants and even the indian tailors. Where are they now? I hope you are all ok.
Regards

[wisetraveller]

Yes, it's really sad. Latest figures from BBC World News is 23000 dead around Asia. And the waves were so powerful they travelled all the way to Kenya and Somalia as well as Perth in Western Australia. (Not serious in Oz). They are talking about 1,000 missing in Phuket, Phi Phi and the south generally.

[Guest]

A good site:

http://www.hotel-travel-asia.com/info/phuketquake.htm

We pray for all affected.



Stogie and other mods: Once the situation stabilises, can you please do a roll call of all the LBs known in Phuket and their status. There are sure to me many that matter to individual forum members and we'd like to know they are safe.

[wisetraveller]

"Stogie and other mods: Once the situation stabilises, can you please do a roll call of all the LBs known in Phuket and their status. There are sure to me many that matter to individual forum members and we'd like to know they are safe."

Sounds like a great idea, but the girls are really hard to track down, and have constantly shifting circumstances, even in normal, everyday, non-emergency situations.

But lets hope everyone we know at ATS is ok.

cheers

WT

[Guest]

vid here

http://snipurl.com/bmnv

[Guest]

Stogie and other mods: Once the situation stabilises, can you please do a roll call of all the LBs known in Phuket and their status.  There are sure to me many that matter to individual forum members and we'd like to know they are safe.

good Idea...... Mickey knows that town better than anyone [he is OK by the way, we spoke the day afterwards] and he will know how all the girls are doing and if they are OK, etc.....

This is just shocking.....I was in Patong and in Pi Pi just 3 weeks ago...... the resort I stayed in on Pi Pi island is now swept out to sea, along with most of the island. I am just realizing now how lucky I am that this thing didn't hit at that time.

[PigDogg]

Here's a Phuket update from another board. Connect has a reputation for being a gay guesthouse but I belive it's str8 friendly and ladyboy friendly:

This is Börjes (manager at Connect) story...

"It was a clear blue sky and we were having our morning coffee at Connect when we heard people screaming that the beach had disappeared."

"When I got close to the beach I heard more screaming and suddenly I saw this huge wave, taller than the palm trees, coming to crash down on us."

"I just couldn€™t believe what was happening."

"We rushed into a hotel as the huge wave rolled into Patong Beach. The giant wave flooded the lobby within seconds and dragged furniture onto the street."

"I had to wrap myself around a pillar to avoid being swept away"

"As I was standing there, a car actually floated into the lobby and overturned because the current was so strong. The water was up to my chest and I was holding on to my boyfriend€™s hand because he can€™t swim."

So how did this affect us in Paradise Complex?

The first wave hit Patong Beach at around 8.30 am and almost all our guests were sleeping after a late Swedish Christmas dinner party at Connect. Most of the local boys were also sleeping because they normally get up very late.

We still do not know much about missing people we actually know.

One thing we know is that the beach front places like Club One Seven and Patong beach bungalows were hit very severely.

The Paradise Complex area did not get affected by the water at all. It's a strange feeling to walk from one side of Rath-U-Thit road to the other.

On one side it looks like a war zone and on the other side nothing had changed.

Yesterday we had a full house at Connect. Our satellite system was ok so we had news from BBC all day and night. Internet was working and gave us updates and information from newspaper all over the world.

Many people were gathering at Connect to look at BBC news, use telephones to make phonecalls to family and friend and use Internet.

We did not get much local news so this was more or less the only source of information. Several times people came shouting that a new wave was on it's way and everybody started to run. A couple of times we did find ourselves without any staff. Everyone left but came back after a while.

I had a walk on the beach road yesterday morning and it was at that time a really understood the full extent of the devastation close to the beach. Many rescue workers were busy clearing debris from the streets. Refrigerators, cars, furniture from restaurants and an entire concrete building with an exchange office and ATM machine was in the middle of the road. I could see a car inside a building on the second floor.

This evening seems totally natural and calm. We did go to Khun Bon's birthday party at My Way. Everything looked much the same as the night before the disaster.

Being in Paradise Complex feels much like being on an other Island and not in Phuket because everything was so "normal". It was like the entire Paradise Complex just got very lucky.

Is it safe to go to Patong?

Yes!

We have electricity, telephone lines and Internet working in Paradise Complex. The water supply is working and the reservoirs are located inland of Phuket. Paradise Complex area feels very safe and we did not get a drop of water from the tsunami.

The Beach will be closed for 5 days for cleaning.

The beach road is a total mess. It will take time until any business will be able to open up again. Shops are open as usual on this side of Rath-U-Thit road.

If you want to do any serious shopping go to the new Central Festival that has just opened in Phuket town.

Life is getting back to normal very quickly again.

Please do not cancel your tour to Patong.

Now more than ever we need your support.

Our hearts and minds are with those who have lost their lives and we send our condolences to their familys and friends..

[Guest]

more vidz

http://jlgolson.blogspot.com/

[Tomcat]

Even if they managed to rebuild it tomorrow the tourists wont come back. It has a death stigma attached to it now.
Anyway it will be months before its rebuilt. Soi Bangla may still at least be upright but many places are rubble.

I think USA makes up around 50% of its trade and none of them are coming back soon. Most people are traumatized and will go someplace else next time.

My guess is that it will be a ghost town for a long long time.
My travel agent ,Noppy, in BKK said everyone has cancelled there Holidays there.