Phuket Tsunami Information

How to help? There are several ways you can help

• Send a donation to a local charity relief fund. All donations here go directly to those affected.
• Come to Phuket on holiday !! YES, your visit will help stimulate the local economy back int recovery. Details below.

Donations

The simplest way to help is to send cash to a local organization that’s working directly with those affected. Sending goods is not recommended. You can help the needy by contributing to any of the following accounts.

In Phuket, The Rotary Club of Patong Beach, Phuket's only English speaking Rotary club, was immediately on the ground, actively helping with disaster relief. Initial emergency needs were funded from existing funds, topped up with members' and friends’ donations. Hundreds of local people, in Phuket and Khao Lak have already been helped to overcome the initial effects. However, much more needs to be done on a longer term basis for families and children affected by the floods.

The club has set up a Tsunami Relief Fund to support the re-building of the local community. The Fund will provide long-term relief to children who have lost one or both parents and to mothers with young children who lost their husband & father. Scholarships for continued education, both formal and vocational, will be offered and monitored. The Fund will also finance water purification systems and other essential needs in local schools and villages. All scholarships and re-construction efforts will be contracted and supervised by Rotary members with appropriate expertise. All money will be applied directly to those in need, with no administration or overhead charges.

Details of Rotary account are as follows:

Please Fax Payment Slip for acknowledgement with your name and contact details to the Club Treasurer, Ms. Jirapa Eawsakul, by fax (+66 76 236 542) or by e-mail to treasurer@rotarypatong.org

Other local funds are as follows:

Earthquake Rescue Fund (administered by the Governor of Phuket): Krung Thai Bank, Phuket Branch; Account name: Earthquake Rescue Fund; Account number: 805-0-02275-7; Swift code: KRTHTHBK. Donors are asked to email info@lynxmgmt.com or fax +66 76 200552 after sending funds to the account.

The German speaking group of people who want to help, under the patronage of Dirk Naumann, the German honorary consul, has initiated a new helping organization for the survivors of the tsunami last week. Details at http://www.farang-jai-dee.com/. The website will be available in English soon, at the moment it is written in German language.

Phuket Red Cross Society: Krung Thai Bank, Phuket Branch; Account name: Red Cross; Account number 805-1-46915-1.

Come and Visit

We, and many travel associations and industry experts, are now focusing attention on the longer term economic problems that will arise. We are all actively encouraging visitors not to cancel reservations. Most hotels and resorts are operating normally and almost all restaurants are open for business as usual.

It is still possible to enjoy a well deserved break in the sun, with fantastic food, friendly service and spectacular scenery. By coming and contributing to the local economy you will be doing something useful and constructive. So, read the status reports we have gathered, look at the photos of unspoiled beaches and make your own decision. And, of course, we hope you also make a donation to one of the local funds above, set up to help.