My post (a few back)was originally A FAR lengthier post which I cut back for a number of reasons. It was so "gutted" that it was misconstrued, which is OK.

Phuket will survive and will soon prosper once again, I have no doubt. There is Mariott, Sheraton, Holiday Inn, the Dusit Group, et al who have hundreds of millions invested in Phuket. They will do the necessary repairs to the facade of idylic Phuket which will be restored in large measure due to tourist dollars and the business objectives of the multinationals involved. This is ok, too. But Phuket is like a Hollywood set, all false fronts with a lot of things going on behind the scenes.

But for those that want to "see" the real Thailand, and think that strolling around luxury resort properties in Phuket is the real Thailand, the devastation of peoples lives and homes may be missed entirely.

And Phuket, in relative terms, was spared the worst. Phuket is getting disproportionate attention because a) its a resort b) there is video because tourists have video cameras and c)IMHO and most disturbing of all, Caucasians lost their lives. (As a country we seem to get more empathetic when people that look like us die. Just look at the genocide in Darfur.)

The issue isn't whether Phuket will be open for tourist business (they will), its whether visitors will look beyond the nice facade and possibly comprehend the magnitude of the tragedy. And Phuket, as I said, is one of the less affected areas relatively.


Indonesia, and other countries, are more tragically affected and do not have the benefit of tourism that Phuket enjoys. It will take years (and billions of dollars) for these countries to recover.

"Life goes on" will be a lot more accurate for Phuket (but not true for the Phuket residents living in huts with corrugated tin roofs) than it will be for other, non-tourist affected areas in coastal areas of the Indian Ocean.

Really, how many of us world cruisers have AS OF TODAY, written a check in support of relief efforts????? What are you waiting for???? Does compassionate conservatism stop at the water's edge ????

Bill