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23.02 | Speed Team member wanted!
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23.12.2005 | Burma Trip
At 10:00 AM on December the 26, I will embark on a trip to commemorate the tsunami that hit the west coast of Thailand on that date and time one year ago...
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23.12.2005 | In Commemoration of The Tsunami - Burma Trip |
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At 10:00 AM on December the 26, I will embark on a trip to commemorate the tsunami that hit the west coast of Thailand on that date and time one year ago. I will set out from Ranong, at the Burmese border with Thailand, and wind surf down the entire west coast of Thailand to Satun at the border with Malaysia. The total linear distance of the route selected is nearly six hundred kilometers, but of course on a windsurfing board the actual distance will be much more.
Although the devastation was most severe in the region north of the island province of Phuket, people along the entire western coast of Thailand were affecte! d. This included many Thai and Sea Gypsy coastal fishing villages in addition to the resort areas that received so much publicity. So many families all over the world were touched by the tragedy.
It is a tribute to the resilience of the Thai people that they are bouncing back. A visitor to Phuket today could not tell that a tsunami had ever hit. In the short space of one year the damage has been restored and tourism is flourishing. In Pee Pee Island, where most of the damage in Krabi province occurred, many shops and resorts have reopened and the island is reclaiming much of its charm. Even in the Khao Lak area where the devastation was so severe, resorts a! re rebuilding and some are already back in operation. Advance warning devices are now in place even though tsunamis of this kind are a rare event in geological history. Another is not expected for centuries.
The survivors from the coastal fishing villages still need assistance, especially in the area north of Phuket. There were so many of them that lost their homes, their boats and all their possessions, in addition to family members and neighbors. Many of the smaller relief organizations that are doing so much good working in direct contact with the people still depend on direct sources of funding. They have websites that regularly report their progress on site and they give an accounting of their expenditures.
In summary, my wind surfing journey along the entire stretch of coastline is to commemorate the resilient spirit of the survivors. My plans have been carefully made. The prevailing winds this time of year are from the northeast and they are generally favorable. For the most part I plan to surf a few kilometers offshore, depending upon conditions. The distance traveled each day will depend upon the wind of course, but target destinations have been selected for each day of the journey. I expect the whole trip to take approximately three weeks.
Marco Reinard
I am a Luxemburg national living permanently in Thailand.
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