PHANGNGA PROVINCE, Thailand (ABP) — Major Christian groups in Thailand have begun a two-year relief plan to aid tsunami victims, which will include both immediate relief and rehabilitation.
Coordinated by Thailand Protestant Christian Churches, work has already begun in three sub-districts of Phangnga Province, where several thousand tsunami survivors are staying, according to Silawech Karnjanamukda, chairman of Evangelical Fellowship of Thailand.
Three local churches in the provinces of Phangnga, Ranong and Phuket, located near the tsunami areas, are being used as local coordinating centers. Work assessments are being coordinated through government agencies to prevent overlapping of efforts. Long-term work will include rebuilding of infrastructure and providing equipment to help residents get back to self-sufficiency.
Currently, there are more than 120 organizations involved in the Evangelical Fellowship of Thailand, dozens of them relief organizations experienced in doing relief and charity work, said Silawech. Rotating teams of no fewer than 200 people are working in the affected areas.
According to Silawech, the relief efforts will be organized in teams by Christian groups and relief organizations and coordinated under the direction of Thailand Protestant Christian Churches. The chairman of the Protestant group is Thongchai Pradabchanarurat, also president of the Thailand Baptist Convention. Others like the Church of Christ in Thailand and the Seventh-Day Adventists will also be asked to join the effort.
The Thai government and local private sectors continue working hard to rebuild roads and other infrastructure in the affected areas. Owners of luxury hotels and resorts who survived the tsunami have gotten credit from banks or other financial institutions to continue doing business.
The Tourist Authority of Thailand is trying to get tourists to return, promoting a new campaign slogan, “Andaman Smiles Again,” referring to the coastal region of Thailand. Most of the beaches affected by the tsunami are cleaned and areas least affected by the waves are opened for tourists.
But in many affected areas, there is still debris from hotels and other damaged buildings. Hundreds of fishing boats are still stranded on the ground. Thousands of survivors, especially fishermen and their families, are still in refugee camps waiting for further assistance.
As of Jan 16, Thai officials confirmed 5,321 people died in six coastal towns and 3,170 are still missing, more than half vacationing foreigners.
— Suthep Chaviwan is a free-lance writer in Thailand.