I almost cant even believe this one...

Would you imagine that people are already getting back into VACATION mode in Thailand? On the very same beaches that were hit a few days ago. Check this out:

Killer waves, then a day on the beach

"IT seems almost impossible.

Just days after the tidal wave disaster, one of the devastated beaches was returning to normal yesterday.

On Sunday, Patong Beach was hit by a wall of water that swept into Phuket, claiming at least 120 lives.

Parasols, chairs, and other beach paraphernalia were swept to the top of the tree-lined beach, dragging helpless holidaymakers with them. It was at this beach that six-month-old Melina Heppell, of Perth, disappeared from her father's arms when the huge wave struck

For some tourists yesterday, however, the tragedy was becoming a memory, albeit a vivid one, as they made the most of the weather and topped up their tans.

Many in bathers and bikinis, some lounged on sunbeds and others took a dip in the water that had claimed so many lives a few days earlier..."


www.theadvertiser.news.com.au...

Man what is the world coming too? I mean, I understand that things need to return to normal, and some places didnt get hit as hard, but common!!! It was like 4 days ago for pete's sake. Releif hasnt even reached everywhere yet but the new influx of turists has? SHEESH!!

On the flip side, some of these nations need the cash and cant wait for things to calm down, the economy is way to delicate.

[edit on 30-12-2004 by skippytjc]

I remember reading on CNN about this, it could be just a way of trying to get the economy running again. As terrible as it might sound, it might just help out the country in trying to get over this.

Everyone copes with tragedy in a different way, may be this is the way some people handle it. Pretend it never happened or ignore it .

There was a lot of flack over this, especially with the Russian tourists...but think about this.

You've planned a vacation for a long time, saved your rubles, etc. taken time off from work, and you arrive there. What else are you going to do? Just turn around and go home, with all of that money for nothing? No, you're going to make the best of it.

Damn good thing too, as I'm sure those local economies could use every cent they get right now...

Well, you can look at this two ways. Either it is an indication of a lack of sensitivity or it can be a tribute to the indomitable human spirit. The sooner things get back to normal the sooner the affected countries can return to normal. These countries rely upon tourist dollars and it is a form of relief that tourists are willing to return so soon.

As terrible as this event was, let us remember the effects of the 2004 hurricane season on Florida. Granted, effective forecasting limited the loss of human life, but the other effects were similarly devastating. No one suggested that tourism in Florida cease, as a result, although, I'm sure some folks changed their plans, realizing that Florida is always at risk during hurricane season. To date, there is no such thing as tsunami season.

[edit on 04/12/30 by GradyPhilpott]

"Death is all around, but the band plays on for the tourist horde"

www.guardian.co.uk...

I know I would have cancelled, but they really do need their tourism industry to get back to normal.

[edit on 30-12-2004 by danrok]

What i cant believe is this morning, 2am my time, they put out a warning of more aftershocks and possibility of more tsunamis. Human nature is such that i wouldnt doubt it if those people there want to "see" the big wave- dummies.
Well, if they are swallowed up by a giant waves i certainly will not feel badly this time.
Some folks wont let ANYTHING interrupt their party. crazy

you've paid good money for a holiday in thailand, then you almost die so i guess some people want to get their moneys worth. they want to spend the last few days relaxing on the beach, where previously had laid rotting corpses. i know if i had survived then i would want to get back to sunbathing and celebrating the fact that i didnt drown in a flood of filth. these people who are now getting back to their holidays are the same people that are presumed missing because they haven't contacted families in their home countries. maybe when everyone realises people are actually getting back to their holidays, and re-calculate the deaths, then you will actualy find that only around 17 people have died. the rest were clinging on to trees until they could return to their sunbeds and scuba-diving.

It's "The Restaurant at the End of the Universe"!

Tourism is their largest industry.

It must be seen to function properly in areas in order to keep their economy afloat.

Tourists spend money.

ebay *get you authentic rubble left behind from the tsunami! you name it we got it, broken doors, bits of glass, trees uprooted, bottles and bottles of the muddy tsunami water!!, limbs upon limbs. i dont understand why so many have died, i would expect maybe a few thousand but honestly if i saw that wave coming i'd be up the nearest tree, roof of the nearest building.

When the tsunami wave broke on the shore it caused sudden flooding. The water can pick-up and carry very heavy objects which will crush people. Some will have simply drowned unable to cope with the torrents.

The palm trees don't have big roots, so there would be no point in climbing one.

[edit on 30-12-2004 by danrok]

they needed to hide under a table or in a doorway....no wait that's an earthquake on land...

Personally I think the sooner things get back to 'normal' the better - the locals rely heavily on the tourism industry. But I do wonder how you can relax and enjoy when there are thousands of rotting bodies around the corner.

I actually thought this might have been unaffected beaches of Thailand. Oh well, I guess vacations are taken very seriously in Europe where I heard many of the vacationers are from. I guess if they paid in advance and it's nonrefundable they will want to take their vacation if things are back to normal in that location.

I heard someone say a tidal wave of this size in the Indian Ocean area is a once in a 700 year event. If that's right, we shouldn't see another one while we're alive in that part of the world. If a hotel or beach resort is ready to get back to business, it appears they were not hit too hard by the first wave. In that case it would be like getting hit by a minimal hurricane in the US. Just a little bit of a nuisance and some minor clean up and then back to business as normal. Most of the other harder hit areas would be like getting hit by a category 5 hurricane with a wall of water 30 ft high. Business does not get back to normal immediately after a category 5 hurricane.

There have been unconfirmed reports that officials decided not to issue a tsunami warning for fear of disrupting the tourist industry. If this turns out to be true, I'm sure there will be some "'splainin'" to do. The geologist who chose to make conservative estimates about the imminence of the Mt. St. Helens eruptions for fear of hurting their careers, pretty much had their careers ruined as a result.

[edit on 04/12/31 by GradyPhilpott]

maybe when everyone realises people are actually getting back to their holidays, and re-calculate the deaths, then you will actualy find that only around 17 people have died. the rest were clinging on to trees until they could return to their sunbeds and scuba-diving.

17 deaths? what kind of drug are you on, i want some! idiot

i was kidding with the 17 deaths. anyone notice how when this story first broke the number of deaths was around 1000, even though someone told me they first thought it was about 8 deaths. on the internet it seems as though the figure is around 130,000. however, on the tv news there saying its more like 80,000. i wouldn't be surprised if in a couple days it doesnt go up to 200,000. afterall most of the deaths haven't been accounted for and the fact that many people are still missing... ''still missing''...another term for probably dead but haven't found the body.

I read a story yesterday...where a couple was on the beach vacationing after the Tsunami. They glanced over and noticed an arm and hand sticking out of the sand...I mean, how gross. But, they made the best of it and the guy used the hand to rest his cocktail. I guess you'd call that making the best of the situation.

Having spent a lot of good time in Thailand, this does not suprise me at all.
One of the Thai's favourite expressions is translated simply as "forget it". This reflects a philosophy that says; it happened, don't wallow in it, move on to the next thing and try to make that good.
There can be a downside to that attitude perhaps but there is a definite upside as well. It never struck me as being cold blooded.