Tsunami clear-up spirit rose again
Re: “If ever there was a time for kind words and cooperation...”, Have Your Say, July 3.
Khun Chavalit’s letter resonates with me. As tsunami survivors who lost our shop, most of our possessions, three vehicles and two Christmas guests in the 2004 tsunami, my wife and I were involved in the recovery efforts – re-floating fishermen, re-equipping homeless families with basic survival gear, and coordinating with a German charity to get free houses built for sea-gypsies and orphaned children.
I cannot fault the Army, police and government infrastructure departments for the excellent job they did in the clear-up, but what was more difficult to bear was the constant stream of VIPs from Bangkok who showed up well after the event for photo opportunities, and in particular, the ministry official who threatened the hard-working German builders with prosecution for work permit violations.
As Chavalit suggests, it was a time for kind words and cooperation, not grandstanding and intimidation.
Nigel Pike
Phang Nga
