Below is the entire email sent to me by connect guesthouse, the place I stayed when I was in Phuket. I enquired how they all are and whether Noi is safe. I now publish the email in its entirity.
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Gay Patong Extra Newsletter
Tsunami
I have learnt the meaning of the word, tsunami. A tsunami has not hit Thailand in more than 300 years so few people here know about it.
A tsunami is a sea wave of local or distant origin that results from large-scale seafloor displacements associated with large earthquakes, major submarine slides, or exploding volcanic islands. It may travel unnoticed across the ocean for thousands of miles from its point of origin and builds up to great heights over shallower water. Also known as a seismic sea wave, and incorrectly, as a tidal wave.
When I write this mail the death toll is close to 23,000 for the entire region and 700 in Thailand. It is the biggest nature catastrophe in modern time.
This is Börjes (manager at Connect) story
"It was a clear blue sky and we were having our morning coffee at Connect when we heard people screaming that the beach had disappeared."
''When I got close to the beach I heard more screaming and suddenly I saw this huge wave, taller than the palm trees, coming to crash down on us.''
''I just couldn't believe what was happening,''
"We rushed into a hotel as the huge wave rolled into Patong Beach. The giant wave flooded the lobby within seconds and dragged furniture onto the street."
"I had to wrap myself around a pillar to avoid being swept away"
"As I was standing there, a car actually floated into the lobby and overturned because the current was so strong," "The water was up to my chest and I was holding on to my boyfriend's hand because he can't swim,"
So how did this affect us in Paradise Complex?
The first wave hit Patong Beach at around 8.30 am and almost all our guests were sleeping after a late Swedish Christmas dinner party at Connect. Most of the local boys were also sleeping because they normally get up very late. We still do not know much about missing people we actually know. One thing we know is that the beach front places like Club One Seven and Patong beach bungalows were hit very severely.
The Paradise Complex area did not get affected by the water at all. It's a strange feeling to walk from one side of Rath-U-Thit road to the other. On one side it looks like a war zone and on the other side nothing had changed.
Yesterday we had a full house at Connect. Our satellite system was ok so we had news from BBC all day and night. Internet was working and gave us updates and information from newspaper all over the world. Many people were gathering at Connect to look at BBC news, use telephones to make phonecalls to family and friend and use Internet. We did not get much local news so this was more or less the only source of information. Several times people came shouting that a new wave was on it's way and everybody started to run. A couple of times we did find ourselves without any staff. Everyone left but came back after a while.
I had a walk on the beach road yesterday morning and it was at that time a really understood the full extent of the devastation close to the beach. Many rescue workers were busy clearing debris from the streets. Refrigerators, cars, furniture from restaurants and an entire concrete building with an exchange office and ATM machine was in the middle of the road. I could see a car inside a building on the second floor.
This evening seems totally natural and calm. We did go to Khun Bon's birthday party at May Way. Everything looked much the same as the night before the disaster.
Being in Paradise Complex feels much like being on an other Island and not in Phuket because everything was so "normal". It was like the entire Paradise Complex just got very lucky.
Is it safe to go to Patong? Yes ! We have electricity, telephone lines and Internet working in Paradise Complex. The water supply is working and the reservoirs are located inland of Phuket. Paradise Complex area feels very safe and we did not get a drop of water from the tsunami. The Beach will be closed for 5 days for cleaning. The beach road is a total mess. It will take time until any business will be able to open up again. Shops are open as usual on this side of Rath-U-Thit road. If you want to do any serious shopping go to the new Central Festival that has just opened in Phuket town. Life is getting back to normal very quickly again.
Please do not cancel your tour to Patong. Now more than ever we need your support.
Our hearts and minds are with those who have lost their lives and we send our condolences to their familys and friends..
If you need to contact anybody here please send SMS The mobile network is overloaded but SMS is still going through.
Connect Ulf 09-6521544 international +66-9-6521544
Connect Borje 09-7310180 international +66-9-7310180
Handbag Ray 06-7419489 international +66-6-7419489
Daniel Club one seven 04-0518870 international +66-4-0518870
Best regards and a happy new year
Ulf
Connect
Connect This is not a hotel, it is your second home.
Welcome
connect@beachpatong.com
Connect Guesthouse Connect Guesthouse
125/8-9 Rath-U-Thit rd
Patong Beach, Kathu
Paradise Complex (way in)
Phuket 83150
Thailand
connect@beachpatong.com
www.beachpatong.com/connect/ tel:
fax:
mobile: +66-(0)76-294 195
+66-(0)76-340 957
+66-(0)9-652 1544
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----- Original Message -----
From: robert cook
To: connect@beachpatong.com
Sent: Tuesday, December 28, 2004 10:49 AM
Subject: tsumani
hi guys,
i would like to expressour sympathies to all who have lost family friends and businesess in Phuket. I have had some fabulous times there and it was with absolute shock that i watched the news here in australia.
Good luck to you all i hope to visit again within the next year regards robbie.
- Show quoted text -
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