I am so disgusted!

http://www.repubblica.it/popup/servi...ket/index.html

--
Britta
Sandpaper kisses, a cuddle and a purr. I have an alarm clock that's
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badwilson wrote:

http://www.repubblica.it/popup/servi...ket/index.html

--
Britta
Sandpaper kisses, a cuddle and a purr. I have an alarm clock that's
covered in fur!
Check out pictures of Vino at:
http://photos.yahoo.com/badwilson click on the Vino album



My first response is EEEWWWWW...

But on the other hand, maybe there isn't much else these folks can do
unless they have a medical background or can drive a bulldozer (assuming
there are enough available or something like that. Quite a few of them
have young kids with them. I wouldn't think it'd be too easy for them to
get on an earlier flight home right now, or even to another part of the
country. But I've never even been in Thailand and realise I could just
be babbling rubbish really.....

You're a lot closer to it all than we are. What are the local news media
saying about aid efforts? Is there a general perception that aid is
getting to where it's needed?

in article , Helen Wheels at
wrote on 1/5/05 6:16AM:

badwilson wrote:

http://www.repubblica.it/popup/servi...ket/index.html

--
Britta
Sandpaper kisses, a cuddle and a purr. I have an alarm clock that's
covered in fur!
Check out pictures of Vino at:
http://photos.yahoo.com/badwilson click on the Vino album



My first response is EEEWWWWW...

But on the other hand, maybe there isn't much else these folks can do
unless they have a medical background or can drive a bulldozer (assuming
there are enough available or something like that. Quite a few of them
have young kids with them. I wouldn't think it'd be too easy for them to
get on an earlier flight home right now, or even to another part of the
country. But I've never even been in Thailand and realise I could just
be babbling rubbish really.....

You're a lot closer to it all than we are. What are the local news media
saying about aid efforts? Is there a general perception that aid is
getting to where it's needed?

I would be interested too. I couldn't do it. I'd come spend money and be
there, but I would want to do something. Still, on our news (CNN) Thailand
seems pretty desparate to have just this happen. They want tourists to
continue to come. THere was one lady who says her staff look at her in fear
that people won't come and what will she do (ie. close down)? But I would be
interested in unofficial feeling.

"badwilson" wrote in message
...
http://www.repubblica.it/popup/servi...ket/index.html

--

I see what you mean. On the other hand, tourism is nearly 100% of their
livelihood. News reports showed many natives rushing to try to get things
ready to attract tourists again.

(Face it, the types who go to the islands to fancy resorts that border
severely impoverished native areas are not the most sensitive souls.)

"badwilson" wrote in message
...
http://www.repubblica.it/popup/servi...ket/index.html

--
Britta
Sandpaper kisses, a cuddle and a purr. I have an alarm clock that's
covered in fur!
Check out pictures of Vino at:
http://photos.yahoo.com/badwilson click on the Vino album






I am disgusted, too -- but my disgust is directed more at tourists than at
some of the locals who worked desperately to "keep up appearances" to keep
the flow of tourism coming (that is, tourists who could actually bake
themselves in the sun while scenes of incredible death and destruction
surround them). ABC reported last night that some meteorologists in the
area did attempt to sound some warnings, but were told to keep quiet out of
fear that it would frighten off the tourists. If so, then whoever made that
decision receives my "top disgust" award!

MaryL

Mine too! Not that I want Thailand to suffer anymore than it must from
lack of tourist dollars in view of the cost of cleaning up, but for
now, when people are trying to restore order after the disaster, I
would think it would be more helpful to stay out of the way in another
country altogether, if you're not willing or able to help. Take a trip
to Thailand, yes, but take it later, when things are not so chaotic!

Speaking as a potential tourist, I'd rather have had the warning "It's
not safe to come to Thailand right now" rather than be swept out to sea
by a 15 foot wall of water with my whole family, and possibly drown.
Melissa

On Wed, 5 Jan 2005 18:25:02 +0700, "badwilson"
yodeled:

http://www.repubblica.it/popup/servi...ket/index.html

I agree, it looks disgusting. But perhaps to local people, it looks
like $$$ -- which is what they need right now.

Tourism is what-- 1/4 or 1/3 of the country's economy? That is going
to suffer, anyway.

Chinatown, NYC still has not recovered from the hit it took after
9/11. If tourists had kept right on coming, people there would be in
a lot better off at this point.

Now, would *I* have the "front" to lie on the beach like that? I
doubt it. But if I lived there, if someone was able to sleep on *my*
beach, I'd happilt take their money.



Theresa
Stinky Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/album/125591586JWEFwh
My Blog: http://www.humanitas.blogspot.com

"Shiral" wrote in message
oups.com...
Mine too! Not that I want Thailand to suffer anymore than it must from
lack of tourist dollars in view of the cost of cleaning up, but for
now, when people are trying to restore order after the disaster, I
would think it would be more helpful to stay out of the way in another
country altogether, if you're not willing or able to help. Take a trip
to Thailand, yes, but take it later, when things are not so chaotic!

Speaking as a potential tourist, I'd rather have had the warning "It's
not safe to come to Thailand right now" rather than be swept out to sea
by a 15 foot wall of water with my whole family, and possibly drown.
Melissa

Well, there really wasn't any precident for that. I can't honestly fault
them. When the worst thing you've had happen in hundreds of years are
extremely predictable floods, I can see why the entire region was taken by
surprise.

"Helen Wheels" wrote in message
...
badwilson wrote:

http://www.repubblica.it/popup/servi...ket/index.html

--
Britta
Sandpaper kisses, a cuddle and a purr. I have an alarm clock that's
covered in fur!
Check out pictures of Vino at:
http://photos.yahoo.com/badwilson click on the Vino album



My first response is EEEWWWWW...

But on the other hand, maybe there isn't much else these folks can do
unless they have a medical background or can drive a bulldozer (assuming
there are enough available or something like that. Quite a few of them
have young kids with them. I wouldn't think it'd be too easy for them to
get on an earlier flight home right now, or even to another part of the
country. But I've never even been in Thailand and realise I could just
be babbling rubbish really.....

One argument I've heard is that one of hte best things tourists can do if
they can't offer immediate help (in the form of medical assistance etc) it
to just keep on being tourists. Why? Because they plug in a sh*tload of
money into the economy, and by continuing to show its possible to holiday
there, they are giving out powerful advertising that its still a place worth
holidaying in. Considering that the local economies of alot of small towns
and villages are pretty much entirely dependant on the tourist trade, not
only have they suffered from the immediate devestation, if tourists don't
come back, they've also lost their means of livelihood. It has to be worth
their while to re-build the expensive infrastructure that tourists want (ie,
big fancy hotels etc etc) and if it looks like the tourist industry is going
to dry up, there is no point re-building such facilities.

So as much as it seems disgusting that rich (in relative terms) foriegners
are kicking up their heels in luxury when a large number of people have
suffered total devastation, they may well be doing the survivors a favour -
at least in the long term.

Yowie

I read something today in the Readers Digest attributed to Richard Avedon.

Pictures are accurate. But they are not truth.

I'm guessing the people working at the resort are very glad there people are
there. At least someone will be bringing home a cash paycheck at the end of
the week. And I would hope some very large tips as well.

Sometimes the best way to help someone is to allow them to help themselves.
I don't see what anyone would gain by these people staying home.

Jo
"badwilson" wrote in message
...
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--
Britta
Sandpaper kisses, a cuddle and a purr. I have an alarm clock that's
covered in fur!
Check out pictures of Vino at:
http://photos.yahoo.com/badwilson click on the Vino album