Follow-up from Rob.
I have been forwarded this because he is having a problem logging in.
Fate is a real and amazing phenomenon which I have grown to believe in vehemently.
As regards the Tsunami this is the story that only now, twelve months on, I feel comfortable to relate.
Khun Deer, my boy friend (now companion), of five years resides in Phuket with his young family. As in the past I had decided to spend Christmas 2004 with them and I would have stayed where I had previously for several years at the Cabana Resort right on the beach at Patong Beach, Phuket. (The attached photo is of the villa I always stayed in which was never published). But as fate would have it two very good friends, David and Khun Eak, had invited me, Khun Deer (Agk) his wife Khun Gai (Wanee) and their two young children to join them for a traditional Christmas day at their home with their family, friends and Australian parents. Thus I felt obliged to stay at David’s Icon Hotel located in higher grounds of Patong Beach.
It was one of the most wonderful and memorable Christmas days of my life. Ironically Khun Deer is proudly Muslim and I now follow the Buddhist faith, but it was a marvelous experience to witness the joy Deer’s kids exuded when Santa handed out the presents. The traditional lunch followed and the day was simply perfect.
I had previously been negotiating to purchase a house at Kamala Beach about 15 minutes drive from Patong Beach and although we had inspected the property many times and made plans to extend the house I had never seen the actual beach. As we left David’s, Deer offered to meet me at 8am the following morning at the Icon Hotel and take me to Kamala Beach. Of course his three year old daughter Nadeer would have been with her Pa Pa. But the fact is we, me anyway, had a very large hang over and at 7:30am our plans to visit Kamala Beach were postponed.
About one and a half hours later the Tsunami story unfolded as recalled by my photographs, originally on Crikey.com and subsequently lifted by many other web sites. I had initially written to Crikey.com, with attached photos, supporting a critical report by Crikey.com concerning the very slow decision by Fox TV to cover this story, which my instincts told me was of major proportions.
What I have not been able to relate before is the fact that Deer’s wife lost two cousins at Pee Pee island. Deer was determined to go and look for them and although he found it extremely difficult, eventually we were able to persuade the owner of a long boat to take him to Pee Pee. While he search during the next two days his mobile phone battery went flat and it was impossible to alert him that Gai’s cousins had been found and because the bodies were decomposing there was no option but to conduct the burial service while Deer was still searching.
Also, until now, twelve months on, I have not wanted to tell other stories that unfolded. One week after the Tsunami I went to Surin Beach, one of the few coastal locations remarkably not confronted and devastated by the massive waves. There were many people lazing on the beach, but back in the palm trees I came across a middle aged Thai women with a motorbike, three hand carved snakes and a young baby. She explained that on the morning the Tsunami hit she had been selling here snakes and other wares on Patong Beach when she noticed the water reside uncharacteristically. Alarmed she gathered up her baby, her wooden snakes and wares plus the motor bike and headed away from the beach just as the killer waves broke. With that renowned Thai smiles she told me what I saw, plus a small bag with clothes was all she possessed, but she was grateful that she and her baby had survived. I bought one of her snakes and offered a considerable tip. The lady politely refused.
Today Deer, Gai, Nardeer and baby Natacha are with me in Pattaya. We had another wonderful Christmas day but none of us were interested in watching the television news reports about post tsunami on Boxing day, 26th December 2005.
However, tonight I spoke to David in Phuket. He, his Australian Mum and step Dad (who were there last year and contributed so much in the aftermath) plus Khun Eak, all attended the remembrance service on the sand at Patong Beach. Apparently, initially, there was considerable resentment to the presence of the media. While I sympathized, I could not but help think how ironic. On that fateful day it was my complaint of the initial lack of media coverage by Fox TV of the original disaster that prompted my remarks to Crikey.Com, which were subsequently reproduced so widely.
Mine is just one story that I can now relate. Of course there are so many others, many tragic. However life, for those of us that are so fortunate, goes on. But for those not so fortunate, their relatives and friends her and around the world, we shall never forget.
Last edited by jinks on Mon 10 Sep, 2007 12:38 pm; edited 2 times in total
