apodzorski
04-01-2005, 22:56
Should anyone feel like giving specific help to a Thai island, please read this from the Ko Lanta Diving Centre, who together with the other dive companies are trying to help the Ko Lanta Thais & Sea Gypsies:
Dear Friends,
After 5 days we are in a better position to see how much luck we had on Ko Lanta.
Ko Lanta, in contrast to Kao Lak, Koh Phi Phi and Phuket, was not so severely hit.
The beaches look good again, the resorts are being cleared up, beach restaurants are being rebuilt. The road, and Ban Saladan
are undamaged. Another piece of good news: the reefs have apparently escaped undamaged.
In spite of this, many people, in particular the poor, have lost everything. Huts built close to the water, and their boats
are gone or shattered. We can help them by subsidising the materials they need to rebuild their lives.
The worst effected are the Thais, in particular the chao ley (sea gypsies) and the poor Moslems on Lanta Yai and Lanta Noi.
Their main occupation is as always, fishing from long-tail boats. These were almost entirely smashed or sunk.
We can also help the island and country by continuing to travel there on holiday, to ensure that this natural catastrophy
doesn't take away thier livelyhood.
Many have asked how you can help directly. To this end, we have set up a private German aid account:
K?hlke ? Ko Lanta ? Spendenkonto
Deutsche Bank - BLZ 200 700 00
Account no. 639 840 802
The contributions will be given directly to the people most effected here so that rebuild the basics of life.
Please give your address in the space for the reason for transfer so that we can send you a receipt.
This help will go, in particular to areas that are not travelled by tourists (thus either rarely or never mentioned in the
press). The funds will go to the marginal ethnic groups, the badly effected and financially weak - especially local Thai
families that have lost absolutely everything. We feel it is important not to give money, but to arrange the supply of
materials - wood for rebuilding the long-tail boats, and the Thais will supply manpower to bulding and reconstruction. In
addition, boat motors will either be repaired, or second hand motors purchased. The same will be done for home-building.
We wish you all a healthy and happy new year.
Khoop khun kaa
Kop kun khrap
say friends from Koh Lanta
Ko Lanta Diving Centre
<a href="http://dsp5.dspcom.de/forum/viewtopic.php?t=175&sid=e31893bfc954e574ce5124f5d9396c1d" >http://dsp5.dspcom.de/forum/viewtopic.php?t=175&sid=e31893bfc954e574ce5124f5d9396c1d</a>
Ko Lanta Divers
<a href="http://www.lantadiver.com/english/" >http://www.lantadiver.com/english/</a>
Dear Friends,
After 5 days we are in a better position to see how much luck we had on Ko Lanta.
Ko Lanta, in contrast to Kao Lak, Koh Phi Phi and Phuket, was not so severely hit.
The beaches look good again, the resorts are being cleared up, beach restaurants are being rebuilt. The road, and Ban Saladan
are undamaged. Another piece of good news: the reefs have apparently escaped undamaged.
In spite of this, many people, in particular the poor, have lost everything. Huts built close to the water, and their boats
are gone or shattered. We can help them by subsidising the materials they need to rebuild their lives.
The worst effected are the Thais, in particular the chao ley (sea gypsies) and the poor Moslems on Lanta Yai and Lanta Noi.
Their main occupation is as always, fishing from long-tail boats. These were almost entirely smashed or sunk.
We can also help the island and country by continuing to travel there on holiday, to ensure that this natural catastrophy
doesn't take away thier livelyhood.
Many have asked how you can help directly. To this end, we have set up a private German aid account:
K?hlke ? Ko Lanta ? Spendenkonto
Deutsche Bank - BLZ 200 700 00
Account no. 639 840 802
The contributions will be given directly to the people most effected here so that rebuild the basics of life.
Please give your address in the space for the reason for transfer so that we can send you a receipt.
This help will go, in particular to areas that are not travelled by tourists (thus either rarely or never mentioned in the
press). The funds will go to the marginal ethnic groups, the badly effected and financially weak - especially local Thai
families that have lost absolutely everything. We feel it is important not to give money, but to arrange the supply of
materials - wood for rebuilding the long-tail boats, and the Thais will supply manpower to bulding and reconstruction. In
addition, boat motors will either be repaired, or second hand motors purchased. The same will be done for home-building.
We wish you all a healthy and happy new year.
Khoop khun kaa
Kop kun khrap
say friends from Koh Lanta
Ko Lanta Diving Centre
<a href="http://dsp5.dspcom.de/forum/viewtopic.php?t=175&sid=e31893bfc954e574ce5124f5d9396c1d" >http://dsp5.dspcom.de/forum/viewtopic.php?t=175&sid=e31893bfc954e574ce5124f5d9396c1d</a>
Ko Lanta Divers
<a href="http://www.lantadiver.com/english/" >http://www.lantadiver.com/english/</a>