Orientation
August 23, 2005
Khao Lak
Orientation - well for something that they INSIST that you attend this is really not that well organized. We were basically all loaded up into trucks and taking to some of the sites to look at the projects that where going on. Don't get me wrong it was impressive to see how much was being accomplished in each of these sites, especially when you look around and all you see are graveyards of foundations all over the landscape. I cannot imagine what that survivors have lived through. There is still a sense of sadness in the air but there is also a great deal of hope. One of the highlight of the tour was the boats.
The boats are exactly has they are described boats. The only surprising thing about them is that they are at least 4 km off of the shore. The police boat is perhaps the most famous of these, even though it is the smallest of the vessels. The story has it that this was the police boat that was accompanying the queen's grandson when he was water skiing. It was also unfortunately where the prince's body was found after two days of searching by the Thai government in the aftermath of the tsunami. So, it's now a monument to the prince. It is actually quite weird because it just sits across from a market place, I hear they are going to set up chairs or something.
Anyways, by lunch we ended up at Laem Pom the site where Leia, Faith and I will be working. Laem pom is an absolutely beautiful village that is slowly recovering from the tsunami and from land claims issues. So...here is a great rant. Not only does this poor community have to live through the horrors of a natural disaster the day after the tsunami a huge company moves in a walls off their village claiming that this was their land and that all trespassers will be shot. No one was allowed in to search for their loved ones. OMG!!!! Ok, I know this sounds dramatic but I am not kidding you. Apparently this company had been trying to get their hands on this land for some time. However, to myself and many of the other volunteers this aspects is horrifying. I do not understand how people can treat others this way. It was truly one of the most awful aspects of human culture that I have ever encountered.