More than 8,000 people were declared dead or missing in Thailand following the 2004 Asia Tsunami. Around 300 villages across six provinces were impacted. Tourism, fishery and agricultural losses were substantial. An estimated 58,500 people were affected by the disaster and close to 1,500 children lost one or both parents.
Communities, government, private and public organisations moved quickly to rebuild affected areas. Swift rehabilitation of coastal resorts has seen tourism flourish once again. Other hard-hit communities where livelihoods were devastated have improved at a steadier pace.
For many, recovery has been a struggle in the years since the tsunami struck. It has been World Vision's goal to support those people to regain their lives and livelihoods. This report summarises World Vision's Tsunami Response in Thailand and its role in the recovery of households.
Background
Programme Goal
To restore and improve the livelihoods and well-being of tsunami-affected communities in Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi, Ranong and Trang.
Relief Response
World Vision Foundation of Thailand launched an emergency response following the tsunami of 26th December 2004. World Vision was well placed to respond with existing programmes and staff operating in the country.
- Survival kits for 4,367 families.
- Food (rice, vegetable, oil, dried fish etc) for 5,422 families.
- Household and kitchen utensils for 7,000 families.
- Temporary shelter for 10,715 people. Psycho-social support for 7,506 children and adults.
- Emergency health support (mobile health clinic) for 500 people.
- Food-for-work programmes to engage community volunteers in the cooking of food used in distributions.
- Repatriation of close to 700 tsunami-affected Burmese migrants.
As the relief phase progressed, rapid sectoral assessments were conducted in the areas of child-wellbeing, community-based disaster management, economic recovery/livelihood development, health, water and sanitation, natural resource management, and shelter.
Based on the assessment results, World Vision designed and implemented an integrated rehabilitation programme that would span the next two to three years.
More than 50,000 people have since benefited from the programme.
Rapid Assessment Findings (January 2005)
Livelihood/economic recovery
- Loss of capital productive assets and livelihoods. Increase in unemployment and debt.
Child well-being
- Limited awareness of child protection in tsunami affected communities.
- Children dislocated from their normal home environment more at-risk.
Health, water and sanitation
- Poor access to safe water and primary health care services.
- Physical damage to coral reefs and mangrove forests.
Natural resource management
- Intrusion of salt water to agricultural land.
- Damaged aquaculture infrastructure.
- Unsustainable livelihood practices relying on natural resources.
Disaster management
- Lack of or poor understanding of the nature of disasters, and appropriate disaster risk-reduction strategies.
Shelter
- Problems with land allocation and coastal zone building restrictions.
- Land disputes for permanent buildings slowing down process of moving out.
- Discrepancy between official housing needs figures and community housing surveys.