Thailand: Visitors returning to Andaman

Thailand's tourism authority is expecting tourists to return to the tsunami hit Andaman coast following the installation of an early warning system.

The Andaman coast, which takes in the popular resort of Phuket and the islands of Koh Phi Phi, was badly affected by December's tsunami with much of the local tourist infrastructure destroyed.

But the Thai government has now installed the first phase of an early warning system comprising watchtowers and a vast network of media communication facilities to provide rapid information to visitors in the event of a future tsunami.

The National Disaster Warning Centre, which officially opened at the end of May, will be able to identify where undersea earthquakes take place and determine the possibility of a tsunami as well as where and when it could hit.

And with restaurants, hotels, tour operators and resorts back up and running, there are already indications that tourists, particularly from Australia and elsewhere in Asia, are returning.

"We are expecting business to return to normal in the upcoming high season that begins this October," said Juthamas Siriwan, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

"Most of the Andaman region is safe and ready to receive visitors. Restaurants, tour operators, hotels and resorts are back in business."



A number of airlines that had stopped flying to Phuket following the tsunami are now returning, and tour operator Thomas Cook is planning to restart direct flights from Europe to Phuket three times a week from November.



Forthcoming events of interest include the 'New Look Andaman Festival' in November, and Thailand will also hold a day of commemoration in Phuket on December 26th 2005 to remember those who died, one year on.