A daily wrap of Thailand news, with a Phuket perspective, plus relevant reports from national and international media.

smh.com.au Thailand's holiday coast is unprepared for another tsunami, the country's former emergency chief has warned, with the government-run warning centre so underfunded a key detection buoy was left inoperable for months because a flat battery was not replaced. Smith Dharmasaroja quit the National Disaster Warning Centre, saying funding and resources for the office had been eroded, risking people's lives.

reuters.com Five years on from the Indian Ocean tsunami, the region has its own early warning system but experts say the new technology will not save lives unless local communities are more involved in planning how to respond. Millions of dollars have gone into building a vast network of seismic and tsunami information centers, setting up sea and coastal instruments and erecting warning towers. But studies show that the closer the warning gets to those it is designed to help, the more it fades out, and much more needs to be done to connect the technology to the people.

theage.com.au Tourism is struggling today, but no longer because of the wave. Larry Cunningham, Australia's honorary consul in southern Thailand, says the tourist mecca of Phuket suffered unnecessarily, and longer than most. While about 5400 people died in the Thai tsunami, less than a tenth of those were on Phuket. Despite this, it was the island constantly referred to on international news bulletins and became the place most associated with the disaster.

theaustralian.com.au Five years later, Phuket has almost no visible tsunami scars. Tourists throng the beaches; the restaurants and bars of Patong hustle for business, the five-star enclaves are serene, the sea calm and benignly shining. There are now alarm towers on the beach, and Thailand has instituted a series of evacuation drills. The most malevolent beings in the still ocean are the ever-buzzing jetskis.

worldbulletin.net Acehnese have held mass prayers at mosques across the region to observe the fifth commemoration of the devastating tsunami five years ago. Dozens of people burst into tears while remembering loved ones killed in the tragedy. ''I still remember when strong waves destroyed our home, killing my husband and three children,'' 35-year old Yusniar, one of the residents, said.

theage.com.au At a time when the international community is redoubling its efforts to address climate change, among other daunting humanitarian concerns, the modern miracle of Aceh's recovery is an encouraging sign of what can be achieved when political will, resources and co-ordination align.

irrawaddy.org Family members of Burmese victims who died in the tsunami will participate in a memorial ceremony in Phang Nga on the fifth anniversary. About 1000 monks will gather at Takua Pa District and walk for about one hour to Ban Nam Khem village, where many victims died.

thenational.ae Five years after the tsunami swept over the shores of Sri Lanka destroying everything in its path, victims are continuing to rebuild their lives. But their efforts have been plagued by nagging questions over widespread corruption in programs expected to provide thousands of houses. More than 35,000 people in Sri Lanka were killed and more than a half million displaced.

canada.com Last year, the Canadian Red Cross passed out disposable cameras to 41 children in Indonesia and gave them each an assignment. The children, living in two regions devastated by the 2004 Asian tsunami, were to take photographs of what made them happy. some of the photos also include the ocean , which shows how much children have healed since the disaster that killed thousands, and how they've learned to trust the sea again.

northernstar.com.au Northern Rivers mourned the loss of one of its own in the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami. Moi Vogel, 32, a Sydney television producer who grew up in Mullumbimby, was killed in Thailand. Her husband, Christian Nott, 34, a Sydney photographer, also died. They were on their honeymoon and Moi had phoned her father, who lives near Tenterfield, on Christmas Day to tell him she was three months pregnant. The couple died in the Khao Lak area, and a foundation has since been set up in their names to help rebuild the region.

theaustralian.com.au Boxing Day tsunami survivor Dianne Boardman swims several times a week in the ocean, but five years after the disaster she still shies away from spas because the roar of the air jets stirs too many memories. The sound brings back the overwhelming sense of fear she felt as a wall of water picked her up off her feet at Phuket and hurled her underneath a car as her husband Les was rammed into a wall. Just six months after the tsunami, the pair returned with the gift of $89,000 for the hospital that tended to Mrs Boardman's injuries.


December 27 Walking street Local Life fair in Thalang Road, Old Phuket Town, from 6pm-11.30pm. The unsightly overhead lines, hanging from poles, have been buried. Local food and free street performances. Tourists especially welcome.

December 28 The Aleenta Resort, a short drive off Phuket across the sarasin Bridge, is releasing two turtles equipped with GPS as part of a fund-raising dinner on Monday, December 28. The bbq beach dinner, preceded by a visit at 3pm to the nearby turtle sanctuary, costs 1500 baht and includes a 200 baht donation. There's a free shuttle from Stereo Lab at Surin on Phuket at 4.30pm, returning at midnight. Details: Andreas 076 580333 or rmphuket@aleenta.com

December 31 Mai Khao Marine Turtle Foundation holds turtle release to celebrate the New Year and to raise funds for the care of sea turtles. Donations of 2000 baht to release each of 50 turtles will go to the hatchery program. Contact Khun Aim on 086 689 2230 or e: info@maikhaoturtlefoundation.com