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January 22, 2005 - Joann and Bob arrive at Siboya
We finally made it... Krabi was totally unscathed, but we could only count about 10 tourists in town and many tour shops are boarded up. As I said previously, the 2nd disaster is now happening... NO  TOURISTS... NO ECONOMY! 

Siboya Bungalows looks a lot better than we anticipated. 

January 18, 2005 - Joann and Bob are off to Siboya
Updates to this news page will be delayed until the end of Feb unless I can get appropriate internet access in Krabi..??

January 14, 2005
(CNN) -- Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has called for more tsunami aid relief, but says his nation does not need financial assistance... adding that Thailand could look after itself.

Comment: Somehow I think the Thai Government forgot to ask the Thai people if they need any help!

January 9, 2005 
(Kyoto News) - BANGKOK — Thailand on Saturday declined to accept $20 million in tsunami aid offered by Japan, saying it should go to other recipient countries more in need of the funds.

"As far as the disaster relief efforts right now, Thailand believes that we've come to grips with the situation, but there are other countries that are in more need," Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Sihasak Phuangketkeow told a news briefing. 

January 7, - Siboya Bungalows is up and running 100%
Ao Nang and Railay are also back to normal... www.railay.com 

January 7, 10:30am - Spoke to Chung on the phone
I just spoke with Chung... all the staff lost their personal belongings... 7 local fishermen lost their boats and 3 local fishermen's houses are lost. He also said that 2 people (no names yet) from Koh Siboya lost their lives while working on Phi Phi. He is most concerned that this season is going to be a complete write off... almost everyone except the regulars and some newbies, left the next day. All the staff at SB were so grateful to everyone who stayed and made such difference in the cleanup. As you know the whole operation runs on seasonal cash flow... now this season will be a write-off.
Bob and Jo

December 31, 5:45pm - Message from Tanu
The Siboya Bungalows generator is OK.
Both Siboya and Pine Bungalows are open again. (No problem)
Pine --- Juree said more than 150,000 baht damages.
Siboya ---- Mr Chung said 400,000 baht damages.

December 30, 11:00am - Message from Paul
Hay All
First we are Both Fine!!! 
We were however on the tail end of the wave. Wouldn't u know this would happen on the day after Christmas! I had just got up to go for breakfast and went out to the beach where Laura was. As she was standing in hip deep water, the tide went out in 3 min. The water just disappeared!! Then on the horizon, looking towards Phi Phi, and Bamboo island we saw a white ribbon that was slowly stretching itself outward until it went the entire length of the horizon... Needless to say we knew something was up!!

Shortly afterwards, Mr  'A' came running out onto the beach. He had heard on the radio that a 'BIG' wave was coming. It really did seem to travel quite slowly. It took about 20 min to hit the Siboya shore, and by that time we were on my elevated deck. There was actually 3 waves with the 3rd being the most powerful. The first wave broke the man made sea wall. The next waves piled debris all over the place and did serious damage to bungalows 1,2,3,4, A, B, Allan's house was a hit, Connie's house had some damage on the first floor and it stopped just in front of the flower bed in front of Rebecca's house where Laura and I are staying. The entire restaurant, and staff's living quarters was completely done in. An absolute disaster  :( 

The old bridge and the new one were completely washed away. In fact...all the bridges were washed away.

With all the damage done thankfully there were no injuries at all. The very next day the people who did stay went straight to work on the restaurant. We had it cleaned in a day!!!! On the 27 we started on the area with the houses while another team of the Siboya hard cores went to work on the bungalows 1,2,3,4,A,B, By yesterday (Dec 28) everything had been cleared of water, coconuts, logs and all kinds of shit!! Mr Sun had all the bridges up again and we are having our communal meals back ion the heart of Siboya... The restaurant!!!!!!

Please be assured that all is well and we are in no danger of Cholera, typhoid, or any other disaster related illness. We have plenty of good food to eat, friends to support us, and a shitload more work to do at the bungalows. Hmmmm Sounds like a Tsunami workout program??

Anyway That's about all the time I have right now. Must go and do some shopping for supplies. (we ran out of gin days ago!!)

Take care and happy new year to everybody!!
Ciao for now

Paul
xoxo

December 27, 11:00am - Message from Toni
"Everybody safe, some bungalows and the restaurant damaged, nothing too bad."

December 27, 10:45am - Message from Peter and Janet
"Dear friends... This is to let you know that Janet and I are OK . We feel extremely lucky to have personally avoided any serious consequences of the tidal wave. There is obviously lots of havoc and tragedy everywhere along the coast in this area.

Siboya was hit around 11:00 am. There was no warning for anyone. Most of us were having a lazy inactive morning following the Xmas party the night before. Janet and I were lying out on the lilos when Janet noticed that the water was draining out unusually fast. We then noticed a band of white stretching along the entire horizon. We all watched with curiosity scratching our heads with confusion. We had ten minutes to figure out that this was a wave of enormous size and dangerous. We got out of the water and went to our veranda to watch. We were still confused about the cause of the wave but there was no ambiguity about it's potential for harm.

The first wave hit and flooded our garden with sea debris, mostly stuff we had piled along the line with the beach. I had moved my bicycle but my kayak was tossed around in the garden. Several minutes later the second and more forceful wave crashed on the beach. Behind the wave an entire sea of water which nothing could stop. We were fortunate that our house is a few meters up the hill and was not flooded. However all the bungalows along the beach at sea level were inundated with sea water carrying with it debris from the whole of the Indian Ocean. The kitchen and restaurant were completely deluged with mud and debris. Amazingly the staff put on not one but two dinners served on high ground above the takrow court. We spent the afternoon and evening bracing for more of the same. It had been reported that a 10 meter wave was heading our direction and would arrive around 3 or 4:00 PM . Happily this wave never materialized but we packed bags and braced for the worst. 

I talked with people on the island and there were no known deaths or serious injuries on Siboya. However all around us there are reported deaths or missing people both Thais and farangs. I spoke with a women this morning on the song toew to Nua Klong who told me here family's bungalow business on Koh Jum lost 10 bungalows. She also told me there were some missing fishermen presumed dead."

Thank you for your support

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