BANGKOK — Twenty years since the catastrophic 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra reflected on managing one of Thailand’s worst natural disasters.
The 2004 Indian Ocean 9.1-magnitude earthquake and tsunami, which struck on December 26, 2004, devastated 14 countries including Thailand. The disaster wreaked unprecedented havoc across six Thai provinces, affecting 407 villages and completely destroying 47 of them. Popular tourist destinations were particularly hard hit, with Khao Lak and Phuket bearing the brunt of the destruction.
In Thailand alone, the death toll reached approximately 5,400, including both locals and foreign tourists. Phuket, one of Thailand’s premier tourist destinations, reported around 250 casualties among residents and visitors. The Takua Pa District in Phang Nga province, located north of Phuket, suffered some of the most severe damage and highest casualties in the country, with a significant number of Burmese migrant workers among the victims.
Here are the key moments and decisions during the crisis from former PM Thaksin, as recalled in a recent interview with Matichon Group:
MEDIA: Where were you when the tsunami struck?
THAKSIN: “I was in Khon Kaen province campaigning for an election when I received reports about a tsunami hitting Phuket and nearby provinces. I admit I didn’t even know what a tsunami was at that time. It wasn’t until I reached Phuket that I got a detailed explanation about the tectonic plate movement. What I knew then was that the situation was extremely serious.”
MEDIA: What was your immediate response?
THAKSIN: “When I arrived in Phuket, I immediately called for a meeting. Thailand’s weakness was that our ministries operated in silos. If everyone worked separately without coordination, nothing would succeed. So I took personal charge and assigned ministers to specific affected areas to ensure inter-ministry coordination.”
MEDIA: What were your priorities during the crisis?
THAKSIN: “We had three main priorities. First, help the survivors who weren’t injured and get them back to their families immediately – we provided them with necessary documents and free flights, even if they’d lost their passports. Second, treat the injured, transferring them to Bangkok if local facilities weren’t sufficient. Third, recover and identify the bodies – we had about 5,000 missing people but had only found 1,000 at that point.”
MEDIA: How did you handle international assistance?
THAKSIN: “I made an immediate decision not to accept financial donations from anywhere. The world was watching us, and I didn’t want Thailand to be seen asking for money. However, we welcomed technical assistance since this was a new type of disaster for us. This decision actually gained international attention and respect – even India followed our lead.”
MEDIA: Can you share a personal moment from the crisis?
THAKSIN: “One particularly challenging moment was when I learned that Khun Poom Jensen [Princess Ubolratana’s son] was missing. This added another layer of urgency to the situation – we had to deal with both the general public’s crisis and the fact that a royal family member was missing. I had to emphasize to everyone the gravity of having a royal grandson missing.”
MEDIA: How did you manage the recovery phase?
THAKSIN: “The first month was the most challenging because we had no electricity or phone services. We had to set up temporary systems. For long-term recovery, I worked with the Bank of Thailand to provide soft loans to businesses and hotels. We also allocated special budgets for highways and electricity infrastructure. Within a year, we were back to normal, though we lost one tourist season.”
MEDIA: Looking back now, what are your thoughts on current natural disasters?
THAKSIN: “Today’s environmental challenges are frightening. We’re seeing phenomena like rain bombs, where intense rainfall concentrates in one area. Recently in southern Thailand, we saw rainfall of 500 millimeters – when normally 100 millimeters is considered heavy. While we can’t control natural events, we can prepare better. AI might help – I recently discussed with Jensen Huang, NVIDIA’s CEO, about using AI to predict and manage climate-related disasters in Thailand.”
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