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Nutrition Information in Crisis Situations - Thailand
NICS 5, February 2005
Six provinces of Thailand were affected. As of mid-January, the health
situation was under control, mainly due to the rapid response implemented by the
Ministry of Health (MMWR, 28/01/05).
The worst hit areas (Phuket, Pahn Nga and Krabi provinces) were areas of
rapid and expanding development of mass tourism (UNDP, 01/05). The local
population has moved towards livelihoods made profitable because of this
tourism, such as fishing, small souvenir shops, working in hotels and
restaurants and so on. These areas also attracted workers from all over
Thailand, and migrant workers, mainly from Burma. This reliance on tourism
rendered the population in the area highly vulnerable to the effects of the
tsunami, as most of the fishing equipment and tourism infrastructure were
destroyed. It is likely that, even if the infrastructure is reconstructed, the
flow of tourism will decrease, at least for some time. Migrants will probably
return to their area of origin or go elsewhere.
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