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It is almost a year after the tidal wave incident on 26 December 2004. However,
many people who visit
Phuket
say that Phuket beaches of today are as beautiful as they were 20 years ago.
 Thailand
Travel, a web site that provides services on booking
hotels in Thailand,
reveals that all Phuket beaches affected by tsunamis such as Patong, Kata, Karon
have been fully rehabilitated and today they are ready to welcome tourists that
gradually come back from all over the world, including Europe, America, and
Scandinavia. Groups of Scandinavian tourists will come at the end of year.
Thailand Travel also adds
that there are some tourists coming back to other spots such as Ao Nang Beach,
Railay Beach,
Lanta
Island, and
Phi Phi Island in
Krabi
Province. However, the number of the tourists is much lesser than it was at the
same period of time of the last year before the incident.
In terms of domestic market, TAT has proposed packages to visit Andaman at
special prices for Thai people. This project is aimed at encouraging Thai people
to visit the tsunamis-affected provinces, including Phuket, Krabi, Trang, and
Phang-nga.
Concerning Phuket hotels, 90% of them are ready to provide full services
during the coming high season beginning in November. The hotel owners insist to
go on with their business although their incomes are much reduced and they still
have to carry the burden of regular expenses, including worker salaries.
Other tourism enterprises either medium or small in Phuket such as
restaurants and souvenir shops are all greatly affected by the incident. Their
incomes depend mainly on tourism. They do hope that the number of tourists
visiting to Phuket during the high season will gradually increase.
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