By now, it is well known that the tsunami on December
26, 2004 was a catastrophic event. Even though a tsunami is an old
phenomenon, it seems it has just been realized and acknowledged again
after incredible loss of human life from many nationalities. This also
includes animals and plants, and a collection of assets gathered from
generation to generation. All were swept away by the wave within a few
minutes.
It was
a chaotic scene at the Pang-nga Naval Base in Thablamu district when the
tsunami hit.
The tsunami disaster in southern Thailand also
destroyed the Royal Naval Base in Pang-nga.
The Pang-nga Naval Base in Thablamu district in
Pang-Nga province has the duty of guarding the coast for Thailand’s
sovereignty and defense at sea and on land, and they also take care of
national resources on the beaches of the Andaman Sea.
The
warships and support ships at the Pang-nga Naval Pier were in disarray.
The ship’s ropes were torn and they were in chaotic disorder.
This base was heavily damaged during the tsunami, and
they also lost official assets and private property, including officers
losing their lives and their families. People can obviously see their
responsibility in helping to save hundreds and hundreds of public lives
from the giant wave. Even though the naval base was fully destroyed, the
images the public saw were officers hurrying to help citizens and
foreigners escape death on land and at sea. Officers rescued refugee
tourists from the islands in the Andaman Sea, and rushed to transport the
locals and tourists on the islands back to shore.
Even
as it became obvious the tsunami was imminent, no one yet realized its
intensity, as can be seen by the people who are still at water level on
the pier at the bottom of this photo.
The Royal Thai Navy showed their responsibility for the
country and the public on the day of the disaster. It was a great
sacrifice because most of the naval officers didn’t have time to go back
and take care of their own families during the height of the event.
Naval
officers had to make immediate decisions to handle the situation and keep
their lives and official property safe.
The warships and support ships at the Pang-nga Naval
Pier were in disarray. The ship’s ropes were torn and they were in
chaotic disorder. Naval officers had to make immediate decisions to handle
the situation and keep their own lives and official property safe. This
included property bought with public taxes allotted for the Royal Thai
Navy, which is used to defend Thailand for peace and security for the
public.
When the ships could travel they had to go as far away
as possible from the base. The day of the tsunami they could only rescue
citizens and tourists in need of help from the disaster. The next day they
gathered many drifting corpses that were scattered all over the Andaman
Sea. Naval officers had to automatically change their roles from rescue to
recovery.
Officers
and civilians ran for their lives.
Navy personnel brought all of their personal bed sheets
and blankets to protect themselves from the cold weather, and to cover the
corpses. They also used the ship’s foodstuffs to feed the starving Thai
and foreign people.
Today the situation is more under control, so naval
officers in the southern areas now have time to check on their families.
They are also starting to bring the naval base back into normal operation
again.
We owe great gratitude for their brave and selfless actions.
Nothing
like happy hour at a Skๅl meeting.
Deborah
and Paisarn Bundityanond, from the Rabbit Resort.
