Phi Phi Island Updates

The monsoonal rains typical to countries located within the Tropics arrived early in Thailand this year causing widespread damage and loss of life throughout many provinces in Central and Northern Thailand.

Residents of Northern Thailand have experienced a torrid 10 months during which time the city Chiang Mai has been flooded three times resulting in damage to personal goods and huge clean up efforts.

The rural communities are the people who suffer the most though; living in simple ‘shed like’ accommodation near water sources the flooding is so rapid that water surges through villages like a tsunami engulfing people and houses and severely damaging rice paddy fields.

Much of Northern Thailand is mountainous and the run off after a big deluge is swift with initial rain water becoming laden with mud. Many blame deforestation as the major cause of such run off. Felled trees no longer catch and absorb the water above ground and root systems degenerate failing to keep the mountain sides intact under the surface.

In the province of Uttaradit 20,255 families in 227 villages were hit hard with 4,900 rai of farmland damaged.

The Community of the Prem Tinsulanonda International School collected clothing and imperishable food products to help out stranded Thai residents. The Piers Simon Appeal went shopping and filled a van full of provisions providing goods such as: Rice, Noodles, Tinned Fish, Coffee, Mosquito Coils, Candles and Matches. The provisions were then collected by the Thai Air Force and distributed to those in need.

This was a different kind of help by the Piers Simon Appeal and our first contribution to a non-tsunami related natural disaster.