SeaUrchin

Just when you think you have heard everything, I read this article about tourists right in the area devastated by the floods. I guess it could be argued that tourism is the source of economy for the area but don't you think it is premature to party right in front of the grief stricken people?

I would hope as travelers we would be sensitive to the local populations.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...sunami_tourism

Intrepid1

For some, topless sunbathing is not considered "partying" so I guess that is why they seem "insensitive" to some folks.

hansikday

Some people are just low class jerks. I expect many will soon be back to taking drugs and buying sex from native girls. Some vile things never change.

nytraveler

While I absolutely don;t condone dancing in the ruins (unless you're Marie Antoinette) - I'm not sure topless has anything to do with it. I know that this is an obsession with many americans - but in large parts of the word topless in the normal way to swim/sunbathe - it doesn't imply any sort of naughty behavior.

Chatters

With so much recovery to do, I do think that going back to tourism as usual is the insensitive part. For one, there are thousands of bodies still on the sea, which I am sure will washed on the coasts for days and weeks to come. There is plenty debris to clean up and supplies to get to distributed. Given the surrounding circumstances, sunbathing, topless or not, is insensitive.

taggie

A Swedish tourist was quoted in the news as saying he was still hoping to enjoy his holiday and get lucky with a local girl - despite over 1000 of his countrymen having perished.

While I'd like to think that people who'd booked holidays in the region would forgo sunbathing to assist in the aid effort, that's just not realistic. While some humans are generous, compassionate people, many, many are immensely selfish and only looking out for themselves.

bellastar

I completely agree with and empathize with your reaction to this article, Seaurchin. It does make quite a statement about the insensitivity of some Western tourists.
I saw this story in a morning paper, and passed it over fairly quickly, because I don't think it represents the larger picture, it's a detail that was written as a way to grab and hold our attention.

That said, I also think it's good to stay more focused on the need to extend, and continue to extend our prayers and actions in every way possible towards the effort to aid any relief afforts. Pray and give. We can each take reponsibility for ourselves and our own behavior.

brotherleelove2004

In the first place it's completely inappropriate to be sunbathing topless anywhere in Thailand no matter how many other tourists are doing so and regardless of the seemingly permissive attitude of the locals. They just seem permissive when in fact they're just too intimidated and embarrassed to do anything about it. Public nudity goes against everything they believe in and practice as a culture, and any tourist disrespectful enough to ignore this fact in spite of what others do is making a loud statement as to his or her lack of sensitivity and consideration for local mores.

I know that this small minority of rude tourists does not exemplify the general attitude of all travellers to Thailand, but they stick out (no pun intended) like sore thumbs and are an embarrassment to tourists everywhere. Stay clothed or stay home.

harzer

... well, at least they are staying on and contributing to the economy.

I would hope that these people are also sensible enough to give some hands-on assistance with the clearing away of the wreckage in between their bouts of dancing and topless sunbaking.

Harzer

elaine

I think from the outside looking in we should hesitate to pass judgement. The hotels may be glad to have the revenue.
I admit it appears to be awful, but I'll bet even in Thailand thare is not just one opinion on this.

ParadiseLost

If food, water and shelter are scarce in these tourist areas, the right thing to do would either be to leave so you don't deprive the locals of these basic human needs or to help full-time. Regards, Walter

Patrick

This was discussed fully a couple days ago and I'm not sure what my position is now any more than then.
But I'll still say I can't understand how people think they should close down all the hotels and tourism sites and put all those poor people out of work completely who have nothing else right now. And yes, it is that simple. If the tourism ended, which is the only thing that keeps many of those areas alive, you'd see those survivors who are still trying to make a living lose their jobs and their income. Sorry, I think there are two sides to this story, despite the obvious one-sided reporting that tries to sensationalize about the partying atmosphere.

uhoh_busted

I'm with you, Patrick. Actually I've seen a couple of hotel websites from Phuket who have posted pictures of staff AND GUESTS helping with the clean up (that particular hotel, I think it was Emerald Island Hotel in Krabi) and are VERY open in trying to convince people with plans to go to keep their plans. Personally, I'm not sure I could go myself -- but on the other hand, there are many people who visit these areas frequently and I would guess would be very happy to find some of their friends and aquaintances from previous trips made it safely and are still gainfully employed.

SeaUrchin

Yes, I agree like in my first post that there are different ways of looking at this situation.

Different people react different ways and I shouldn't judge by what I would do, which would be to help the relief effort.

To me it is sort of like when in Mexico I was taken to a resort that was recovering from a storm and the people in my group were taking photos of the locals who were standing in line for food rations. It just didn't sit well with me. Luckily none of us took off our clothes to sunbathe or dance right next to the ration line.

LoveItaly

SeaUrchin, I sure understand where you are coming from.

I saw on the news last night a hotel that was partially damaged. The beautiful woman who evidently owned it expressed a lot of concern that tourist would not come to her hotel now and she would have to let a lot of her employees go. A very sad story. She said all she could do to keep her sanity was to "keep moving", to make her hotel habital again.

I watched this segment and again my heart broke. It is beyond comprehension how anyone there can mentally survive the horror they have been through.

If I had been there I would have tried to help in any way I could.

And I sure understand that they need tourist. But I could not go and have a vacation with all the devastation. My only way of helping is donating money.

brotherleelove2004

By all means, go, enjoy, spend , help out wherever you can. Your presence will be appreciated. So will your money in these troubled times.

simpsonc510

Phuket needs tourism dollars. Much of the island has not been hit by the horrible tsunamis.

We received email from the Phuket resort where we have stayed two out of the last four Christmas holidays. They say they have some damage and will be closed for a short time...
but after that they want us to please consider returning. Tourism is their livelihood. The resorts cannot afford to pay their workers if no one is coming to visit.

I hope people will not wait too long before returning to Thailand. The people there are so very gracious and friendly. They are counting on those of us who love to travel!

flanneruk

Who's the more insensitive?

A tourist who contributes to Phuket's economy? Or a lurid, sensationalising journalist who finds a way of twisting this into a shock horror story? The bit in the story about "scantily dressed women" was a particularly pointless piece of "colour". Would it really have shown more respect if they'd worn overcoats on a tropical night?

If there's one profession lower than, i in the words of the immortal bard, "divorce lawyers, funeral directors and jailers", it has to be journalists.

Laguidoune

LoveItaly, that is so exact what you are saying! Its hard to know what to do exactly. I mean whether to travel there or not. I have a friend that is keeping with his trip to Thailand despite it all. Are you foregoing a trip to Italy to send money? I think that is very admirable of you.

Dick

I wonder what the surviving locals feel about the tourists. It would seem to me that should be the only opinion that matters.

PS. I agree that topless sunbathing, for many, would be considered relaxing...not "partying"