2004 post tsunami reconnaissance in Southern Thailand: The resilience and impact after 15 years

In order to investigate the vulnerability of buildings and population in Southern Thailand after the 2004 Tsunami, a site-specific survey of the affected areas of Phuket and Phang Nga has been performed. Eight local towns, situated in the inundation zone, were found to be highly populated following increasing tourism activities, but with inadequate evacuation signage. Currently, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) in Thailand aims to respond to different disaster situations, but a lack of understanding of potential geohazard sources for major tourist area could hinder existing emergency plans. Furthermore, understanding the level of hazard will provide capacity in the DDPM to organize the required performance level, which could lead to more appropriate disaster mitigation, providing more rapid response after major events. The present study will act as reference for future study, and it could provide insight for other developed areas exposed to tsunami hazard.