Phuket - a photo tribute to the victims of Tsunami

[Pond::Ryan]

A tribute to the brave men and women of Thailand. To a place close to my heart. To all, the scars of tsunami can be healed, but the locals need our tourist injection... I hope to show that Phuket is safe and still beautiful. Cheers to those who helped in helping the victims one way or another. :heart:

::1 "Wind to thy wings. Light to thy path. Dreams to thy heart."

::2

::3 "God does not take away trials or carry us over them, but strengthens us through them." Pusey

 

[Pond::Ryan]

::4 "Great crisis produce great men and great deeds of courage." John F. Kennedy

::5 "If I keep a green bough in my heart, the singing bird will come."

::6 "When you are required to exhibit strength, it comes." Joseph Campbell

 

[Pond::Ryan]

::7 "Sometimes we miss happiness by looking too far for things nearby."

::8 "No one can defeat us unless we first defeat ourselves." Dwight Eisenhower

::9 "There is nothing so strong as gentleness, and nothing so gentle as strength." Leo Muir

::10 "Patience and time do more than strength or passion." Jean De La Fontaine

 

[Pond::Ryan]

::11 "Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking." Marcus Aurelius Antoninus

::12 "When people yearn with all their hearts
For just one treasure far away;
They close their eyes to countless joys
That crowd around them every day.

::13 "It is truly said: It does not take much strength to do things, but it requires great strength to decide what to do." Chow Ching

 

[eclenikon]

Hi there, really like your pics and the quotes , really adds more emotions to the pictures.

Im going phuket in August, how is phuket like? Empty?

Empty or not, im sure itll be a wonderful place to shoot.

 

[Pond::Ryan]

Hi there, really like your pics and the quotes , really adds more emotions to the pictures.

Im going phuket in August, how is phuket like? Empty?

Empty or not, im sure itll be a wonderful place to shoot.

Hihi, firstly thank you glad you like them !!

Haha, well phuket is still beautiful. The tourist are slowly trickling in, but no it isn't empty. Of course it cannot be compared to pre-tsunami times, but compared to what I saw in April, I can say things are much better now.

Oh yes it's a wonderful place to shoot. The people there are generally friendly, so taking snapshots of them are :thumbsup: . Oh yes its better to travel free and easy, most people don't understand why we stop for such a long time to take photos :sweat: What I did was rent a scooter, only about S$10 aday !!

Hope you have a fun and fruitful trip !!

 

[A-Von]

nice quotes, you really captured the moods of each individual pic..well done! :thumbsup:

 

[Pond::Ryan]

nice quotes, you really captured the moods of each individual pic..well done! :thumbsup:

Thank you !! Really appreciate your encouragement

Well phuket holds alot of fond memories for me. Talking to the locals during the trip, I realised how much they lost... BUT they did not pack up and go. They held each other's hands, they toiled and they rebuilt their crumbled world together. Its their spirit that touched me.

From what I heard from the locals, the death toll could have been higher. Many of them had partied through the night and were sleeping when it happened... :sweat:

 

[eclenikon]

Hey,

Do they ask you to show your riding license to rent the bikes? How's the traffic there? Cos, i dont have a license but noe how to ride. ;p

What lens would you recommend bringing? Are the people generally friendly, would they mind if you come up to take a snapshot? Or do you have to be like a sniper to get shots?


Thanks.

 

[clampBits]

Hi, great shots you got...brought back memories of the trip I went two years back. I still miss the sunset and the beach, hoping to head there again after seeing the photos you posted. People there are always friendly and full of smiles no matter what happens...

 

[Pond::Ryan]

Hey,

Do they ask you to show your riding license to rent the bikes? How's the traffic there? Cos, i dont have a license but noe how to ride.

What lens would you recommend bringing? Are the people generally friendly, would they mind if you come up to take a snapshot? Or do you have to be like a sniper to get shots?


Thanks.

Hiya Eclenikon,

Well the traffic there is quite fast moving :sweat: but they do have a scooter / cyclist / motorcyclist shoulder. Cars are not allowed within this line, so its kinda safe. Furthermore they don't have a minimum speed limit so just go at comfortable pace. We were riding at 50 kph. :sweatsm:

For the rental part, they only require that you deposit your passport with them, but they will give you a receipt that acts as a temp ID. However hehe it is erhm actually erhm illegal :nono: and in the unfortunate event that one is caught, the fine is 300b !! But thankfully chances of getting caught quite slim because there are alot of bikes !! Oh yes helmet is now a MUST.

Mmmmh lenses, hahaha, better not give advice as I'm not sure too. But generally its alot of landscape, so something wide? And candid, so a 135mm upz will be good.

As for the locals, it depends. The close portrait shots was mainly of people that I got to know over the days, talked to them, bought things from them etc.. They are damn friendly to tourist, regardless of race or language :thumbsup:

However, most of the candids were sniper shot. The 'victims' saw me..... but haha guess they are used to it, but in all cases I waved and smiled.

Hope you have FUN and happy snapping !!

 

[Pond::Ryan]

Hi, great shots you got...brought back memories of the trip I went two years back. I still miss the sunset and the beach, hoping to head there again after seeing the photos you posted. People there are always friendly and full of smiles no matter what happens...

Yeah, like you said, the sunset is :heart: and the locals forever smiling !! Now its a good time, the hotels are cheap plus your presense makes a huge diff to the locals. And when I say the hotels are cheap, I mean seriously CHEAP. :bigeyes:

 

[housefly]

I admire your tribute to the victims.
If tourists continue to visit Phuket or Phi Phi Island, it will go SOME way in helping them.

The disaster aroused the world's sympathy. Sadly though, a very despicable thing is taking place as I am writing this.

Everytime we read something about how to help "tsunami victims", we think tourism would help regenerate the economy. Shamefully though, private companies, aided by government corruption, is taking away land from people to build hotels, resorts and other artefacts of tourism.

The layman is suffering as a result. There is no recourse for them. They are displaced by the selfishness of tourist businesses who manipulated the tsunami situation!

Please, if and when you go to "tsunami affected areas", do take the extra effort to go beyond the tourist gaze and visit regular villages. Not for the photo opportunity, but for the window through which we can see how our actions indirectly affect others.

 

[Zeckson Chow]

I will definitely want to visit Phuket again during one of the weekends. I love the island. Grew in love with it the moment I say foot on this beautiful tropical resort!

 

[eclenikon]

Hi,

Im now in phuket and this city is amazing. The way they've recovered greatly from the disaster is inspiring. The people are ever so friendly.

Hey, if there is anyone of you interested to go as photo expedition, count me in! Hopefully before the 13 sep? I cant wait to come back to this city.

Hotels are really cheap. A good resort now, offers probably about 60SGD++ per night! Imagine the budget ones. :thumbsup:

Thanks.

 

[oceanxp]

Good shots are they ! Your pictures really express itself well .. well done !!

 

[oceanxp]

YOUr composition is also well composed too .. and the angle .. they are all in harmony =)

 

[Pond::Ryan]

Woo sorry for the long absence. Army is taking up too much of my life Argh, anyway the hotels are darn cheap. Some good ones with bathtub going for even 500baht!!

Oh yes about helping the locals, we can actually help in small ways like creating tourist dollars. But I'm sure these small ways will go a long way as most of them have seen their livelihood taken away just like that. Not to mention the rebuilding.

Mmmh anyone went to Khao Lak yet? Thinking of going this October.

Regards,
Pond & Ryan :heart: