26 December 2004, The Earthquake off Sumatra and the Tsunami Disaster in the Indian Ocean

Bangkok Hospital Phuket became one of the disaster center for all nations

This earthquake was the biggest in the Indian Ocean in some 700 years, or since around A.D. This earthquake was the fourth most powerful earthquake recorded since 1900, and the confirmed death toll is just under 200,000 due to the ensuing tsunami.

The earthquake and resulting tsunami affected many countries in Southeast Asia and beyond, including Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, the Maldives, Somalia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Seychelles and others. Many other countries, especially Australia and those in Europe, had large numbers of citizens traveling in the region on holiday.

The Bangkok Hospital Phuket became a temporary home for the tsunami survivors, a referral center for the critical and a repatriation center for going home. We extend our regrets, deep sorrow and condolences to all who suffered. We support and give encouragement to the survivors.

URGENT! Tsunami Disaster Management

This hospital, a private hospital with comprehensive clinical resources, expressed the overall belief that it had coped with the challenge of the disaster. It was emphasized by the management team 17 that despite being a private hospital.

"…the aim was to save life and limb…irrespective of the apparent ability to pay” and that “foreigners were not treated at the expense of injured local population." Hospital director, Dr. Kongkiat Kespechara said.

The pictures and stories from Bangkok Hospital Phuket about the Tsunami Disaster

• 26 - 30 December 2004
  Tsunami Photo Gallery, All photographs taken in Bangkok Hospital Phuket during the Tsunami disaster in Phuket, Thailand.
• 28 December 2004
  Wife of the Minister of Foreign Affairs Thailand visited to Phuket to visited the tsunami victims treated in Bangkok Hospital Phuket.
• 29 December 2004
  Minister of Interior of Thailand and French Foreign Minister visited to Phuket to visited the tsunami victims treated in Bangkok Hospital Phuket.
• 4 January 2005
  Minister of Foreign Affairs of Australia visits the Australian survivor of the Tsunami at Bangkok Hospital Phuket.
• 1 February 2005
  Tsunami Memorial Gallery at the Bangkok Hospital Phuket. The special place where presents photographs about the tsunami events during the tsunami disaster in Phuket and other milestones photos, the effects after the tsunami.
• 17 January 2005
  Results of hospital semi-structured interviews by the SWEDISH TSUNAMI COMMISSION.
• 18 February 2005
  King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden visited Bangkok Hospital Phuket to visited some of the Swedish survivors who are still recovering from their injuries in a hospital.
• 29 May 2005
  Bangkok Hospital Phuket has established the Kamala Child Development Center Foundation with a goal to rebuild the Center and provide an ongoing budget for teaching materials and operational needs.
• 26 December 2005
  Tsunami Memorial Activities, the Bangkok Hospital Phuket held tsunami memorial activities the one year anniversary of the tsunami.
• 19 June 2006
  Again: King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden visited Bangkok Hospital Phuket to view tsunami exhibition and to thank for medical care to Swedish victims during the disaster period.
• 25 June 2006
  Behind the Scenes of the Tsunami movie, the hospital has been chose for used as a location in the Tsunami movie in Thailand.
• 1 July 2006
  Article: "Infecting organisms in victims from the tsunami disaster".
• 16 November 2009
  New Honorary Consul in Phuket, Bangkok Hospital Phuket joins in the reception of His Excellency Lennard Linner, the Ambassador of Sweden in Thailand.
• 16 February 2010
  Prince of Denmark visited Bangkok Hospital Phuket to view tsunami exhibition and expressed gratitude for medical care for Danish citizens during the disaster period.

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