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From: "Tony Waltham" [RAST - Thailand]
To: IARU Region 3 Member Societies
Sent: Wednesday, December 29, 2004 12:37 AM
Subject: Radio Amateur Society of Thailand seeks your help
Dear OM,
On behalf of the Radio Amateur Society of Thailand I would like to seek
your society's assistance in helping devastated Thai coastal communities,
if you or your members are able to do this.
You have probably heard that the western coast of southern Thailand was
devastated by a tsunami (tidal wave) on the morning of Sunday, December 26,
2004.
As rescue efforts continue (at the time of writing on the evening of
Tuesday, Dec 28), the death toll exceeds 1,000 and is likely to rise to
over 2,000 as more bodies are being recovered from remote areas and
islands. In addition, over 7,500 Thais and foreign tourists are now
receiving medical attention.
The Thai government has appealed for donations to assist people in the
devastated areas while RAST understands that as far as Thailand's
communications needs are concerned, the situation is now under control.
Thai hams are helping to relay information between the affected areas along
the west coast in the South to government agencies, mostly on VHF and 40
metres, as well as disseminating news and information over VHF frequencies
in Bangkok.
Echolink, too, has played a role in enabling radio amateurs here to relay
information to concerned friends and relatives of those holidaying in the
affected areas.
In assessing what our society might be able to do in the wake of this
disaster and in how best to respond to generous offers of assistance and
support made by ham friends around the world we believe that what is now
needed the most is help for the many thousands of people made homeless by
the tsunami.
RAST would like to announce that we are now accepting donations and that
we will pass on all financial support received to the Thai Government which
has opened a channel for this.
We will be giving full credit to all contributions from the international
amateur radio community as well as to individual donors and donor
organisations that help us in this time of dire need and we hope that this
publicity will help by promoting awareness both at home and abroad of the
resources and goodwill that our hobby can mobilise.
The best way for anyone to transfer funds to RAST for this purpose would be
by wire transfer to a RAST bank account at the
Siam City Bank:
Ratchawat Branch No 111
SWIFT Code: SITYTHBK
Account Type: Savings
Account Number: 111-2-22688-4
Account Name: RAST
(Full name: Radio Amateur Society of Thailand)
We also ask that all donors send details of their support to dx@thai.com by
email or, alternatively, by Fax to +662-321-6443 for our records and also
that we can acknowledge the donation or pledge and so that we can give full
credit and recognition to their generosity in our time of need.
Please help Thailand to help the victims of this natural disaster in any
that way you can. We encourage you to pass this appeal along to any others
who you feel may be able to help.
Thank you,
73 and 88
Mayuree Chotikul, HS1YL, President
Radio Amateur Society of Thailand
under the Royal Patronage of His Majesty the King
(Message sent by Tony Waltham, HS0ZDX, RAST Vice President and
International Liaison Officer)
Tony Waltham
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