Surviving the Wave: A Thailand Story

Anobservational documentary in the tragic wake of the tsunami, through the eyes of TV producer Amanda Murray, who was caught up in the catastrophe while holidaying in Thailand on the paradise island of Koh Lanta. The film is a personal journey that gets to the heart of the story behind the news - following a handful of Thais and foreigners who survived this disaster of biblical proportions. We see what the future really holds for these survivors once the cameras have gone and people's interest at home has faded. Then as the long-term recovery process begins to unfold we hear how their feelings swing between optimism and despair. There has been much coverage of the huge scale of the Tsunami and its aftermath; this film looks at the tragedy at a much more intimate level, putting a human scale on sometimes incomprehensible statistics. The film moves between the neighbouring islands of Koh Lanta and Koh Phi Phi on the west coast of Thailand where the aftermath of the disaster threatens the survival of both communities but in entirely different ways.... When the Thai government turns down the offer of international aid, declaring it can look after its own, the film discovers what kind of support Thai people can really hope for. Both islands rely on tourism to survive but in Lanta, where the journey begins, it looks like the tourist season is over before it even started. Lanta is right in the middle of the disaster zone, but despite being in the path of the wave it was spared much of the horrendous devastation that was suffered by Phi Phi. Lanta's confirmed death toll is 9. In a matter of days the island is back on its feet - but the streets are empty. After a mass exodus in the first 24 hours the international media and foreign offices do nothing to help the situation and despite local protests the advice is to stay away. How will the locals survive and what will the government do to help them? When should the tourists return? What can the locals do to get them back? And are there more alternative ways of providing aid? Jow, a bungalow business owner, is indebted to Pete, a British tourist who nearly died in the wave. He helped to rescue her then stayed on with a few other foreign tourists to help rebuild her business. Butch, a diver who lives in Lanta and finds himself out of work, turns his attentions to the local fisherman and through direct donations from his home in Belgium he gets the first boats back in the water, without any government assistance - it's a joyous occasion. Then hundreds of foreign business owners pull together for a press call on the beach with a banner declaring 'Welcome Back to Lucky Lanta' - spirits are high but it's a desperate attempt to bring the season back to life and by the end of February hope is fading fast. The tourists aren't coming and Jow, who has yet to receive any government compensation has to resign herself to an uncertain future. For Phi Phi, made famous by 'The Beach' it's a tragically different story - this massively overdeveloped but beautiful island was decimated, with the loss of life reaching over 1500 and the islanders immediately evacuated. Here is a story of displacement and opportunism. Many of the survivors have lost family and friends and most have lost their businesses but nearly all want to return as soon as possible. But with the infrastructure destroyed and a lack of clarity around the government plan for the rebuild of Phi Phi, the islanders are forced further apart as they search for new ways to make a living. The opportunity for making money on Phi Phi is renowned and rumours abound about how the rebuild might take shape? Will the big businesses move in? Will the islanders ever be able to go back? What is being done to support these people who've lost everything? And when will Phi Phi re-open for business? On Phi Phi we meet Birds, sorting through the few things he has left in his shop. His family were lucky, they are all alive but he's lost all his assets. He loves the