Katrina vs. the Tsunami - answer me this question!

[LynneSin]

I have to confess - VH1 occasionally runs 'America's Next Top Model' marathons and it always is good entertainment on a Sunday afternoon of housecleaning.

This past Sunday, they showed cycle 6 season (last years) in which the final 6 contestants were flown to Thailand for the final eliminations. One of the photo-shoots was at Phuket, Thailand - a city that was devastated by the Tsunami in late December of 2004. And yet a year later, when ATNM was doing a shoot in Phuket, Tyra Banks talked about the destruction from the Tsunami and how a year later the city was restored and back to full potential.

Now I personally do not have any comparisons between who received more damage - Phuket, Thailand from the Tsunami or New Orleans from the hurricane. But my question is simple

HOw the hell did Thailand get their act together and get a major Thai city (and tourist attraction known round the world) back up and running and yet New Orleans is still in shambles to this day

:shrug:

[htuttle]

1. I don't think they tried to make as much money 'rebuilding' Phuket

While the (former) government of Thailand was undoubtedly corrupt, they don't hold a candle to our Yankee Mafia.

[Bridget Burke]

2. You said it: Phuket is a major tourist site--& money earner.

I believe the popular tourist areas of NOLA escaped major damage. And they were fixed up fairly quickly. Just don't go where the poorer people of NOLA lived.

While you're at it, avoid the coastline of Mississippi--where even the tourist sites are still suffering. www.visitmississippi.org/press_news/katrina_beyond.pdf

[GumboYaYa]

3. The tourist parts of New Orleans are all fixed up already.

You can go to the sliver by the river and never know Katrina hit the city. It's only when you go to the places where real people lived that you see the scope of the destruction.

The simple reason for why it will take New Orleans a long time to recover is that there aren't enough places to house the number of people it would take to remove all the debris and rebuild all the destroyed homes. New Orleans is a buzz with activity, there just aren't enough people.

Until you go there and see the scope of the destruction, you will have a hard time understanding.

[greyl]

4. Tyra Banks said so?

I think your premise is doubtful. There's no need to introduce falsehoods into the debate about our pathetic negligence of the New Orleans recovery.

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[greyl]

6. It's not restored and back to its full potential.

You appeared to be accepting what Tyra Banks said without question, a practice I don't recommend.

What she said was false, but the bigger issue is our pathetic negligence of the New Orleans recovery. You may resume discussion on that now.

[shadowknows69]

7. Well now that we have greyl's permission to continue

I'd just like to say that your word is as good as Tyra Banks without links or someone even knowing who you are dude. Just sayin.

[greyl]

8. lol. I went to phuket.com before I said anything.

We are not aiming at glossing over the extensive damage done by the tsunami, but we would like to present a balanced picture to help you make a decision.

Visitors will be surprised at just how much progress has been made since the tsunami. Many hotels have already been restored or rebuilt especially in the main beach areas like Kata Beach, Karon Beach and Patong Beach.

Communications and infrastructure around the island are perfectly normal as the wave affected parts of the coastline and did not reach more than 500 metres inland in Phuket Island.
http://www.phuket.com/phuket-status.htm

But hey, don't take my word for it. Make your reservations today. ;)

edit: plus, post #3 also seems to support the notion of not looking to Tyra Banks as an authority.

[shadowknows69]

9. I wouldn't trust Tyra Banks to do anything

but maybe choose a bra for my wife I was just pointing out that slamming someone else's source without providing one yourself was a little rude. Peace.

[greyl]

10. You didn't say it was rude until now.

Besides, there was no link in the OP either. Just heresay about what Tyra Banks said.

This discussion about New Orleans is going very well.