SE Asia Earthquake/Tsunami

[Huckleberry Finn]

over 12,000 now

I agree with you Patrick. It was reported on CNN that those areas that were hit didn't have any U.S. interests that were damaged. I thought that was rather cold. I could care less if several U.S. interests over there were destroyed. It's the people, not things, that are most important!

No US interests? How about American tourists? There should have been thousands Americans on the danger, though only three have been reported dead.

Disasters are always noticed better if they hit fellow countrymen or people who are culturally close. For example a Finnish media notices fairly well all disasters, but attention is much bigger if they hit in the Western World or hurt Western people. This time the media attension is bigger than usually, because there are several thousands Finnish tourists in the area.

It think that European media notices disasters if they hurt Western people generally, but American media only if they hurt Americans.

[Huckleberry Finn]

Even 300 Finnish tourists are missing in Thailand and Sri Lanka and it seems clear to me that most of them are dead. My country is in shock.

There have to be much more dead altogether than 33 000 which CNN just reported, Maybe 100 000 and thousands Western tourist among them.
 

[Huckleberry Finn]

Also hundreds Swedes are missing.

Al, Lewis, Jens, Bono and Hugento?  Have you any numbers about your countrymen? And how about Americans and Canadians?

[Huckleberry Finn]

Also hundreds Swedes are missing.

Al, Lewis, Jens, Bono and Hugento?  Have you any numbers about your countrymen? And how about Americans and Canadians?

There were some Germans who died...I don't care about the exact number except inasmuch as its a minuscule part of the whole.

Well I think it's natural to be worried for fellow countrymen.  This could be worst disaster to my country since WWII.

[Huckleberry Finn]

It seems that the final death toll will be huge. I wouldn't be surprised if it was 200-300 000 in whole area.

I fear that also Western countries have suffered MUCH bigger casualties that they have reported yet. For example there are still over 200 Finns missing, but only 13 confirmed dead. Sweden seems to suffering worst: about 1500 Swedes are missing! It would be a worst disaster in Sweden since 1809. Finns are searching  their relatives by the aid of internet. My dad knows personally one lost person.

A former leader of Finnish Conservative Party (National Coalition) Sauli Niinistö almost died in Thailand. He was interviewed on TV. He used to be a tough guy, but now he was very moving and  impressive. A politically interesting point is that he is possible presidential candidate in the 2006 election. I really hope that he will win. I can't stand more our current socialist president Tarja Halonen. I haven't seen her on TV during the whole crisis! She seems to concentrate to keep Finland outside of NATO.

[Huckleberry Finn]

Myanmar aka Burma has reported only 36 dead. The country is damn dictatorship. I'm sure that there are much more casualties, but they simply don't care.

[Huckleberry Finn]

Seems that also thousands of Americans are missing.

CNN) -- The U.S. State Department is working to find thousands of Americans who are still missing after powerful tsunamis struck countries bordering the Indian Ocean.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/12/30/tsunami.americans/index.htm

Other numbers of missing citizens.

Sweden about 3500 (!)
Australia about 1000
Germany about 1000
Norway over 400
Finland over 200
Denmark over 200
Czech Republic about 200
Hundreds of British

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4136871.stm

Western casualties have been in news several days in Finland and Sweden, but it seems that rest of the world is just awakening. UK has just started evacuation flights for its citizens, Finland has done them in several days now.

[Huckleberry Finn]

IIRC, Finland forced their citizens out, right? Even the couple who were looking for their 14 missing relatives. Practical, yes, but a bit mean

Forced out? HELL NO! I really take this offensive. Finland evacuated its citizens. All who wanted to stay, were allowed, of course. We have also sent rescue workers etc to help our citizens. WHAT HELL YOU THOUGHT?

I wonder what Australia is doing?

[Huckleberry Finn]

I read in the newspaper that the evacuation was forced. There was a finnish couple quoted in the paper as saying that even though they lost 14 members of their family, they werren't being allowed to stsy. I presume they were wrong rather then you of course, because they were there whilst you were in Finland with biased media reports. (Just like ours are biased).

It was obviously the misunderstanding. There are Finnish tourists left in Eastern Thailand who have continued their "holiday". I think it's clear that a democratic country can't force its citizens to leave from a foreign country.