Sun, sea, sand and tsunami: examining disaster vulnerability in the tourism community of Khao Lak, Thailand

Abstract

The impact of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami on coastal tourism communities highlights the vulnerability of tourism destinations to external shocks. Based on fieldwork conducted in Thailand in the wake of this disaster, this paper addresses one fundamental question: what sociopolitical and environmental conditions contributed to the vulnerability of the affected tourism community of Khao Lak in the southern Phang Nga Province. We argue that an understanding of the root causes of destination vulnerability is vital not only for the successful implementation of regional recovery plans, but also for building long-term resilience against future shocks. In the absence of an appropriate tourism vulnerability framework, this paper analyzes Khao Lak's vulnerability through an innovative theoretical framework comprised of the sustainability vulnerability framework, relational scale and place. The findings reveal that Khao Lak's vulnerability is shaped by 13 interlinked factors. These are the complex outcomes of social norms and developmental and dynamic governance processes driven by the competing agendas and scaled actions of key government and industry stakeholders. The identification and understanding of the drivers of Khao Lak's vulnerability and a strong vulnerability framework have significant implications for the wider tourism community. First, the empirical findings provide tourism communities with a blueprint for understanding the foundations of their vulnerability to external shocks. Second, the tourism vulnerability framework presented here provides destination communities and government stakeholders with an analytical tool through which to analyze their unique sociopolitical conditions. Together, these empirical and theoretical contributions bring us closer to securing sustainable livelihood futures for tourism dependent communities.

Socio-economic vulnerability of coastal communities in southern Thailand: the development of adaptation strategies

“…This can be illustrated in Khao Lak, where the economic focus on tourism resulted in a very long recovery time due to the fact that the majority of tourists avoided the Andaman Coast for years. Furthermore, the lack of diversification manifested itself in insufficient income sources (Calgaro and Lloyd, 2008;Ichinosawa, 2006;Willroth et al, 2011). The local tourism business owners have attempted to tackle this vulnerable situation in Khao Lak in order to build resilience.…”

“…The development of Khao Lak into an international tourism destination started in the early 1990s and continued constantly until the tsunami struck in 2004 (Calgaro and Lloyd, 2008). Similarly to other developed tourism areas in Southeast Asia, Khao Lak started as a backpacker destination in the mid-1990s, mostly with smallscale businesses operated by locals (Calgaro, 2005).…”

“…As a unique selling point, they focused on natural assets which the region has to offer regarding a nature-oriented and up-scale strategy (focus group tourism, personal communication, Khao Lak, 2009). For this purpose, the regional business owners enforced provincial regulations, such as building codes preventing buildings from being constructed directly on the coastline or high buildings within 100 metres of the shore, in order to protect the appearance of an untouched beach front, but also as a tsunami mitigation measure (Calgaro and Lloyd, 2008). The expansion of the number of businesses is not planned as a densification of the already existing resorts, but rather as a spatial spreading along the northern and southern coastline in order to maintain a nature-oriented image (focus group tourism, personal communication, Khao Lak, 2009).…”

Beach forest changes (2003–2013) in the tsunami-affected area of Phang Nga, Thailand from multi-temporal satellite data

“…Conversion to urban area was larger at KL than in the other study sites. At KL, a popular coastal tourism spot on the Andaman Sea, the 2004 tsunami destroyed approximately 90% of the hotels and buildings in the coastal areas 38 . In TM, beach forest changed by only 13%, being converted to barren land (5%) and other class (7%); the other classes were grass land areas and other vegetation.…”

Disaster and poverty : the differential impacts of disaster on the poor in the Gulf Coast region.

“…While the destruction results in direct costs that are necessary to restore the physical destruction and repair of existing infrastructure, the indirect loss is significant when compared to the direct loss and hence should be considered by policy-makers when making both pre-and post-disaster infrastructure decisions (Tirasirichai & Enke, 2007). In addition, natural disasters are also devastating for tourism industry, mostly those located on high-risk exotic locations (Bill, 2001;Calgaro & Lloyd, 2008;Robinson & Jarvie, 2008;Scanlon et al, 2007;Trivedi, 2009).…”