ENTRY-LEVEL UNDERGRADUATE FIELD TRIP TO THE TSUNAMI AFTERMATH IN SOUTHERN THAILAND: SEEKING “TEACHABLE MOMENTS” THROUGH POST-DISASTER TOURISM

The great Sumatra earthquake and resulting Indian Ocean Tsunami of Boxing Day 2004 brought world-wide attention to the disastrous affects that major tectonic adjustments can have on regional populations and national economies. Classroom curricula around the world were quickly adjusted to deal with the ramifications associated with a newly learned scientific word that dramatically swept into the consciousness of people everywhere.

In Thailand, rescue, recovery, and clean-up began almost immediately. With a death toll of about 5,000, about half of whom were foreign tourists, a proficient government and fundamental economic motives led to an unprecedented forensic effort and rapid infrastructure restoration.

In response to deeply discounted web-advertised air fares to Thailand, the Geology Department at Pima CC organized an unofficial, ad hoc field trip into the disaster area to be run some 10 weeks after the tsunami. Nine students and three faculty participated.

There were significant logistical challenges in arranging such a trip on short notice, as well as careful considerations as to how soon after such a disaster was a visit appropriate.

Ideally, our group of very interested but only entry-level students should visit only after emergency rescue and recovery efforts were completed, but before so much rebuilding had set in that physical evidence of the geological effects were destroyed or severely modified.

Although most physical damage had already been cleaned up by the time of our visit, on-site comparisons with images widely shown in the media as the waves hit made for useful teaching opportunities and had a major impact on all trip participants.

Briefings by the Thai Geological Survey and at the Asian Institute of Technology were most informative.

A major challenge in organizing such a trip was how to secure a large number of flight reservations, hotel accommodations, etc. using the Internet to secure such arrangements, but without access to usual procedures for arranging group travel.

Impressions gained, problems encountered, and a wide range of issues associated with such instructional travel will be open for discussion at the end of the presentation.