Abstract
The popular tourist destination island of Koh Phi Phi Don, Thailand was heavily affected by
the Indian Ocean Tsunami in December 2004, which resulted in a destroyed tourism
infrastructure and complete downturn of tourism. Extensive recovery and rebuilding work by
emerging community groups, returned locals, international volunteers and Thai government
units provided an efficient but hasty reconstruction of the destination. Ethnographic research
conducted in the community provided insights into the complex stakeholder interactions and
their roles and influences on the reconstruction of the community.
The community’s level of vulnerability on Koh Phi Phi Don was influenced by social
processes and interactions during the destination’s recovery process as the various
stakeholders (e.g. government vs. locals) had differing perceptions of the island’s economic,
environmental and social vulnerability. These disputes are grounded in different social time
processes, particularly illustrated through land law disputes among locals, landowners and the
government. Other factors which influenced the reconstruction of Koh Phi Phi as a tourist
destination were pre-tsunami conditions (past overdevelopment), the empowerment of the
community, the reconstructed place identity, various anniversary celebrations and the early
warning system.
A model is suggested to illustrate and discuss Koh Phi Phi Don as a disaster destination,
which provides insights into the dynamics which govern a destination’s post-disaster recovery
period. Thus, it illustrates how stakeholder interaction is influenced by distinct understandings
of the multiple notions of vulnerability. Furthermore, this study establishes essential links
between disaster and tourism theories and suggests an extended tourism disaster management
framework, which calls for an inclusion of post-recovery processes.