Thai government vows to reconstruct tsunami-ravaged region

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra pledged on Friday that the government would provide financial help to reconstruct the southern province,which has been severely-ravaged in the Dec. 26 tsunamis.

During a visit to a fishing village of province, Thaksin promised to bring all the damaged fishing boats to the hands of their owners as soon as possible.

If needed, the government would provide financial assistance tothe owners to repair the boats.

The fishing village, with a population of 5,000-6,000, was one of the province's hardest-hit places during last month's tsunamis,which have led to the deaths of some 5,305 people. In Phangnga, the death toll amounted to 4,177 on Friday.

Thaskin said that food and drinking would not be a problem to villagers. He hoped to be given a little more time to bring the region back to order.

More than a dozen fishing boats, which have been lifted onto the beach by tidal waves, are waiting to be relocated by heavy machines.

Rescue teams from Singapore and the United States together withThai forces are still patrolling along the coastline to search forvictims.

"We've been here since Dec. 29, 2004, and will leave until people who do not need our help any more," said captain Ernest Ongfrom the civil defense force of Singapore.

Source: Xinhua