SYDNEY, Dec. 31 --AsiaNet/InfoQuest
ACQUISITION COMPLETED...
BUNDELL: FastForests, Inc., which owns the worldwide rights
to the SupaTree that grows 30 to 35 feet in the first 12 months
and is fully grown in 9 years, has completed the acquisition of
a 29% holding in Advanced Funds Management (Holdings) Ltd., a
Venture Capital Group in Queensland, Australia.
http://www.fastforestsinc.com
http://www.sasnetwork.com.au
TSUNAMI RELIEF...
CHICAGO: Chicago-based relief organization, Bright Hope
International, is partnering with footwear executive Wayne
Elsey, of Old Hickory, Tennessee, to spearhead a worldwide
relief effort to provide 100,000 pairs of shoes to victims of
the South Asia Tsunami and to other needy areas around the
world.
http://www.brighthope.org
RELIEF EFFORT...
EAGAN: Continuing a long-standing partnership, Northwest
Airlines and AmeriCares are teaming up to transport relief
supplies to South Asia for victims of the recent earthquake and
tsunamis.
http://www.nwa.com
http://www.americares.org
RECOVERY FUND...
BANGKOK: The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) today
announced the launch of its Tsunami Recovery Fund. PATA is
inviting PATA members, chapters, governments, tourist
authorities, travel professionals and individual travellers to
pledge money. The funds will be dedicated to a recovery
programme for the benefit of tourism employees in Asia Pacific
resort destinations affected by the disaster.
http://www.PATA.org/tsunami
MALDIVES TOURISM...
MALE: The after effects of the Tsunami are not so severe on
the tourism industry of the Maldives because each resort in the
Maldives has its own infrastructure: the island's own power
supply, sewerage system, water supply and other support
facilities. Furthermore due to the resort islands flatness and
the sand quantity, the floods receded reasonably quickly.
http://www.visitmaldives.gov.mv
http://www.visitmaldives.com
www.maldivestourism.org.mv
CLAIMS ESTIMATE...
ZURICH: Swiss Re currently expects its claims related to the
tragic tsunamis (seismic sea waves) triggered by the massive
undersea earthquake near Indonesia to be below CHF 100
million.
CLEAN-UP OPERATIONS...
BANGKOK: With major clean-up operations under way in South
Thailand beach resorts affected by the December 26 tsunami, the
Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is anticipating that places
which have not suffered serious structural damage may be ready
to receive visitors again within one month. Earth-movers,
cranes and bulldozers have been deployed to clear up the debris
in many of the areas.
TOURIST ASSISTANCE...
BANGKOK: Tourist Assistance Counters manned by TAT staff
have been set up in Phuket, Phang-nga, Krabi, Don Muang Airport
and Thammasat University Rangsit Centre. Furthermore, to
facilitate and support relief efforts, TATs Crisis Management
Centre situated on the 10th. Floor of the TAT head-office on
Petchaburi Road, is open 24 hours.
CASUALTY INFORMATION...
BANGKOK: Families seeking casualty information about family
members who are foreign nationals in Thailand should deal
directly with their embassies and consulates in Thailand which
are directly involved in the relief effort and will be the
first to be informed of any wounded or injured. Here is a list
of major embassies: http://www.th4u.com/embassies.htm#uk
ROAD SERVICE...
SYDNEY: NRMA Motoring & Services will send a road service
operations expert to Sri Lanka to assist the local automobile
association in the republics disaster recovery. On NRMAs
behalf, the Australian Automobile Association is also
contacting all motoring clubs in the Indian Ocean region to
offer assistance.
www.mynrma.com.au
INFORMATION CENTRE...
BANGKOK: Six Thai provinces have been affected by the
'tsunami' wave triggered by the earthquake off Sumatra,
Indonesia, on December 26, 2004 -- Phuket, Krabi, Phang-nga,
Trang, Satun and Ranong. All other parts of Thailand are
functioning as usual.
http://www.tourismthailand.org .
EARTHQUAKE APPEAL...
SYDNEY: Caritas Australia, the Catholic agency for overseas
aid and development, has increased its target from $1 million
to $3 million as current donations to the Asia Earthquake
Appeal have surpassed $500,000. Donations to the Asia
Earthquake Appeal can be made on-line at www.caritas.org.au or
by calling 1800 024 413.
RELIEF ACTIVITIES...
SYDNEY: A team of volunteers, including Dr John Hooper, the
former head of the Fred Hollows Foundation, head to Sri Lanka
today helping to form the core group that will coordinate the
much needed relief activities of Tamil Rehabilitation
Organisation Colombo. The team of 12 is flying on QF5 leaving
Sydney at 5pm today. Dr John Hooper is available for
interviews.
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