Destination Vulnerability Assessment for Khao Lak, Thailand

The report analyzes the 2004 tsunami's impact on Khao Lak, Thailand, using a Destination Sustainability Framework. It finds that vulnerability was driven by geophysical exposure (flat terrain, shallow offshore shelf), destination-specific sensitivities (high tourism dependency, seasonality), and governance failures (corruption, lack of capacity). While recovery was aided by loyal repeat clients and strong family networks, it was hindered by uneven aid distribution, limited access to credit for small businesses, and the marginalization of Burmese migrant workers. The document concludes with ten recommendations to improve governance, financial accessibility, and disaster preparedness.

• Khao Lak's extreme physical vulnerability to the tsunami was caused by a combination of a shallow offshore shelf that created a shoaling effect, a low-lying coastal plain, and the absence of natural barriers, allowing waves to reach heights of up to 10.6 metres.
• Building materials significantly influenced damage levels; wooden and brick structures were largely destroyed, whereas reinforced concrete structures with deep piles were the most robust.
• The destination's economic sensitivity is driven by a high dependency on tourism as a primary livelihood, extreme seasonality (with business dropping to 20-30% in the low season), and a heavy reliance on a few European markets, specifically Germany and Sweden.
• Recovery was significantly bolstered by a loyal repeat-client base and strong family networks, which provided essential financial and emotional support.
• Access to financial capital for rebuilding was uneven; medium and large businesses benefited from strong credit ratings, while micro and small businesses struggled due to a lack of land deeds for collateral and complex application processes.
• Burmese migrant workers experienced the highest levels of vulnerability and social exclusion, facing systemic extortion by police and limited access to humanitarian aid and legal rights.
• Governance weaknesses, including corruption, nepotism, and a lack of local government capacity, hindered the enforcement of building regulations and the equitable distribution of emergency aid.
• The Tsunami Early Warning System, while installed, is compromised by technical failures, theft of equipment, and a lack of public disaster preparedness training.
• The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) initially neglected Khao Lak in its marketing recovery efforts, focusing instead on more prominent destinations like Phuket.
• NGOs provided critical long-term capacity building through skills training and leadership programs, though some support was biased toward traditional livelihoods over tourism businesses.

APA

Calgaro, E., Pongponrat, K., & Naruchaikusol, S. (2009). Destination Vulnerability Assessment for Khao Lak, Thailand. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-ProjectReport-Calgaro-DestinationVulnerabilityAssessmentForKhaoLakThailand-2009.pdf

Chicago

Calgaro, Emma, Kannapa Pongponrat, and Sopon Naruchaikusol. Destination Vulnerability Assessment for Khao Lak, Thailand. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2009. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-ProjectReport-Calgaro-DestinationVulnerabilityAssessmentForKhaoLakThailand-2009.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Calgaro |first1=Emma |last2=Pongponrat |first2=Kannapa |last3=Naruchaikusol |first3=Sopon |title=Destination Vulnerability Assessment for Khao Lak, Thailand |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=November 2009 |url=https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-ProjectReport-Calgaro-DestinationVulnerabilityAssessmentForKhaoLakThailand-2009.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{calgaro2009destination, author = {Calgaro, Emma and Pongponrat, Kannapa and Naruchaikusol, Sopon}, title = {{Destination Vulnerability Assessment for Khao Lak, Thailand}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2009}, month = nov, url = {https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-ProjectReport-Calgaro-DestinationVulnerabilityAssessmentForKhaoLakThailand-2009.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }