This AP story disturbed me:

Tourists Ignore Tsunami Destruction, Work On Tans

Ignoring the trash and destruction, tourists are returning to the tsunami-ravaged resort area of Thailand.

Residents say it’s mindboggling and infuriating, but perhaps necessary to help the Thai resort island of Phuket recover from the tsunamis.

Foreign tourists are frolicking again on the beach, riding jet skis and posing for snapshots. And some visitors are ignoring the garbage, dead plants and leaves to work on their tans.

One woman watched the tourists Saturday as she swept away debris and said it would help the locals “a lot” if every tourist gave just a half hour of time to help with the clean up. But at the same time, she acknowledged that the sooner foreigners return, the better it will be for her husband’s sailboard and catamaran rental business.

Tourists are the lifeblood of Phuket, and this is the peak tourist season.

A difficult one to find in the mainstream media.

By the way, Phuket is pronounced poo-KET.