Hi,

A short note as I have been reading some 60 emails from concerned friends.

I'm 57 years old and a mechant seaman.

I am the inventor of " The Retire As You Go " plan.
I usually work 4-5 months a year and am major beach bum.I have a small cabin on Lake Chelan, and part owner of a house in Tron Cones,Mexico, near Zihuatanejo.

I usually only spend about 2 months a year in Seattle.

I also have been coming here to Thailand.
This is my 9th trip here. I've been a member of AA, which is not to be mentioned,
I don't care but its AA's policy not to name members in the radio or press. Anyway,I have many friends here from AA who live here, and meet lots of tourists who pass thru. So far all my AA friends who live here are alive and accounted for.

Also I have a friend,  a member of my union.,who has lived here for 30 years and I've met most his friends. So I know a great many of the farangs who live here. (Farangs,are what the Thais call foreigners.)

There is one tourist from AA who went diving and he is missing, another AA guy lives at same hotel and he has not returned.
Another friend was on Ko Phi Phi isaland with some friends and he left the day before. He was with 4 couples who were washed out to sea.

After many paniced calls one good friend is missing and presumed drowned.
His wife is coming to Phuket today. They are from germany.

Ok for now as I want to get photos of Patong ,which is the most severly damaged,and then I'm meeting my friend from South Africa and we are voluntering at a hospital in Phuket town.

Our AA meeting space is still a morgue. 
Bob Stenehjem