Tsunami: The Aftermath (2006) Movie Script

You were talking

in your sleep, Than.

If my house

is still there...

Come with me.

It's safe to go back down now.

I need your help.

Maybe tomorrow.

Do you want some apple?

There you go.

It's nice.

Well, at least

she's eating something today.

Where is my mummy?

Do you want...

to finish up your milk?

"Pomme" is apple.

It's apple.

The Swedish father

of three last saw

his youngest son

being carried away

after the giant wave devastated

the bay at Khao Lak on Boxing Day.

The reunion was

a very emotional occasion

for all concerned.

Even journalists

were moved to tears.

Found trapped under debris

by Thai villagers

two miles in

from where the wave first hit...

I thought we were

going to stay here today?

What about Martha?

You don't think Eve's mother

is looking for her?

We haven't

heard anything.

That doesn't mean she doesn't

have family looking for her.

Well, they know

where to find us.

We have

a daughter.

We have

to take her back.

It's chaos out there.

There are...

three temples...

four hospitals.

We have to keep checking--

for Christ's sakes, Susan!

Someone needs

to stay with Eve.

And what about Martha?

Who's looking

after Martha?

You lost her, you find her.

She's dead.

If that makes

you feel better

about taking

somebody else's child--

Well, at--

at least I'm not digging

in the sand-- looking for what?

Do you think she'd

hold onto a tree?

Do you think Martha would

hold onto a fucking tree?

My baby?

She's dead.

You keep digging

in the sand, my love,

if that's what you want

to do with your hands

but I don't want

to see my baby dead.

Ian.

Khao Lak?

- Khao Lak?

- Yes.

Than?

This is...?

My village.

Live there.

Keep boat here.

Where is

everybody?

- All gone.

- But your family?

Oh God.

I'm sorry.

His family

up in the hill.

They too frightened

to come down.

And your little girl?

No.

Not yet.

- I found my wife.

- Good good. Wife good.

Okay.

We burn them

to free the soul.

Oh shit.

Oh-- oh shit.

You're not angry.

You lost your whole family,

you're not angry?

Not what I want.

How it is.

My family gone.

- I try to keep my land.

- What do you mean?

Every morning

when I wake up here,

I see this.

Other men see it too.

What are they doing?

Hey! Hey!

Wait, Ian.

Ian.

Hey-- hey.

My daughter

could be under there.

He's worried about

his daughter.

Body all gone.

Go temple.

No no.

She's not dead.

- They can't do this.

- No one come and stop them.

There has to be

a mistake.

There must be-- I'll get someone.

It's a mistake.

You're not listening to me.

I'm trying to get through

to the British Embassy.

I want my son

evacuated to the U.K.

where he can receive

specialized medical care.

Maybe not strong enough

to journey.

No--

No, I'm-- I'm going

to find somebody.

They want

to amputate his leg.

Look, James worked

for you for years, now--

our travel--?

No. No, there are

no papers.

I have nothing.

You don't understand

what it's like out here.

We were given a few hundred baht

and a toothbrush.

We've lost everything.

Please, I'm begging you.

That's too late.

I'll try

the embassy again.

Yeah, they want to transfer him

in the next couple of hours.

Bye.

I think

I found Dad.

It's a website

with photos.

I think it's Dad.

He looks...

it's a temple,

about half an hour away.

- We don't-- we don't have time.

- Half an hour.

It will take

half an hour.

Okay.

There are more NGOs

out here than news crews.

I'm watching the TV.

I've seen the donations

pouring in,

but it could be weeks before

the money filters through.

I know our remit is education

but I can't just sit around

when the very basics aren't getting to

these families.

I'm talking food,

water, mosquito nets.

I'm just asking that you reassign some

funds.

No, it can't wait.

Why is it that the supermarkets in

Phuket are teeming

with everything

these people need?

I can order

lobster in my hotel.

Room service could get aid

to these people faster.

We're working

with the local authorities

to get the infrastructure up

and running again as soon as possible.

Still no rapid

deployment team?

We're drafting in

as many volunteers with special skills

as we can from the U.K.

and elsewhere.

I'm in constant contact

with London and other colleagues.

And I'm confident

that we'll have

a significant presence

by the end of the week.

However, we're all aware

of the scale of this disaster.

There are other countries--

Sri Lanka, Indonesia, India--

that are going

to need help,

both now and in the future.

Okay, thank you.

They're... they're clearing

land in Khao Lak.

- Yes, I heard that.

- Why aren't they still searching

- for people?

- Well, I think it's fair

- that they've recovered the bodies.

- My-- my daughter

could be stuck under debris,

lying injured in a ditch somewhere.

The likelihood of finding

any more survivors is slim.

If you haven't found

your daughter by now...

I'm sorry. That was--

I'm so sorry.

What do I do now?

Oh Christ.

Hey, Tony?

I need someone to sign off

on some paperwork for me.

If you could apply

a little diplomatic pressure,

there's crates of supplies

just sitting in a flight hangar

because the NGOs

are still in a meeting

to arrange a meeting

about a meeting.

And I need to get my hands on them

and get out there as soon as possible.

Kathy, there's a protocol

to these situations.

Screw the protocol.

You haven't been

in this situation before.

I can't be sidetracked.

My brief is to help British Nationals.

You ever heard

of the global village?

I'm doing

the best I can.

Yeah well,

do better!

There are 60 ski suits and 200 tins

of baked beans in my office.

If you think they'll be helpful

to someone, please take them.

The Nordic Rotary Club

and Rotherham Scouts

will be most reassured

to know

that their donations have been

put to good use.

For most of us, this was

the holiday of our dreams.

- I've lost my fianc?.

- I'm so sorry.

On behalf

of S.Q.A. Hotels,

I can only

offer our deepest condolences

and reiterate

my colleague's statement.

We've been helping

those who need to fly home,

and liaising

with the relevant authorities.

But we're not looking

at individual cases at the moment.

No one-- no one could have

known a tsunami was coming.

And as such, whilst

our sympathies lie with the families,

we're doing all we can based

on the information that we have so far.

This just isn't good enough.

What are you going to do?

Where possible, we will be

offering alternative accommodation

in our hotels

not affected by the tsunami

for those who wish

to resume their holiday.

You think we want

to go on holiday now?

I lost my son here.

- Well, that was classy.

- Don't quote me on it, please.

That's a red rag

to a bull.

They're looking

for somebody to take responsibility.

Who do they

want to blame? God?

Earthquakes don't

just happen, do they?

People monitor these things. There are

warnings. There are rumblings, right?

- That's volcanoes.

- Ah.

Why do you think the palm trees

are still standing--

when all the hotels

and chalets are just gone

like they were

barely even there.

I don't know.

They were built before my time.

And why are

you shaking?

Ellen.

- What?

- I'm watching you.

Haven't you got a wife

who's missing you or something?

Yeah, too much.

She wants me home.

Oh no.

No, Chai, no.

You don't need me. Rami or one

of the other guys can get you the shots.

No no, this isn't done yet.

Remember that guy at the hotel?

We saw him at the hotel

the day after we arrived.

I recognized him

from press junkets and stuff.

He's an earthquake guy.

He's a seismologist.

Right.

- Simone, East Asia Press.

- Simone.

Wait wait.

Simone, could you run a check

for me on a Dr. Pravat Meeko?

Sure.

P-r-a-v-a-t

M-e-e-k-o.

Ladies, and gentlemen

of the press--

Yeah, I'll hold.

I run an education program

through a charity.

We're working with over 600

Thai children in this province.

So far I've been able

to track 49 of them.

Unfortunately the aid that could be

helping is not getting through.

There are Thai people up in the hills

who still need the basics.

They can't go back to their villages

because the clear-up hasn't got to them.

So please, come with me.

I'll show you.

No no. No.

I got something

bigger than that.

It better be worth it, Nick.

- Nick...

- Yeah?

Okay, Dr. Pravat Meeko, former head

of Thailand's Meteorology Department...

What's he doing now?

After 25 years as one of Thailand's

foremost ministers,

Dr. Meeko took the post

of Deputy Director

of Public Records in 1996.

That's a graveyard posting.

What the fuck did he do

to get dumped there?

Love, why don't you

go and wait for me?

I don't want you

to have to see--

Adam, no--

Oh God.

It's Dad.

What are they?

Poisson.

What are they?

Oh...

Little fishes.

Do you want

some of your drink?

Bubbles.

Bulles.

Bubbles.

Bulles.

Open your mouth.

Now these people

are actually from the coast,

and they've lost

their homes.

Maybe you guys can help

shame the powers-that-be,

into extending their clear-up

beyond the tourist resorts

so they can get back

to their land.

Come on up.

Just introduce yourselves.

They won't bite.

- Nice photo.

- Uh-huh.

We're missing

the story, Nick.

Yeah well, let someone else

deal with it.

Here we go.

"Bangkok Express,

February 12, 1996.

A false alarm about a tsunami

hitting the west coast of Thailand

led to mass panic

and the departure of many families

from their coastal homes."

He made some kind

of recommendation in '96.

Where is it?

Whatever he said,

it's not going to be on the net.

What's the Deputy Director

of Public Records doing in Phuket, eh?

- Smiling and saying "I told you so."

- Yeah.

Where are

we going?

- Tell her I'll call her back.

- Simone.

Sorry.

Dr. Meeko?

Nick Fraser.

I covered a couple

of your department's press junkets

back when you worked

for the government.

I'm having a little trouble

getting ahold of your report,

the one where you predicted

a tsunami would hit Thailand,

devastating

the Andaman Coast.

What did your recommendation say,

Dr. Meeko?

And why are you meeting

with the very man

the government chose

to replace you--

Dr. Boonma Polsak?

What matters to me

is next time.

Next time?

Things might

be different.

Dr. Meeko--

I was up

in Khao Lak

just after it happened,

and I saw things...

I hope I never

see again.

Are you saying

there'll be a next time?

Here.

This is where

I'm staying.

Mr. Whittaker, this is--

this is Kim Peabody.

I managed to track down

your mobile number.

I've-- I've called

your office several times.

It's my son, you see.

He's struggling

for his life.

I need my son medevaced

to the U.K. now.

What does your

consultant say?

That they want

to amputate his leg.

I really believe

under U.K. care

I wouldn't be forced

to make the kind of decisions

that I am being asked

to make here.

Phuket Hospital

is highly respected.

It has some of the best

medical teams in Thailand.

Four days and I've

been calling,

and I've been asking

for this flight for four days.

The good news is London has just okayed

a fairly comprehensive care program

for those without travel insurance.

Did you have any?

I don't know!

I don't know--

my husband did all of that.

You see, it really only applies

to those without insurance.

No, Mr. Whittaker,

I-I--

look, right now, you know,

I'm without anything.

I have a phone card

and a toothbrush.

- Perhaps family in the U.K. could--

- My mother, but she's elderly.

James was my family.

Look, now listen,

I came here with my husband

and two children.

I have lost my husband,

I will not lose

my son as well.

I'll come

and see you now.

Mark,

about Mrs. Peabody,

she's asking for immediate evacuation

for her and her son. He could die.

Yes, I know--

I know that,

but he'll need

a medical team on the flight.

I've told her

I'll visit her tonight.

No no, I think we

should do something now.

Right.

Right, okay.

- What?

- We've got a meeting in 10 minutes,

temporary

mortuary facilities.

Fuck. Fuck.

Um, I'll be back.

I'll be back.

Thank you.

I didn't mean

to disturb you.

I'm Tony

Whittaker.

Yeah, Mom said

you were never coming.

This is very bad. Very bad.

I'm so sorry--

If you're so sorry, why can't you

get him home?

- If he dies--

- Adam.

Mrs. Peabody...

- please have a chair.

- No no. I've been sitting all day.

Have you got

John his flight?

I am working

on it.

- I'm confident we can do something.

- When?

Tomorrow night

at the latest.

Tomorrow night.

All right,

I shall hold you to that.

It's good to hear

your voice, Dad.

Tell Mom...

tell her we'll

be home soon.

All right?

- Where are you staying?

- This place just above Phuket.

Bit of a trek

from the beach, isn't it?

Yeah,

that's the idea.

Did you see that--

that guy

got his kid

today?

- Swedish.

- Yeah yeah.

How great

must that be?

Yeah.

I keep thinking if I just look

a few more yards,

you know, if I--

if I just check one more list.

Wouldn't that be something

if she just was...?

You know,

so you keep looking.

You keep looking,

and you go back to the same hospitals

and the same temples

and the same lists.

And every day there

are less and less

new people

coming in,

but you

can't give up.

You know, I can't give up.

Would you?

No, if it was me,

I'd look.

And I'd look again.

But if I was honest

with myself...

I was in this

village today

just beyond

Khao Lak.

This guy--

he's all that's left of his village.

Ban Kaw Tai.

It's called Ban Kaw Tai.

It's completely

wiped out.

You know, and he's--

he's working all day

on this crappy

little shelter,

like his-- like his

life depended on it,

and a water hole.

He's watching these

big fuck-off bulldozers

coming closer

and closer,

and he thinks

they're...

they're after

his land.

What?

And maybe somewhere...

they're just going

to build right over them.

Who?

Who's going to build

right over them?

I don't know.

Get up.

Oh shit.

Hi.

You stink.

It has

been said.

Are you drunk?

No.

Buddha.

Picked up backpacking

with your friends when you were 18.

- You are drunk.

- No, I'm not.

This is a tragedy.

Run-on lists.

Put them down.

You checking

your numbers...

your stats?

All those

drowned guests.

They're clearing land ready

to rebuild, all along Khao Lak.

I don't know what

you're talking about.

Barely been a week...

and they're flattening land.

The villagers think

they're going to steal it off them.

- You should get some sleep.

- Who's doing it, Ellen?

- I don't know.

- You sure?

- Yeah.

- Really?

Mm-hmm.

'Cause it's really

beautiful there.

It's not hard to imagine someone

wanting to build on it.

- Stop it.

- What?

Stop it.

Well, I'm sorry.

Force of habit.

- Just looking for a place to lie.

- Nick--

I'm sharing a room

with a farting creature

who hogs the shower,

snores like a tractor.

He's not fucked up.

He's a good guy.

He's got this baby,

must be what...?

I don't know how old he is,

but I never asked.

He's about this big.

And he talks to it.

He calls in to speak

to his wife every day,

and at the end he talks

this gobbledygook to this...

...baby.

What is it that makes

men so fucking nuts...

about their kids?

And then I think,

my dad did that

to me, once;

held me

in his hands,

looked down at me,

saw a tiny little piece of him.

How'd you

get here, Ellen?

Backpacking.

I was 21.

And I fell in love

with the country.

I got to know

the coastline.

I got what I needed

to get this job.

Got more experience.

Came back

and I never left.

- It gets under your skin.

- Yeah.

- Something like that.

No, I-- I can't wait. I need

to speak to Mr. Whittaker now.

My son is going to die.

When will he be back?

Tell him

to call me, please.

Mom?

I just-- need a few

more minutes.

- John's going to die.

- Darling, he-- he's not going to die.

He's not going to die.

I'm not going to let that happen.

I'll make the right

decision for him.

I want Dad.

Yeah...

yeah, me too.

He'll hate us.

He'll know we did it

to save his life.

He'll hate me.

He won't, darling.

It'll save his life.

Lizard.

Can you say that?

They're taking swabs...

at a couple

of the temples.

For DNA,

to help identify

the bodies.

We need to do that...

if Martha's not

coming back...

if she's dead.

I was calling home

last night when I saw you.

I just needed to hear

someone's voice.

I just needed

to hear...

something familiar,

something that

hadn't changed.

And I was watching

you with her and...

I wanted her

to be Martha so badly.

But she's not.

And we have to

take her back now.

A lizard.

I'll get her things.

France?

Um, parlez anglais?

She'll be fine.

Just five more

minutes.

There's nothing more

we can do.

I just need to know

she's okay.

I'm not leaving

till I know she's all right.

Excusez-moi, monsieur!

No, you're all right.

Thanks, though.

- Do you speak English?

- Yes.

Oh, beauty.

Are we here?

Maybe...

here.

- I bring gifts.

- Thank you.

From the clean-up team?

No, but it looks

like your lot lured 'em up.

Some days I think

this is the only thing

- keeping that piece of crap alive.

- What's one up from here?

Um, mainly fishing villages.

Is it true they're grabbing

land from the villagers?

Oh, it wouldn't

surprise me.

There's probably about

25 villages up and down this coastline

who at one time or another

had developers knocking on their door.

This one's the frontline.

This one's right next door to paradise.

Everyone wants

a piece of it.

And the villagers have lived here

for so many generations,

you'd think they'd have

history on their side,

but something like this

just washes all that away.

Doesn't matter if you've

lived here for five years

or 500.

Who are they selling to?

The hotels?

Yeah, probably.

That's why the sooner we get them

down from the hills

and back into the villages,

the better.

- Be careful where you're walking.

- Thanks, love.

What's going on?

Government.

Government?

They're gonna build hotels?

Gonna build hotels?

Soon, maybe.

Thanks.

Do you speak English?

Ah, sure, but this is

for Dutch nationals.

Where's the U.K.?

Um...

someone told me they will

be here later this afternoon.

What do we do

till then?

Uh, I don't know

what to say.

- I'm really sorry.

- Look look,

- we've lost our daughter, okay?

- Yes, I understand.

Um, you can take

a little bit of spit from me?

- Uh, I can't--

- Dana, it's okay.

- We can do it.

- Oh...

- Thank you.

- You like to sit here?

We do saliva.

I specialize in

dental identification.

We're asking families...

if they could get

the dental records of the missing,

courier it over here.

It will speed up

the process.

Ian Carter.

11th of December,

1972.

And you've lost...?

Martha Carter.

First of April, 1998.

She got hold of a tree.

I've been trying to work

out how long she'd...

need to hold on for.

An hour, maybe?

Do you think

a six-year-old...

could have held on

for that long?

A grown man would

struggle with that one.

She might have been able

to hold on for 10, 15 minutes,

but...

no, not for an hour.

Not in that water.

Here's a number...

where we're staying.

My wife...

it's been harder.

He was only telling us

the truth.

You think I mind truth? You think

I want hope? I don't want hope.

I don't want to think

that maybe she'll come back,

because she won't and then

I am broken all over again.

Because you know, I left her

with you, Ian. I trusted that--

- There was a 15-foot fucking wave!

- You let her go.

We were walking

back to the hotel room.

I had the keys in my hand--

I don't know what you want me to say.

You want me to say

it's my fault? It is my fault.

I let her go.

It is my fault.

I couldn't--

I couldn't keep

hold of her.

It is my fault!

It will always be my fault,

but I didn't make this happen, Susan.

I couldn't stop this happening,

love, I couldn't!

Come on.

She was my baby too.

You were the one

holding onto her.

Yeah.

When she stopped

calling for me,

it was you she was

shouting for.

And where were you,

Susan?

Where the fuck were you

when she needed you?

I wasn't there.

No, you weren't there.

Any of you guys

want a break?

Nice work.

Thank you.

She's saying thank you.

Her baby hasn't slept for two days.

I'm gonna hunt for some medical

supplies-- if you want a lift?

Ian?

I'm gonna head off,

if that's okay.

Yeah, do you

want me to go with?

No, I'm fine.

You're best here.

Kathy, could you bring back

some more tarpaulin?

Bloody hell, Ian,

you're gonna need a picket fence

by the time

you're finished.

He knows his stuff--

Ian.

Yeah, give him a hammer

and he's happy.

He's always complaining

he's stuck too much in the office.

When we first started,

that's all he did, worked on site.

He's always been

best with his hands.

Now we've got 14 men

and he hates the paperwork.

He's a Godsend.

Yeah.

Yeah, I guess.

How can you believe?

How can you believe in

a God that would do this?

Um, I guess I know He can't

have a grip on every corner.

Why not? I mean,

isn't He all-powerful?

Isn't He this--

shining spirit

that's meant

to look after us?

That doesn't sound like

a nonbeliever to me.

Well, I don't believe

in a God

that keeps us all safe,

keep the world from harm.

Neither do I.

But I do believe

He didn't do this.

You know, the world keeps turning

and I don't think it's down to Him.

Hope--

that's all I've got.

Believing in something

that can't be proven,

but that you're willing

to trust is there.

That's what keeps me

safe at night.

- What, even after this?

- Yeah, even after this.

Buddhists believe that you're only

on this planet for a short life,

and that you have

to make the best of it.

And if you don't,

or can't,

then there's always

another life.

Well, just don't

ask me to believe

that Martha's gonna

come back as a fish or something.

To be honest, logistics has

been our biggest problem.

Every hospital in Phuket

now has a U.K. contact point.

Uh, right, I'll leave those better

informed to take over from here.

Ah, the press is

ready for you.

Yeah, I just want to pop up

and see Kim Peabody's boy

and let her know

the good news.

Four, please.

Certainly.

Mrs. Peabody,

we've managed

to secure a medevac flight

for your son in the morning.

London were pretty hard

with their criteria,

but when I explained

the situation--

What's he doing here?

I don't know

what to say.

I wouldn't have taken you

for a Methodist man.

Caught me.

Baptist mother,

Catholic father,

that leaves me somewhere

in between, I imagine.

You edging any closer to getting

that paperwork signed for me?

Ah, I have put in calls

to the relevant bodies, but--

Nah, you're okay. Everyone needs

to take five once in a while.

But if you do get a chance, I've got

some people who would really appreciate

a cargo full of plastic sheeting

that's waiting to be picked up.

- Kathy--

- Okay okay, you've got the night off.

- Bad day?

- What?

Well, people normally turn to God

if they've had a bum day.

I just needed somewhere

to sit and think without--

Yeah.

I get that.

I used to flatter myself

that I was actually doing

something for this country.

But really,

I'm just loitering...

like an uncomfortable

host at the party,

making sure

the right people are meeting,

that the drinks

are going round.

You've been stealing?

I wouldn't

call it that.

Reallocation of resources.

You'll understand.

Come on, I want

to show you something.

Does it involve

you driving?

I got you here

this far, didn't I?

It's an early start

tomorrow, Kathy.

Come on,

ye of little faith.

Some are Burmese,

working illegally.

Most are just

poor Thais

waiting to get

their lives back on track.

Home, sweet home.

You lived here?

Mm.

It's weird, what's lost

and what survives.

I'm so sorry.

And this...

God knows

whose this is.

They amputated

John Peabody's leg today.

Oh God.

I stupidly

believed that...

if I did what

London said--

You can look

to someone above,

but the buck

stops with me.

Well, we're all

guilty of that.

I've spent nearly

half my life believing in...

something,

something bigger

than me.

Today was the first day

I suddenly thought,

maybe I'm just

talking to myself,

that there really

is nothing.

This is it, just me.

Why do you stay here,

Kathy?

I mean,

don't you have family?

Don't you have

another life?

No, this is it.

This is my one shot.

So if I've got it wrong...

You know what

I realized today?

I'm good at this.

This is what I'm good at--

chaos is my natural habitat.

When I look around

at all the pain

and suffering and just

so much disaster--

to tell you the truth,

Tony, if I'm honest...

I've never felt

so lonely.

And I've never

felt so alive.

I'm having the best

time of my life.

Is that terrible?

That this is all my life is?

No.

Yeah.

Probably.

You do the best

you can.

Do better.

Sorry.

That's all right.

I couldn't sleep.

Where've you been?

I walked

from Ban Kaw Tai.

You walked?

As I was walking back...

I felt Martha.

I felt her.

My mind's a bit tapped

at the moment,

but...

I felt her, Susie.

They found a body.

Hi.

Come with me, please.

We've moved some bodies

over to the containers.

They offer some protection

from the heat.

The body has

decomposed.

But I want you to look

if you can see anything

that might identify

her to you.

If you need anything...

I can't tell.

How do we know?

Swimming costume was...

it was pink with--

these flowers which--

Was she

wearing flowers?

Do you know I've--

I just can't remember.

Look again.

Let's just, just--

let's stay here,

a moment...

if it is our baby.

She's so tiny.

They sent Martha's

dental records.

These will help.

How long will

we have to wait?

I don't know how much I can get

from an initial examination.

But, maybe

several hours.

Days maybe.

I can call you later

at your hotel.

We'll take care of her.

Sa-wat dee kha.

- Sorry I'm a little bit late.

- Oh, no problem.

- Come, join us.

- Thank you.

Who's the guy?

Jesus, Nick,

you freaked me out.

What's that?

It's a bar menu.

It's just a meeting.

He's an associate of someone

in our Bangkok office.

Hold on.

Look.

"Tsunamis: warning signs

and precautionary measures.

February, 1996,

Dr. Pravat Meeko."

"Giant sea waves moving

toward the coastline

generated by earthquakes

beneath the sea--

- it can be assumed..."

- Nick, I really--

"...that earthquakes in the Andaman Sea

will affect the west coast of Thailand."

It's all marked up, see?

I've never seen it.

No, you wouldn't have,

would you?

Because it's confidential.

There's a faultline that

runs along the Andaman Coast.

And only

half of it blew.

What about

the other half?

What we saw on Boxing Day

may well happen again.

We listen to the government, Nick.

We have to trust them.

If they say it's fine,

it's fine.

"Recommendations--

new building development

should be avoided

in tsunami impact zone."

- Nick--

- They thought it might be coming

and they ignored it.

Worse, they ridiculed it.

So what are you gonna do?

- You're just gonna rebuild the hotels?

- Nick!

You're gonna put them

right back where they were?

This country needs tourism.

We build hotels, bring jobs,

bring trade, bring the dollar,

the yen, the pound.

But you've got a responsibility

to the people too, haven't you?

I also have responsibility

to my companies, the people I work for.

Oh.

And what

about Ban Kaw Tai?

You gonna build there?

On land that's not even yours?

I'm just doing my job.

I barely even know where Ban Kow Tai is.

It's a fishing village,

Ellen!

It's got a population

of 1200.

It's land that was owned

by those villagers for generations.

Give me five minutes and meet me

upstairs, we'll talk about it.

If there's anything I can do,

I promise I will.

Mm-hm.

Look, we have

742 guests missing.

If I thought

any decision I'd made

had caused even

one of those deaths...

What?

What do you fucking think?

Give me five minutes.

Can I have a beer,

please?

- A beer?

- Yes, sir.

Ian! Ian, quickly!

What's wrong?

Look!

Hey!

Hey, stop stop!

Turn it off!

Turn it--

There's children here!

Stop!

You're going

to have to move.

What's he say?

I'm very sorry

for your loss.

- Kathy!

- What?

But this land

has been acquired.

By whom?

You have the paperwork

for this?

This land belongs

to SQA hotels now.

How much are they

giving you?

Because it isn't enough.

Hey hey hey!

Ho, okay.

It's okay,

all right.

You all right?

My great-grandfather,

he fish here all his life.

My grandfather, my father,

my family die here.

I know it's hard,

believe me.

But we survived.

Okay?

Okay.

You're building

on a graveyard.

Only fools believe

in ghosts.

Come on.

Are you leaving,

Ellen?

742 guests.

How many

next time?

I hope they sue you

from here to Bangkok.

I was with a woman today,

she was on honeymoon.

She'd been married

for three days.

She said the only thing

that made it bearable

was that the last image of her husband

was him smiling in paradise.

- People still want paradise.

- Yeah, with a crack running through it.

Come on, Nick,

look at Bali, California,

some of the most beautiful

coastlines in South America,

Eastern Turkey,

most of Japan.

It's a fragile world,

Nick.

Dr. Meeko's recommendations

were deliberately ignored

by Thai authorities

who were desperate to protect

the burgeoning

tourist industry.

And now the worst

has happened.

Yet S.Q.A. Hotels continue

to ignore the dangers

of building on

a fragile coastline,

and are prepared to grab

land from Thai villagers

to build

even bigger resorts.

S.Q.A. property manager

Ellen Webb,

E-L-L-E-N W-E-B-B,

says, quote,

"We build hotels,

bring jobs,

bring trade,

bring the dollar, yen and pound."

End quote.

She goes on to say

that she has, quote,

"a responsibility

to my company,

to the people

I work for.

I'm just doing my job,"

she says.

Nick?

It's a good story,

Simone.

It's a great story.

You don't need me

to rewrite it. Send it just as it is.

Well, give me five minutes

to tidy it up then, all right?

...working with seismologists

from all over the world

to ensure loss on this scale

will not happen again.

Dr. Pravat Meeko's

exit from his position

as head of the Thai Meteorological

Department in the '90s

occurred under a cloud.

He had warned of the dangers

of a possible tsunami

along the Andaman Coast.

He will head the new committee

charged with--

You saw the news?

There's no smoking

in here.

You know, my wife just

put phone down on me,

didn't want me

to take the job.

She'll come around.

Six years is a long time

to be sidelined.

This isn't about me,

but to see an early

warning system in place.

Next time, half an hour

can make all the difference.

Half an hour after

an earthquake happening

and every beach can be

cleared from here to Sumatra.

Thanks for the report.

What report?

Better check

our emails.

Okay.

You had a call.

It was a doctor--

Dutch, I think.

Are you sure?

Okay, yeah.

Tomorrow.

Thanks, bye.

It's not her.

The, um...

girl had

two fillings.

Booked you a taxi

for 8:00.

I'm not going.

What's left of Martha

is still here.

How can I go if

she's still here?

I was just...

thinking about

when she was born.

I was thinking about...

well just--

remembering her eyes

looking out

into the world.

Do you remember that?

How do we come back

from this, Suze?

Oh, I don't know.

We can't leave.

I can't stop thinking about

when we flew over here

and she was sitting

in the space between us.

I don't know...

it was just...

you and me and...

the three of us.

It's New Year's Eve.

Sorry, that's my handwriting,

that's "E"--

Mom? Mom, he's come

around again.

Excuse me.

How're you feeling?

Hello,

my darling.

How are you?

Yeah, a bit better.

Yes.

This still sore?

While no one will forget

what they've seen

over the last six days,

out of tragedy has come

the most astonishing

resilience and strength.

The overwhelming love and care

of the many volunteers

who have been brought together

by this sequence of events,

and the extraordinary

selflessness

and compassion shown by the people

of Thailand to perfect strangers

has been very

very humbling.

I'm proud to have been

a part of this.

None of us will

go home the same.

Okay?

Thank you, Tony.

- Yeah, a moment.

- Did you get all that?

Hi, is everything

in order with your...

ticket here?

Well, good luck.

Hi, it's Carol,

isn't it?

Hi, how are you doing?

Hello, and you are--?

Let me remember--

it's Anna.

Hannah!

I'm sorry.

I broke your camera.

Nick.

Four columns,

not bad.

That is a start,

isn't it?

So I hear you're thinking of being

a real journo when you grow up.

When you coming home?

Don't know, I thought

I'd stick around a bit.

There's a whole thing with Burmese

immigrants here I want to look into.

And then head up--

head down to Aceh...

maybe add

a few more columns.

Nick?

You okay?

Yeah yeah, I'm fine.

Good.

Suk says

come back soon.

- You give her my love, will you?

- I will.

- All right.

- Take care of yourself.

You take care too.

All right.

Than...

Tsunami: The Aftermath (2006) - full transcript