• The Southern Meteorological Centre (West Coast), which oversees the provinces of Phuket, Ranong, Krabi, Trang, Phang-nga and Satun on Thailand’s west coast, reiterates that flooding along the Hat Sai Khao beachfront, near Sarasin Bridge (Sapan Sarasin) in Phuket on 17 May 2007 was not caused by a tsunami, but was the result of high tides typically associated with this particular phase of the lunar cycle and seasonal monsoons.
  
  
• High tides are experienced at new and full phases of the moon.
  May 17 coincided with the first night of the waning moon, a phase in the lunar cycle that is characterized by high tides.
  
  
• Thailand comes under the influence of the southwesterly monsoon winds from May through to September. Strong winds and high waves are a dominant feature of the seasonal monsoons, particularly in areas along the Andaman coast.
  
  
• On 17 May 2007, the combined effects of lunar influence on the tides and the force of the southwesterly monsoon winds caused a rise in sea-level measuring an average of 1.40 metres at the village of Ban Nam Khem in Khao Lak, Phang-nga province and an average of 1.20 metres in Phuket province.

  The effects of the high tide and stormy seas were exacerbated by local variations in beach topography at Hat Sai Khao, thereby resulting in flooding.
  Conditions have returned to normal.
  

• All other beaches in Phuket province have not been affected by the high tide.
  Conditions are normal.

Contact information:
TAT Southern Office – Region 4
Areas of responsibility: Phuket, Phang-nga, Krabi
Tel: +66 (0) 7621 2213, (0) 7621 1036
Fax: +66 (0) 7621 3582
E-mail: tatphket@tat.or.th