Logistics relief response model: the case of Thailand's tsunami affected area

The purpose of this paper is to examine the circumstances surrounding the Asian tsunami emergency of 2004 and to propose a relief logistics model that suggests an alternative response mechanism to those which are currently in place. The tsunami waves that hit Thailand on December 26th 2004 and the chaos that followed highlighted the very low level of preparedness on the part of the Thai authorities to deal with such an event. This has led the Thai Government to concentrate on preparation for relief operation activities in order to be better prepared if a similar event were to occur. The proposed logistics response model is based within a 72-hour time frame should a tsunami hit Thailand again. This model also clearly indicates the jurisdiction and job description of each agency involved in the relief operations. It is shown that horizontal and vertical linkages between departments represent the vital parts of successful overall emergency response.