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•Parkson Provides Tsunami Survivors With Clean Water

By B. Boyd, Parkson Corporation

The devastating December 2004 tsunami in Southeast Asia left hundreds of thousands homeless and/or without functioning water and sanitation systems. Parkson Corporation contributed to the relief efforts by donating the major components of a potable water treatment system to the Province of Phang Nga, Thailand. The result of this action - a safe, clean, abundant supply of drinking water – will be felt for generations.

The tsunami that devastated several countries in December of 2004 caused over 200,000 deaths. The fishing village of Kuk Kak, located in Thailand, experienced unimaginable horrors and grief. Entire families were wiped out. Along with all of the widely scattered debris, human remains were found everywhere in the obliterated mile or so strip along the shore, including many corpses found in the drinking water reservoir of Kuk Kak that was also inundated with salty ocean water. The water plant is located about 200 feet from where Buddhist funerals and cremations took place at a rate of 2-3 per day. Stories of the losses are unfortunately in great abundance in this village, as well as throughout the entire region. It was truly a hell on earth.

Out of this darkest of dark, now shines the brightest light of humanity. Volunteers from all over the globe, from all walks of life, are doing everything they can to assist in the recovery efforts in this region of Thailand. Armies of volunteers are building houses through organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, building churches and schools, caring for the countless orphans, and, in Parkson Corporation's case, donating a drinking water plant. As almost always happens, the goodness of mankind ultimately prevails.

Upon arrival in Kuk Kak, I was overwhelmed with the gratitude that the residents of the village and surrounding area had toward Antonia Ax:son Johnson, Parkson Corporation, and Axel Johnson Inc. for the generous donation of the drinking water plant equipment. Since the tsunami and before the startup of the Johnson/Parkson system, the only water pumped to the homes and businesses in the area was for the most part just the dirty, polluted reservoir water. While none of the surviving villagers that I spoke with actually drank this water, all used it for bathing, washing dishes, etc. There is no doubt that illnesses had resulted from contact with this water. As a case in point, a Peace Corps volunteer living in Kuk Kak had both an intestinal disorder and a horrible foot infection. There is a likely connection between his illnesses and the water that he regularly contacted. Now, thanks to the donation, there is safe, clean drinking water for the region.

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•Parkson Provides Tsunami Survivors With Clean Water