MP's family home from Thailand

December 6th, 2008

Roger and Suzy Gale’s son and daughter-in-law, Tom and Basma Gale, returned home at the weekend, safe and sound, from Thailand.

The couple, who had been trapped in the country at the end of their honeymoon, finally travelled from Phuket via Kuala Lumpur arriving in London some thirty hours after their departure.

"We are glad to be home" said Tom, speaking at their Preston Nr. Wingham home, "but we had the holiday of a lifetime and it was a memorable experience in more ways than one! There were a few difficult days while we sorted out accommodation and tried to book a route out of the country but the Thai people were lovely and treated everyone very well under the circumstances.

Tom & Basma

Our main worry was for some of the other people, particularly a couple of elderly ladies, who were marooned in our hotel with no real idea of how or when they were going to get home. They were quite frightened and distressed.

We felt very sorry for the ordinary people and for the damage that has been done to the economy of their country as a result of the political turmoil and the occupation of the two main Bangkok airports but Thailand is the most beautiful country and Basma and I certainly want to go back again.

We also want to say a practical "thank you" to the people who helped us and we are going to try to raise some money for a gibbon rehabilitation centre that we visited in one of the national parks. It receives no public funding and it struggles for money but it does a great job rescuing the monkeys"

Tom and Basma also expressed their thanks to all the people who had telephoned Roger and Suzy to express their good wishes. “People have been really kind" says Tom "and we greatly appreciate their concern for us".