A number of properties have been completely destroyed, while others have been forced to shut down operations as the massive waves left hotels without any power or clean water.

The Holiday Inn Resort in Phuket was badly damaged and Intercontinental Hotels – which owns the resort – announced that the hotel will be closed until further notice.

The full cost of the damage to the property is yet to be determined. A spokesperson for the company said that all guests had been relocated and the hotel would remain closed until at least 30 April.

Banyan Tree, which operates five hotels in the Laguna Phuket region, said that all of its hotels will remain open, despite the destruction of the group’s beach restaurants and a total of 50 guest rooms out of the groups 1,100-strong room portfolio.

Other Phuket hotels forced to close until further notice were Comfort Resort, Hyton Leelavadee, Kamala Bay Terrace Resort and Le Meridien Phuket Beach Resort.

Le Meridien also closed its beach spa resort in Khao Lak, where seven guests and 12 staff died as the resort was destroyed by the tidal wave.

Meanwhile, travel agencies and tour operators are continuing to assess the human loss caused by the tsunami.

MyTravel, which had around 5,400 customers in the areas affected by the tidal waves, announced that it had accounted for all of its UK customers but that a number of its northern European customers – the majority of whom were staying in Phuket – were still missing.

First Choice Holidays, which had 248 customers in Phuket, released a statement saying six of its customers were still missing.

According to reports from the area, the effects of the tsunami were very localised. Some beaches in Phuket were virtually untouched by the waves, while others such as Patong Beach were badly hit.

The Thai government said casualties were particularly high in the Khao Lak area and on the Phi Phi island, while rebuilding the region’s infrastructure could take years.

Ho Kwon Ping, chair of Banyan Tree, said: “The communities where we have lived and worked for many years are grappling with the current reality.

“Relief funds are pouring in and international agencies are doing great work in providing for the most immediate needs. However, when the aid agencies finish their work and move on, there will be a whole range of new challenges for these communities.”

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