US former presidents, George Bush and Bill Clinton, pledged to offer continued assistance to tsunami-ravaged southern Thailand in a bid to restore livelihoods of affected people, local press reported Sunday.

During their visit to Ban Nam Khem, a fishing village of the southern Prangnga Province, the two former presidents said the United States would provide new fishing equipment and raise funds to help restore the livelihoods of thousands of local fishermen.

In Ban Nam Khem, one of the worst tsunami-hit area of the province, 85 damaged trawlers and about 100 small fishing boats badly need repair, which is estimated to cost around 100 million baht (US$2.4 million).

Clinton said the most urgent thing was to rebuild the fishing industry and help fishermen not only in Thailand but also in Sri Lanka and Indonesia. Clinton was appointed by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan as his special envoy to tsunami-affected countries.

"The thing that amazes me is the spirit of the Thai people who are determined to rebuild their homeland and to get out in their boat," Bush was quoted by Bangkok Post newspaper as saying.

Currently, the private and government aid commitments to disaster-battered countries total US$7 billion, still short of the total tsunami losses of US$11-12 billion.

On Saturday, the two also expressed condolences to thousands of tsunami victims in Mai Khao cemetery of Phuket before meeting Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to discuss Thai-US relief efforts.

Following the two-day visit to the kingdom, the two former US top leaders are scheduled to leave for Indonesia, Sri Lanka and the Maldives on disaster-relief mission.
 
(Xinhua News Agency February 21, 2005)