Background: This research seeks to resolve academic concern for the limited insight within existing bodies of knowledge in terms of how Sustainability and Sustainable Tourism Development is conceptualised at a grassroots level; by the stakeholders and more specifically the inhabitants of the Tourism destination (Redclift, 1987; Liu, 2003; Swarbrooke, 1999; Mowforth and Munt, 1998) . The research is driven by the aim to evaluate power relationships and conceptualisations of sustainability upon post - disaster Tourism redevelopment using the case study of Koh Phi Phi Island in Thailand which was devastated by the Asian Tsunami of December 2004. Approach: An interpretive philosophy informed the research design in which primary data was gathered using a mixed methods approach throughout the period April 2006 to December 2011 . These methods included the use of online and offline techniques. Online research comprised the design and operation of a tailored website which was used to overcome geographical and access limitations. Offline methods included the use of visual techniques to monitor change over time , in depth face to face interviews with stakeholders of Phi Phi’s development, open ended questionnaires with tourists on the island and extended answer Thai script questionnaires
