This weekend, I received news that the body of my friend Kate, a colleague from Walalaik university who fell victim to the Tsunami in Khao Lak, was finally identified. Her body is going back to her family in Trang today.

We are grieving her again today.

Back in December we had accepted the fact that we would never have the joy of her company again but now we have closure.

I thank the teams of people who are working at identifying the bodies, their diligence is appreciated.

My sympathy goes to you and her family, Gisele.

With closure, you can finally put her to rest and move forward with your lives.

I wish you and her family all the best of luck, and may you look back with fondness on the good times you had with your friend.

I am grateful that you feel you can have closure on the subject.

I was part of the thousands that went to Ta Gua Ba in Phanga for Tsunami relief effort the first few weeks after the disaster. The experience of being with thousands of corpses in such a high density...as I remember so vividly of Yan Yao temple, has changed my views and persona tremendously.

I can understand how people want to locate bodies in the fact of putting closure and not lingering that hope that their loved one could still be alive. Other than this reason, I have an extreme stance. People put so much effort in getting a corpse for ceremonial purposes such as funeral/cremation etc. often not realizing/expecting the condition of such corpse whether days, weeks, or months after the fact. They might be expecting a body that can be painted up for a casket...but it's far from the likelyhood. Days after the fact of many of the bodies being pulled out of debree puddles, or whatever, it's a horible scene/smell of death that could easily haunt someone for a lifetime. I guess after so long, when the maggets have had there fill and the natural process is long underway, it wouldn't be so bad for the loved ones to take back bones.

If it were me who perished, I wouldn't wish for my loved ones, to see such decaying effects of my death---as I have seen in Phanga, particularly my nephews, neices, and children (if I had any) I think my body would be better off decomposing naturally in the sand/sea where I can complete the natural cycle paying back mother nature my bones, flesh, and sole to make up for all the times I've partaken in humanities' rape of the earth's resources---particularly plastic and oil products among others (which I still admitingly use like billions of others in the world).

In Indonesia, there was no identification process...impossible. If I were dictator of the world, I would save everyone the billions of dollars and hours of slaving in Dental, DNA, Forensics identification, funeral preparations, corpse shipping, etc.

with one big cremation ceremony where all the monks ore religous leaders representing every faith/belief could make peace/closure for loved ones before hundreds of thousands bodies became the air. With all that saved time and money that would have been spent on superficial traditional bs, we could focus our efforts on responding to nature's powerful message sent via the wave of the sea by focusing on the full preservation of the earth and her resources....instead of fighting for control of them.

Of corse, in my 'perfect' world, there would be no chance of life insurance scams either...and sports stars would make less than construction workers. Not to mention, polygamy would not only practiced, but the law ok, now i've gone too far

Edited June 27, 200521 yr by greenwanderer108

SNIP General crap SNIP

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I don't think this is a topic to raise your nonsense, in my view.

My deepest sympathy to you gisele and to the family and friends

May your memories serve you well. My sincere condolences for your loss.

Gisele - my sympathies to you and your mates family. Very least there is some closure now with a positive id of your mate.

SNIP General crap SNIP

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I don't think this is a topic to raise your nonsense, in my view.

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Very strongly agreed. green wanderer, your philosophies should be welcomed on their own thread, but not here.

Gisele, My condolences and sympathies.

Kayo.

Thank you for your thoughts, it is very much appreciated.

This is most disconcerting, especially for the family.

They feel quite lost, the usual funeral rites for them would be to assist in dressing and preparing their daughter and sister to say their proper goodbyes, but they can't, so this is very emotional right now.

Her father who had been travelling to Phuket every week to seek answers, has aged way beyond his years. I fear at how this will affect him and the rest of her family.