How Did You Remember The Tsunami

[paulfromphuket]

There is so much negativity in the forum right now I feel it's time for a reality check.

6 years ago yesterday thousands of lives here on this island had their lives changed forever, I lit a candle as I do every year for the unkown that died here and in my case especially in Phi Phi, I remember the ones I knew personally and raise a glass to thier memory and shed some tears.

What did you do?

[BangTaoBoy]

I was in Patong when it hit, but I won't lie to you, it didn't even cross my mind this year. We lost a couple of friends and lots of friends of friends, so I guess I should be more on the ball. Not being religous is my excuse, although it's quite a poor one.

My thoughts now go out to those that died but mostly to those that out lived loved ones, they're the ones who will be suffering this time of year.

[LivinginKata]

I was in Kata that morning and I think about it every year each 26th December. In fact I think about it every morning that I walk along Kata beach, keeping an eye out for any big surf out on the horizon. We did not lose any close friends, and I'm not a religious person, so I never attend any services. I usually watch the annual repeats of the tsunami documentaries with much attention to the details, and sadness when I see places that I know.

[HDRIDER]

I do think about that day, i don’t want but it keep coming back, i was in Patong and on my way to the beach for breakfast, my GF of that time left for the beach 30 min before me, luckily i did not make it to the beach, screaming people get me to turn around, could not get in touch with my GF for hours, that was bad but she was alright.

day after we went to Kao Lak to help a friend to look for his wife, never in my life have a seen so many dead people and i will never want to see so many again, we went into a temple and the whole area was covered with white sheet, oh yes i think about that day sometimes, i don’t want to but it just keep coming back.

PS, my friends wife was OK she was pregnant at the time, she managed to hold on to a tree.

[stevenl]

I think about it quite often, and really don't need a remembrence day.

[barka]

I go every year to YA Nui beach were i lived at the time . i walk on the beach and look out to sea and

pay my respects.... especiall remembering the DOG LADY..Naoimi who was carried by the big wave and lost her life there..RIP... after that i got involved for many months with our own charity projects up in Pak triuam ..Kolak and Bang Ben... now its only a memory .life must move on..hope it never happens to Phuket again....

[JetsetBkk]

I try not to think about it. Enough tears were shed then.

[paulfromphuket]

I think about it quite often, and really don't need a remembrence day.

I am sorry steve I think 250,000 people do deserve a day of rememberence.

should we scap November the 11th also!

[barka]

If we Farlangs who were here when it happened dont remember...who will. this was... a natural disaster..were innocent poeple died i think it deserves to be remembered.. but we are all differant and we all have our own ways of doing this

[stevenl]

I think about it quite often, and really don't need a remembrence day.

I am sorry steve I think 250,000 people do deserve a day of rememberence.

should we scap November the 11th also!

Up to you how you want to remember, I'll do it my way. I think about this often, and do not feel the need to ignore 364 days a year, and only remember on the 26th.

Regarding November 11th: that is your custom, in many places it is a normal day.

[thaigerd]

I was at Patong beach that morning and will never ever forget...

Gerd

[stevenl]

If we Farlangs who were here when it happened dont remember...who will. this was... a natural disaster..were innocent poeple died i think it deserves to be remembered.. but we are all differant and we all have our own ways of doing this

Yes, totally agree with this.

[katabeachbum]

I dont think much about it anymore

The tsunami morning I woke up in Kata, crowded with cars and people outside my house. People where trying to escape the water and went hiding up in the mountains. I took my motocy down to the beach area to check out 2 buildings I had under construction. Water almost one meter up on the walls. Construction debris and watertanks everywhere. Coconuts and left motcys in the streets.

I come from a rough weather country, and have spent my fair amount of time on boats crossing oceans, in avalanche searches, and major traffic accidents, so took I while to realise a disaster had happend.

On the 24th we picked up a new truck in BKK and had two choices going home to Phuket. One was to spend Christmas in a friends new beach house in Kao Lak. The other was to drive home via Surat. Since I am writing this today, its obvious we chose the Surat way.

27th we filled up the pickup with 800 kg of 20 litres water bottles and went to Kao Lak to search for my friends house using GPS. All gone, every single building on this beach. Disaster area.

The locals did an amazing job recieving supplies from volunteers, very well organised.

Some police friends where later on involved in identifying corpses in Kao Lak, so tsunami continued for another half year

In Chalong Police district (Kata, Karon, Rawai, Nai Harn, Chalong) only 13 casualtys where reported