10 years on: Thaivisa remembers the Boxing Day tsunami in Thailand

[webfact]

Ten Years On: Remembering the Indian Ocean Tsunami Ceremony

BANGKOK: -- The Ten Years On: Remembering the Indian Ocean Tsunami Ceremony is being held at the Police Boat T813 Tsunami Memorial Park, Khao Lak, in Takua Pa district, Phang-nga province, on Friday, 26 December 2014 at 17.30-18.45 hr.

The ceremony is to honor the memory of those who lost their lives and the courage of those who survived, as well as to pay tribute to those who lent a helping hand during that hour of need.

Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha is scheduled to preside over the official program, which includes the observance of a moment of silence, a wreath-laying ceremony, a video presentation of the restoration and development of local communities, remarks by Thai and foreign dignitaries, poetry reading and candlelight memorial, and a performance by the Bangkok Symphony Orchestra.

On the following day, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will lead a number of foreign dignitaries to visit Ban Nam Khem Community and Chai Pattana Village, which are the disaster-resilient community models.

Thailand has learned a lesson from the experience of the tsunami that hit the Indian Ocean with a great loss of life on 26 December 2004. Since then it has shifted to a “holistic disaster management approach.”

Thailand has restructured related laws and regulations by enacting the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Act, which is more oriented to the harmonization and systematization of disaster management practices of all stakeholders. Tsunami evacuation exercises and other disaster management exercises are also conducted every year.

Moreover, to make sure that appropriate investment in disaster risk management is in place at the local level, both disaster prevention and mitigation action plans have been developed and enforced. At the international level, Thailand seeks technical cooperation with many foreign entities for knowledge sharing and enhancement of disaster management capacity.

It has also set up the Tsunami Regional Trust Fund in 2005, one year after the devastating tsunami hit coastal areas of the Indian Ocean. Thailand and Sweden were its principal main donors. Since then, the Fund has been supported both by financial and other forms of contributions to the Fund from various governments to implement projects and activities in order to prepare and set up tsunami early warning systems in the Indian Ocean and countries in Southeast Asia.

Source: http://thailand.prd.go.th/view_news.php?id=7564&a=2

-- The Government Public Relation Department 2014-12-26

[webfact]

Learning lessons from the Tsunami a decade on
The Phuket News


Caskets piled up at Yan Yao temple during the 2005 New Year period.

The world commemorates the victims of the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami in 10-year memorial services today, but will remembering be enough?

PHUKET: Today, December 26, 2014, thousands gather in Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi (Click here for overview of memorial services and activities), to pay their respects to those who perished or disappeared into oblivion on this fateful date a decade ago.

As cameras relay solemn memorial scenes, broadcasting images of mourning and sadness but also strength and unity to millions around the planet, we are prompted to ponder the meaning of death, and life.

But beyond recalling stories of tragedy and miraculous survival (Read here first-hand tsunami accounts), there is another important purpose for commemoration – an opportunity to assess progress.

What have we learned from the tragedy? How are we better off now? What do we still need to do to ensure history does not repeat itself?

No doubt, most of the tsunami victims were unnecessarily vulnerable – firstly, due to the lack of sufficient warning and evacuation systems/protocol, and secondly, due to man-made hazards, particularly over-development and environmental degradation of coastlines.

On the first point, Phuket and Thailand have learned the lesson, and progressed accordingly. There are now sufficient advance warning systems and evacuation protocols in place to convincingly prevent a repeat tragedy if or when more colossal tidal waves head our way.

But on the second point, progress is questionable at best. The department of coastal marine resources (DCMR) has worked tirelessly over the past few decades to restore Thailand’s degrading coastlines.

In 1957, the kingdom boasted 3,670 sq km of mangroves, while Phuket had 45sqkm. By the time the tsunami struck in 2004, these numbers had declined dramatically to 2,380 and just under 17sq km respectively. And though the numbers have since been boosted slightly, encroachment and occupation of the mangrove-lined coasts is on the rise.

According to one DMCR survey, some 240 rai of Phuket’s mangove area was encroached between 2004 and 2011, while in Phang Nga and Krabi the numbers were 577 and 1,925 rai, respectively.

Now, in 2014, it’s safe to say that the state of our marine environment hasn’t improved.

The waters surrounding Phuket are officially classified as an ecological “Dead Zone”; our shores and waterways are clogged with plastic bags, polystyrene and sludge.

And, if the TAT is to be believed, the number of people visiting and moving to the island will increase by 10 per cent next year.

So while we remember December 26, 2004, let us also think ahead to December 26, 2024, and work out what we need to do now to ensure that it wasn’t all in vain.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/learning-lessons-from-the-tsunami-a-decade-on-50287.php


-- Phuket News 2014-12-26

[ExPratt]

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We had a teacher from China who was going to start work for us Right after the New Years break. He headed to Phuket for a holiday before starting and was never heard from again.

On the day of the Tsunami I was working at a part-time job at a small language school. There was a TV in the waiting area and between classes I would see it. There wasn't a single word about the Tsunami. I had no idea it had happened until I got home and saw CNN.

Thai television seemed to be a little behind in reporting, but even the big stations were rather slow in realizing just how enormous this tragedy would become.

My thoughts go out to the hundreds of thousands who died, many of whom just disappeared from the earth as if they never existed. My thoughts are also with the millions who survived, but whose lives were forever changed.

No , No one realised the magnitude of the death and destruction at the time

I went to Patong for 4 days from my work in Taiwan.On Morning of 26th 04 I woke and thought I could feel minor earth quake , have them every couple of days in Taiwan, and when I opened my eyes , I though must be a dream they don't have earthquakes in Thailand. Not a good day to say the least emotions all over the place. Fortunately we stayed up Bangla road about 100 metres from the beach. What was weird was at the end of Bangla road on the opposite side was/is a breakfast restaurant and people were sitting in there reading the paper and drinking coffee and had no idea the 100 yards down the road people were fighting for their life.

Nobody knew what was happening and no access to any media to find out. Fortunately me and my mate had acquired a case of Stongbow the day before and that steadied our nerves as we sat up on the hotel roof. We had no idea where to go or what to do Lots of people were phoning home for info. One Danish guy up on our hotel roof started crying, I asked him if he was ok , he said he'd been on the phone to Denmark and they told him to get out of Patong as there was a 30 metre wave going to hit Phuket, he had 3 and 4 year old kids with him and we were on top of a 4 story hotel. (I believe people in the West had heard news of 30 metre wave hitting Bande Ache and passed it on)

We got evacuated to Phuket town about 2 O'clock , some stressed out bloke in wellies pulled up in a HIAB truck and started yelling "Get Out , Get out and we were requested to get in the back of the Hiab and off we went to Phuket Town. My mate flew back to UK that night in a pair of shorts and flip flops, no baggage

I went back to Taiwan unscathed and not Traumatized in any way. The magnitude of the event became apparent over the following weeks and knowing you were so close to an event that killed 270,00 people is slightly traumatizing in itself

My experience is nothing in comparison to those killed or injured or lost loved one's RIP

[AlphMichaels]

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I was there that day, and deeply affected.

I stayed with my thai girlfriend at a hotel on Kamala Beach, a beautiful 4 star hotel located just by the beach.

We woke up at around 8 o`clock in the morning when our bed was shaking, and I figured it was just some sort of generator in the basement starting or something like that. Didn`t think much more of it, and we went down the few meters to the beach, finding a couple of sunbeds around 9.30, after consuming a nice breakfast.

Little did we know what kind of hell was waiting.

Lying at the beach, we saw the water was "gone", and we could walk 70-80 meters out. It felt good to walk in the wet sand. We went out to collect some shells, like other thais did, and we didn`t think much more of that eiher.

After a while I could see a wave a long way out, but it didn`t seem that strange. It was just the water coming back, I thought, so I started walking slowly back inside again. My thai girlfriend for the last 2 years, was waiting a while longer, busy collecting shells.

Then i suddenly heard the screams, and the panic started. I turned around, and saw people running towards me, and I saw the first wave coming. It was looking bad, and I tried desperately to look for my girlfriend. She was nowhere to be seen. People were running everywhere and I did not have time to look for her any longer. The wave just came too fast. Everybody thought they had more time.

The sound of glass breaking and the screams was terrible. The wave hit me like a wall, and I was thrown inside, and suddenly under water. I struggled to get air, and hit my head at a tree, scratching up my body. I fought for my life, and actually don`t remember the next few seconds. I may have been out for a while, but I remember I was dragged out of the water when the water turned and withdrew back to the sea. I was looking up at a thai man, and tried to get up. My head was all banged up, blood running, but I had to get up to find my girlfriend. That thai man probably saved my life.

After a while, a new wave was coming, and it was not any smaller than the first one. But then most people were prepared, but it also came at the worst time, when some people were in a rescue situation. The sight of that was undescribable.

People were evacuated to a higher level, just when it was considered safe for a few minutes to walk at ground level.

I stayed around the area, trying desperately to find my girlfriend. I just could not see here, and was desperately hoping that she was one of the people being evacuating from the area.

I tried to find her the next hours, but had to give up. I wasn`t excactly in a good shape myself.

The next day, I went back down to look at the area, and the devastating sight was shocking. Shops and houses were just not there anymore, left were only some toilets and concrete walls. Roofs and walls were just gone. And so much was thrown to pieces.

I was adviced to look at the temple for my girlfriend, if she was nowhere to be found, so I went there. It must have been more than 100 bodies there. A terrible sight.

My search was over after a few minutes. I fell down on my knees, and had trouble breathing. She was lying there, and there was nothing I could do.

The only thing I could do, was to go to her home, and explain to her family what had happened. That was the worst moment of my life.

Later I found out that about 200 people lost their lives at that beach that day. I have never felt I was lucky to not be amongst them. We who survived, hade to bring with us the memories of this tragedy, and the loss of our loved ones.

Thank you for sharing your story, tragic as it was. I'm glad you survived..., very sorry you lost a love.

[ExPratt]

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I was there that day, and deeply affected.

I stayed with my thai girlfriend at a hotel on Kamala Beach, a beautiful 4 star hotel located just by the beach.

We woke up at around 8 o`clock in the morning when our bed was shaking, and I figured it was just some sort of generator in the basement starting or something like that. Didn`t think much more of it, and we went down the few meters to the beach, finding a couple of sunbeds around 9.30, after consuming a nice breakfast.

Little did we know what kind of hell was waiting.

Lying at the beach, we saw the water was "gone", and we could walk 70-80 meters out. It felt good to walk in the wet sand. We went out to collect some shells, like other thais did, and we didn`t think much more of that eiher.

After a while I could see a wave a long way out, but it didn`t seem that strange. It was just the water coming back, I thought, so I started walking slowly back inside again. My thai girlfriend for the last 2 years, was waiting a while longer, busy collecting shells.

Then i suddenly heard the screams, and the panic started. I turned around, and saw people running towards me, and I saw the first wave coming. It was looking bad, and I tried desperately to look for my girlfriend. She was nowhere to be seen. People were running everywhere and I did not have time to look for her any longer. The wave just came too fast. Everybody thought they had more time.

The sound of glass breaking and the screams was terrible. The wave hit me like a wall, and I was thrown inside, and suddenly under water. I struggled to get air, and hit my head at a tree, scratching up my body. I fought for my life, and actually don`t remember the next few seconds. I may have been out for a while, but I remember I was dragged out of the water when the water turned and withdrew back to the sea. I was looking up at a thai man, and tried to get up. My head was all banged up, blood running, but I had to get up to find my girlfriend. That thai man probably saved my life.

After a while, a new wave was coming, and it was not any smaller than the first one. But then most people were prepared, but it also came at the worst time, when some people were in a rescue situation. The sight of that was undescribable.

People were evacuated to a higher level, just when it was considered safe for a few minutes to walk at ground level.

I stayed around the area, trying desperately to find my girlfriend. I just could not see here, and was desperately hoping that she was one of the people being evacuating from the area.

I tried to find her the next hours, but had to give up. I wasn`t excactly in a good shape myself.

The next day, I went back down to look at the area, and the devastating sight was shocking. Shops and houses were just not there anymore, left were only some toilets and concrete walls. Roofs and walls were just gone. And so much was thrown to pieces.

I was adviced to look at the temple for my girlfriend, if she was nowhere to be found, so I went there. It must have been more than 100 bodies there. A terrible sight.

My search was over after a few minutes. I fell down on my knees, and had trouble breathing. She was lying there, and there was nothing I could do.

The only thing I could do, was to go to her home, and explain to her family what had happened. That was the worst moment of my life.

Later I found out that about 200 people lost their lives at that beach that day. I have never felt I was lucky to not be amongst them. We who survived, hade to bring with us the memories of this tragedy, and the loss of our loved ones.

My condolences buddy , sorry for your loss

[boomerangutang]

It's natural that people will be 99% concerned about people, and their properties.

I was in northernmost Thailand 10 years ago, and was sitting at a desk and felt the desk shake slightly. I knew it was an earthquake, but was amazed to find, hours later, that the tremor projected all the way from off the southern coast of Sumatra.

Interesting (not sure whether it's true): that a group of elephants were seen moving away from the shore, to higher ground, before the tsunami struck. With their large ears, they can hear lower tones than humans can.

2 bits of advice: If you have kids, have them learn how to swim. Also, if the sea recedes significantly, don't wander toward the water to gather fish or shells or for any reason. Get your buns up to higher ground, and shout to anyone else on the shore to do the same. People, in general, are losing survival skills to the same degree they're acclimating to shopping malls.

[freebyrd]

A truly horrific event for those that died and for those that survived and are still traumatised 10 years on.

As an atheist, I ask again, as I have many times to those spouting religion at me, if there really is a God, in whatever form, why did he/she/they decide it was warranted to kill 235,000? A sensible answer as to why has as yet to be forthcoming from anyone, high or low.

That said, I don't want to get into a debate about religion. I don't try and convince those that believe to stop doing so, I only want others that do to stop trying to make me do so.

All that said, one man's meat.....

[strapper1]

What if this would have happened at night, it could have been much worse. Koh Phi Phi was my favorite place in Thailand before the Tsunami, I met my Thai wife on Phi Phi 22 years ago. I knew several people who died in the tsunami. I wish that more people were aware of the fact that when the tide unexpectedly recedes, that, that is a warning sign to reach higher ground. I hope that nothing like that tsunami never happens again, but it probably will! My heart goes out to the victims and their families.

[webfact]

10th Andaman Tsunami anniversary remembrance today



BANGKOK: -- The 10th anniversary of the Andaman Sea tsunami that killed over 5,000 Thais and foreign tourists on December 26 , 2004 is remembered today with memorial services are to be held on the beaches of several Thai southern provinces of Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi.

Prime Minister Gen Prayut will participate in a memorial service in Phang-nga province today to preside over amemorial service for those who perished in the disaster ten years ago.

He will chair the memorial service and give a speech to mourn those whose lives were perished in the deadly disaster.

Foreign diplomats as well as the United Nations secretary-general will attend the memorial services to be held in Khuekkhak sub-district, Takua Pa district, Phang-nga.

Of the six provinces hit by tsunami, Phang-nga took the heaviest toll of casualties with 4,225 dead, 5,597 injured, and 1,655 missing.

Apart from memorial services, the Phuket provincial administrative organization and the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Center Region 18 will be hosting a lecture attended by community leaders, people who live or work in areas with tsunami risk, and those with duties related to disaster response.

The lecture is aimed at creating disaster preparedness as well as boosting confidence on disaster-handling capacity.

Phuket province’s memorial service on the 10th anniversary of the Indian Ocean Tsunami will take place this evening at Loma Park on Patong beach.

After the services diplomats will be taken by the Thai foreign minister to visit tsunami-hit areas and see how improvement they were made.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/10th-andaman-tsunami-anniversary-remembrance-today

-- Thai PBS 2014-12-26

[Johpa]

It was one of ThaiVisa's finest hours being the most informed website on the Internet the first 24 hours after the tsunami struck. News was breaking and information available here hours before it made it to the mainstream international media.

[Kan Win]

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/785658-tsunami-phang-nga-khao-lak-thailand-53-days-after/

Win

[Beetlejuice]

I was up here in Chiang Mai on the day.

It was the morning and then there was a short, sharp earth tremor. Suddenly a feeling of dread came over me, never felt like this before, I said to my wife; something terrible has happened, don`t ask me how I know, I just know. Later the reports of the tsunami began to emerge. So this mean`t the quake was felt up here in the north.

All those people, just happened to be at the wrong place on the wrong time. I have seen the videos, the most heart wrenching was the guy holding his arm out to the old couple and the couple being swept away by the serge of water.

What this did bring home to me is that we never know where and when our time is up.

[daveAustin]

^^ Same. Piled out of the house all the way up in Chiang Mai, thousand miles or more from the epicentre, it was that strong. After discovering epicentre was off Sumatra and feeling it all the way up there, just knew there'd be devastation. How do you warn people a tsunami might be coming! Terrible.

thaibreaker: was touched by your story. Hope you've managed to find peace and that it was not your fault. All the best.

Edited December 26, 2014 by daveAustin

[mrtoad]

We was meant to be in Patong for Christmas but due to work changed our flights. I remember listening to the news in the car about there being a wave hitting Thailand. It was only after a few hours that the seriousness of what had happened became clear. The coverage was truly shocking and being there a week later seeing the missing posters etc was truly heartbreaking.

[Hachi]

It took me until 2009 to put together a few words and photos (have many more) of my experience in Phuket regarding the Tsunami.

For anyone interested here is the link to my site:

https://enricofotophuket04.wordpress.com

[DM07]

10 Years on!

Never forget: Mother Nature is a beautiful, mysterious woman who can be a nasty, evil bitch sometimes….

Never forget!

[Tywais]

It was one of ThaiVisa's finest hours being the most informed website on the Internet the first 24 hours after the tsunami struck. News was breaking and information available here hours before it made it to the mainstream international media.

This is the primary Thaivisa topic in 2004 with breaking news and direct reports and request for information from members. Maybe Up To 6000 Dead, Tidal Waves Slams Thailand

[boomerangutang]

A truly horrific event for those that died and for those that survived and are still traumatised 10 years on.

As an atheist, I ask again, as I have many times to those spouting religion at me, if there really is a God, in whatever form, why did he/she/they decide it was warranted to kill 235,000? A sensible answer as to why has as yet to be forthcoming from anyone, high or low.

That said, I don't want to get into a debate about religion. I don't try and convince those that believe to stop doing so, I only want others that do to stop trying to make me do so.

All that said, one man's meat.....

You mentioned religion, so I'll add a follow-up. Looking at the tsunami, and the mega destruction it caused for our one species - would be a strong indication that God does not exist. If God existed, then He would be a wrathful God, to unleash so much destruction and death on the one species which resembled his only Son.

However, deists have grabbed on tight to their myths, so no amount of logic or sense would get them to waver. It's akin to a group of people who firmly stick with believing in Santa Claus, despite proofs there is not abearded man dressed in red and white who slinks down every chimney in the world in the span of a few hours.

Deists insist on saying "Oh my God" (or 'Allah Akbar') when very good or coincidental things happen, and they say the same when very bad things happen. God, for them, is a shape-shifter who can adapt to every situation. If it makes a person feel warm and fuzzy to believe in a God, then ok, go ahead. But please don't harm the planet or living things in the course of your beliefs.

10 Years on!

Never forget: Mother Nature is a beautiful, mysterious woman who can be a nasty, evil bitch sometimes.

Never forget!

Nature isn't evil. Nature just is. Geological processes have no intent, good or bad. If you were on this planet when a similar sized protoplanet bashed in to it, about 3 billion years ago, you might think that was the ultimate evil. But it was a physical process, and it begat our lone moon. Without a moon, this planet would be extremely windy, and not an easy place for life to eke out an existence.

[Jockstar]

I was living in Bangkok at the time. I reember getting up hungover after a good Xmas night. First thing i done was put ThaiVisa on. Then I started reading and reading. I told the gf(now wife) to put CNN on. What i was seeing will never go away, The thing is i was in Phi Phi only a couple of months before. I frequented this little Thai noodle place outside. When that wave hit. The poor wee woman running that place would have been taken out. I have not been back to Phi Phi since. I always wonder if that wee woman survived.

[DM07]

A truly horrific event for those that died and for those that survived and are still traumatised 10 years on.

As an atheist, I ask again, as I have many times to those spouting religion at me, if there really is a God, in whatever form, why did he/she/they decide it was warranted to kill 235,000? A sensible answer as to why has as yet to be forthcoming from anyone, high or low.

That said, I don't want to get into a debate about religion. I don't try and convince those that believe to stop doing so, I only want others that do to stop trying to make me do so.

All that said, one man's meat.....

You mentioned religion, so I'll add a follow-up. Looking at the tsunami, and the mega destruction it caused for our one species - would be a strong indication that God does not exist. If God existed, then He would be a wrathful God, to unleash so much destruction and death on the one species which resembled his only Son.

However, deists have grabbed on tight to their myths, so no amount of logic or sense would get them to waver. It's akin to a group of people who firmly stick with believing in Santa Claus, despite proofs there is not abearded man dressed in red and white who slinks down every chimney in the world in the span of a few hours.

Deists insist on saying "Oh my God" (or 'Allah Akbar') when very good or coincidental things happen, and they say the same when very bad things happen. God, for them, is a shape-shifter who can adapt to every situation. If it makes a person feel warm and fuzzy to believe in a God, then ok, go ahead. But please don't harm the planet or living things in the course of your beliefs.

10 Years on!

Never forget: Mother Nature is a beautiful, mysterious woman who can be a nasty, evil bitch sometimes.

Never forget!

Nature isn't evil. Nature just is. Geological processes have no intent, good or bad. If you were on this planet when a similar sized protoplanet bashed in to it, about 3 billion years ago, you might think that was the ultimate evil. But it was a physical process, and it begat our lone moon. Without a moon, this planet would be extremely windy, and not an easy place for life to eke out an existence.

Yeah ...also, if I get Alzheimers, I might forget...

I was speaking in metaphors!

[DaveinAsia]

I was on Koh Lanta, Boxing Day 2004. We had had a great X-mas party at a friends bar on Long Beach. They actually just opened on X-mas night after building the place, Bubble Jungle, for more than 4 months.

Koh Lanta had been 'lucky' compared to other places like Khao Lak, Phi Phi and Phuket. There was extensive damage to many resorts and restaurants along the west coast but the number of lives lost was nothing compared to those other places. I remember all the tourists being evacuated on Dec 27th but myself and a few other farangs decided to stay behind and help some of our Thai friends clean up the mess and rebuild their resorts, bars and restaurants. It was a surreal time. Strangely enough we had a massive New Years Party with all the farangs who stayed behind and the Thai business owners. At midnight we had 2 minutes of silence for the deceased. What an eerie silence that was. Shivers still run down my spine to this day. Even though it was such a tragic event we were trying to move on. After that we celebrated life and everyone had an amazing NYE party...

I will never forget that day and the weeks after. It may sound bizarre but those weeks after the tsunami were probably the best weeks I ever had in Thailand. There was a lot of love, compassion and help between everyone.

RIP to all deceased and strength to all people who lost loved ones or affected in any other way by the tsunami 26/12/2004

[pieeyed]

The wife and myself where on Koh PhI Phi 10 days before the Tsunami. I am sure we would not be here to this day if we were on Phi Phi when the waves came.

[lvr181]

What if this would have happened at night, it could have been much worse. Koh Phi Phi was my favorite place in Thailand before the Tsunami, I met my Thai wife on Phi Phi 22 years ago. I knew several people who died in the tsunami. I wish that more people were aware of the fact that when the tide unexpectedly recedes, that, that is a warning sign to reach higher ground. I hope that nothing like that tsunami never happens again, but it probably will! My heart goes out to the victims and their families.

You are lucky to be well educated - many people in Asia are not, unfortunately. And I now wonder if people living in or near coastal regions are being taught these skills?

Edited December 26, 2014 by lvr181

[Somtamnication]

Horrible day.

I was working at a resort in Rawai. Soon enough, we had locals camping out on our hill. I had the staff go out and give them water and some snacks. Then, we started getting small injuries arriving at the hotel. Many children with parents (thank God) arrived. Most of the first aid stuff we did was for scratches from the waist down. The kids had scratches and bruises and cuts from the neck down.

By early afternoon, we had to turn away guests for rooms. We prioritized...rooms for families with children, elderly, no single person could check in. For safety reasons, we did not allow strangers to camp within the resort, but the just outside the entrances and surrounding hills of the property was left to anyone.

By 3pm, I almost got into a fistfight with a Belgium embassy representative, who demanded that due to her status, she be given a room and to kick someone out of their room. 2 of my drivers and I surrounded her and told her "the grass outside or leave the f...ing property".

Over the next few days, due to my Spanish fluency, I volunteered to help Latin American embassies from the region (Peru and Brazil), pics in hand, visiting all the makeshift morgues, putting signs up, and reading all of the ones I could find.

Helping parents find their children, helping children find their parents. Harrowing experience. Driving to Kao Lak with a truck full of water and some hotel volunteers and farangs.

What I learned from it:

1. I met some of the nicest Thais, very generous, always dropping tourists off at our resort without any charge, while still worried about their own.

2. Most of my hotel staff were incredible. Out of the 110 staff, 30 left, without announcing it or telling anyone, to look for their families. Some never came back.

3. The generosity of people along the way while driving up and down to Kao Lak and back, maybe 25 times. We had a sign on the truck. Going to Kao Lak. People blew horns, stopped to give water and food.

4. The greed of many people was astounding. About 2 weeks into the tragedy, there is an evangelical couple, with a box full of 1000 baht bills in Takua Pa. Handing out a one 1000 baht note to people in line. A person gets it, goes to the back of the line, and gets another.

5. I will never visit Belgium.

I appreciate my family a hell of a lot more now and every day is a blessing.

[JOC]

Let us not forget all the migrant workers, who lost their lives.

Many of them not even identified to this day, for a number of various reasons.

Sadly, even in death, society is socially divided.

[ExPratt]

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Let us not forget all the migrant workers, who lost their lives.

Many of them not even identified to this day, for a number of various reasons.

Sadly, even in death, society is socially divided.

The migrant workers were the same as everyone else , wrong place ,wrong time.I would say that people are genuinely distressed about the loss of life, in general. What is the plight of the Migrant workers in the Tsunami ? cant be much worse than dead

The reason they have not been identified is because they are gone . Indonesia still has 37000 people missing with no Known grave, India 5500

[Sudgirl]

My family and myself also nearly died in the tsunami and we will never never forget the Burmese labourers who had nothing but gave my grandchildren all the water for drinking that they possessed as we managed to escape when the waves receded and we went to a jungle hill to take shelter in Kamala life was never the same again after the house we lived in was wrecked.

Now luckily we live away from the beach but still have the awful memories. There were sooo many hero's that day

[innerspace]

I was on Koh Lanta, Boxing Day 2004. We had had a great X-mas party at a friends bar on Long Beach. They actually just opened on X-mas night after building the place, Bubble Jungle, for more than 4 months.

Koh Lanta had been 'lucky' compared to other places like Khao Lak, Phi Phi and Phuket. There was extensive damage to many resorts and restaurants along the west coast but the number of lives lost was nothing compared to those other places. I remember all the tourists being evacuated on Dec 27th but myself and a few other farangs decided to stay behind and help some of our Thai friends clean up the mess and rebuild their resorts, bars and restaurants. It was a surreal time. Strangely enough we had a massive New Years Party with all the farangs who stayed behind and the Thai business owners. At midnight we had 2 minutes of silence for the deceased. What an eerie silence that was. Shivers still run down my spine to this day. Even though it was such a tragic event we were trying to move on. After that we celebrated life and everyone had an amazing NYE party...

I will never forget that day and the weeks after. It may sound bizarre but those weeks after the tsunami were probably the best weeks I ever had in Thailand. There was a lot of love, compassion and help between everyone.

RIP to all deceased and strength to all people who lost loved ones or affected in any other way by the tsunami 26/12/2004

Ditto. And from that photo of Mr Leks yogyalp longtail that was wiped out guess you may be one of the daves I know from sandy beach or discovery divers.

With all the talk of the obvious suffering, also worth remembering the positive. I was on Lanta which was affected but certainly luckier than phuket, phi phi and khao lak. But the aftermath of the tsunami was a truly amazing time. Everyone came together and (apart from the mass exodus) helped out with a true community spirit I had never seen before and doubt I will again. Thai, farang, rich, poor - meant nothing and everyone helped out. Food, transport, shelter and labour was shared freely.

I went home that night and had a few people sleeping in my bed. They saw me break in (lent my keys and bike to my boss earlier) and leave with a backpack (taking food and beer to a friends up the mountain we were staying at) and thought I was fleeing, their place destroyed so they saw a chance and took it. Any other day big problems, that day I slept in the hammock and greeted them in the morning!

Drove to phuket on a honda dream to find a friend who was lost. That part, not so nice but cant forget it. The smell - anyone who visited those temples will understand.... RIP simone.

Driftwood bonfire on the beach on the 27th. Motorbikes ready for a quick getaway, then turned into racing down the deserted long beach.

Rebuilding resorts, restaurants, bars etc that were in need and clearing up the wreckage from the beach.

Devasting day, but amazing months afterwards. If only humanity was so kind without disasters and the world would be an amazing place.

[boomerangutang]

I had visited Phuket weeks before. I recall a good-sized grocery shop near the beach. It was on a corner, and its floor was about 6 steps down from the sidewalk. I'd hate to think of anyone in that shop during the tsunami. They'd be deceased for sure.

[thaibreaker]

^^ Same. Piled out of the house all the way up in Chiang Mai, thousand miles or more from the epicentre, it was that strong. After discovering epicentre was off Sumatra and feeling it all the way up there, just knew there'd be devastation. How do you warn people a tsunami might be coming! Terrible.

thaibreaker: was touched by your story. Hope you've managed to find peace and that it was not your fault. All the best.

Thank you for your kind words.

I have been visiting the memory place at the beach of Kamala every year since. I thought I couldn`t do it at first, but it has been my way to move on and to recover. It took me a long time before I could date again, but I am very fortunate to have a new thai wife and our kid now, who understand me, and come with me every time to that memory spot.

But the sea is no longer my friend, and I still look for waves every time I am close to the beach, to this day.

Time heals, but it certainly heals slowly.

Edited December 26, 2014 by thaibreaker