KRABI, Dec 26 (TNA) – Commemorations were held across Thailand’s Andaman coast on Thursday to mark the 20th anniversary of the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami that claimed thousands of lives in the region.
On Phi Phi Island in Krabi province, a ceremony was held at the Sailfish Sculpture Plaza to remember the victims of the disaster that struck on December 26, 2004. Relatives of the deceased, local residents, and Thai and foreign tourists attended the event.
Participants observed a minute of silence and presented floral wreaths to a team of divers who placed them at the underwater tsunami memorial off Ton Sai Bay, about 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) from the shore. Religious ceremonies representing Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam were also conducted to honor those who died.
Phi Phi Island was particularly hard hit by the tsunami, with 722 confirmed deaths and a further 587 people missing. Many coastal buildings and homes were destroyed.
In Phuket, a separate memorial service was held at the Mai Khao Tsunami Wall, which displays the names of 45 countries that lost citizens in the 2004 disaster. Local residents and foreign nationals who experienced the tsunami also attended the event. A further commemoration took place at Patong Beach, with attendees observing a moment of silence and laying flowers. -819 (TNA)
