PHANGNGA, Dec 26 – Thailand’s Andaman coastal provinces commemorated the eight year anniversary of the 2004 tsunami.
Both tourists and local residents attended the event at the Police Boat memorial in Takua Pa district. The boat was swept onshore by the tidal wave on the Boxing Day eight years ago. A merit-making ceremony was held at Bangmuang temple where ashes of both Thai and foreign victims have been stored.
An interfaith service was held at the Baan Nam Khem tsunami memorial, the fishing village where the large number of people was killed. About 500 lanterns will be launched in the evening.
In Phuket, local residents and relatives of the dead attended a religious ceremony at the international cemetery on Maikhao Beach in Thalang district. They laid flowers at the cemetery and observed a moment of silence.
In Krabi, interfaith services were held on Phi Phi Island and observed the one-minute moment of silence. A metallic wreath was laid at the underwater tsunami memorial.
On the morning of December 26, 2004, a magnitude 9.15 earthquake off Indonesia triggered the deadly Indian Ocean tsunami which left somearound 226,000 dead or missing in Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and nine other countries
In Thailand, six provinces — Phangnga, Krabi, Phuket, Ranong, Trang and Satun — were hit by the unprecedented tsunami, with 5,395 local residents as well as Thai and foreign holidaymakers losing their lives in the tidal waves.
