Swedes in Thai tsunami remembrance events
TT/The Local/pvs - [email protected]
Published: 26 Dec, 2014 CET.
Updated: Fri 26 Dec 2014 09:26 CET
The Swedish embassy and Swedish Church has organized a ceremony on the beach at Khao Lak in Thailand on Friday in remembrance of the devastating 2004 tsunami which claimed almost 228,000 lives, including over 500 Swedes.
The earthquake off Indonesia in the Indian Ocean was one of the most powerful ever recorded. When the subsequent tsunami hit large parts of the Southeast Asian coast hundreds of thousands of people were killed, many more injured and millions homeless. Ten years later, there is silence on Nang Thong Beach in Khao Lak in southern Thailand. A man stands out in the water fishing. Others are bathing in the turquoise waters. Others walking on the white sand as the waves lap against the shore. Khao Lak and Thailand in general remains a very popular holiday destination for many Swedes and some 20,000-30,000 were in the tsunami-hit areas that fateful day. Almost all of the 543 Swedes who perished that day died in this area when giant waves swept in over the Khao Lak beach shortly after 10 am local time on Boxing Day 2004. On the tenth anniversary of the tragedy remembrance ceremonies will be held across all the affected countries and on Khao Lak beach Swedes will gather in a service organized by the Swedish embassy and Swedish church.
Comments
See Also
The earthquake off Indonesia in the Indian Ocean was one of the most powerful ever recorded. When the subsequent tsunami hit large parts of the Southeast Asian coast hundreds of thousands of people were killed, many more injured and millions homeless.
Ten years later, there is silence on Nang Thong Beach in Khao Lak in southern Thailand.
A man stands out in the water fishing. Others are bathing in the turquoise waters. Others walking on the white sand as the waves lap against the shore.
Khao Lak and Thailand in general remains a very popular holiday destination for many Swedes and some 20,000-30,000 were in the tsunami-hit areas that fateful day.
Almost all of the 543 Swedes who perished that day died in this area when giant waves swept in over the Khao Lak beach shortly after 10 am local time on Boxing Day 2004.
On the tenth anniversary of the tragedy remembrance ceremonies will be held across all the affected countries and on Khao Lak beach Swedes will gather in a service organized by the Swedish embassy and Swedish church.
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.