‘It wasn’t death that won the day’

The 11-year-old knew what was happening when she saw the sea draw back from Thailand’s Khao Lak beach because she had learned about tsunamis in school. Her adamant warning of looming danger is credited with saving 100 lives.

She read those lines to thousands. Another part of the poem was read by 10-year-old Patiwat Komkla who survived two days at sea after the tsunami swept him away.

Thais, foreign survivors and relatives of some of the 5,395 people known to have been killed by the giant waves in Thailand, listened after an interfaith memorial service led by Buddhist monks and Christian, Muslim, Hindu and Sikh priests.

After the memorial, 5,000 paper lanterns were released into the night sky as Thailand ended a day of ceremonies for the dead. Hundreds more lanterns went up from the Andaman Sea island of Phi Phi.

About 2,000 people massed on the shore to send up the lanterns, some of them bearing remembrances to the dead. “Sleep forever in Paradise,” was scrawled on one.

—Reuters

Thai villagers criticise elaborate ceremonies

PHUKET: Some Thai residents shunned Monday’s tsunami-anniversary ceremonies, saying the rites were expensive, inappropriate events designed to attract tourists. Nantaya Saphanthong, a representative of the all-but-obliterated Ban Nam Khem village said many in the fishing community are refusing to take part in government-organised activities at a nearby beach, and will and will instead will hold their own quiet Buddhist service in the village. AP