Thailand remembers tsunami victims

Bangkok, Dec 26: Thailand's southern coastal resort provincestoday held special ceremonies in memory of the victims of Asia's worstnatural disaster which claimed nearly a quarter of a million lives twoyears ago this day.

Relatives of the deceased, including foreigners, took part inBuddhist religious prayers at the country's most popular touristdestination, Phuket which was one of the worst hit by the December 26,2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

More than 5,000 people were officially estimated to have beenkilled by the tsunami in Thailand's southern coastal provinces alongthe Andaman Sea. Many of the victims were West European tourists.

The victims' kin offered food to monks and placed wreaths at theWall of Remembrance in Phuket's Mai Khao beach. Some 99 Buddhist monkschanted prayers at the resort's famous Patong beach.

Memorial services were also held at Ban Nam Khem village and KhaoLak in adjoining Phang-nga province which suffered the maximumdevastation.

The Thai king's eldest daughter Princess Ubolratana, who lost heronly son to the tsunami, is to preside over the main official memorialceremony in the evening to be held in Phang-nga.

UNI