Today marks the third anniversary of the Indian Ocean tsunami that claimed around 220,000 lives. In Thailand, over 5,000 people died along the Andaman coast. There have been numerous events held today attended by survivors and families of the victims. Buddhist, Muslim and Christian ceremonies have taken place in Phuket, Khao Lak, Phi Phi, Krabi and Phang Nga province. As well as the public commemorations, many will have had there own private moments of reflection as they looked out on to the Andaman Sea.
One of the most poignant images has been the releasing of lantern balloons into the night sky for the souls who departed. The lanterns are known in Thai as khom fai and are used in many Thai ceremonies and not just for sad occasions. The photo above was actually taken during the tsunami commemorations of 2005, but there have been similar scenes this evening.
