KOH PHRA THONG, THAILAND
(Part 1)
The day after Christmas, 2004, the third largest earthquake ever recorded struck Indonesia and sent thirty meter high waves barreling across the Indian Ocean. The west coast of Thailand was devastated, killing thousands of people and destroying much of the infrastructure. Popular tourist destinations like Phuket and Khao Lak quickly recovered (even seven years later all of Khao Lak’s tourist literature proclaims that it’s ‘completely rebuilt!’), but more out of the way destinations are still struggling with the economic, environmental and social consequences of the wave.

On Koh Phra Thong, the tsunami swept five kilometers inland and destroyed everything on the west side of the island. One village was rebuilt by a Lions Club and two others were unaffected, but much of the rest of the wreckage was left untouched.