Monday 11 May, Khao Lak

Just over 10 years ago, a disaster hit this area of Khao Lak, like nothing anyone here had known before.

News of a massive tsunami, triggered by an earthquake just across the waters in Indonesia, flashed around the world, as the counting of victims began.  It will never be known how many died in Khao Lak - officially, the toll is around the 4000 mark, but many think it's probably closer to 10,000, locals and tourists alike.

Among the victims was a Thai Prince - he'd been jet-skiing in front of one of the resorts.  A police patrol boat was riding just to seawards of him, protecting the royal while he holidayed. The force of the tsunami picked the boat up and hurled it one kilometre inland, where it rests today.

There's obviously some plan for a tsunami memorial here, but little signs of progress.  A tall column, pointing the way to a concrete pad where the boat rests, plus what might be the beginning of a wave sculpture and a makeshift "museum" (bamboo hut) are all there is to see here.  I haven't yet been able to find out what happened to the crew of the boat - their photos are all shown in the hut, but did they survive?  I don't know.

above: then and (right) now

Since then, there's been a slow rebuilding in process.  Here, where we are staying, the JW Marriott, was once a French luxury hotel, part of the Sofitel chain.  News reports have described the total destruction which wiped the resort off the tourist map for many years. 

It lay in ruins until about 2008, when the American Marriott hotel group rebuilt it, obviously using what was left of the Sofitel's skeleton (right) as a foundation for the rebirth.

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Our jaunt into Khao Lak centre had another purpose than to see the patrol boat - I wanted to go to the markets there, to see what was on offer.  I should have known - it was exactly what any other markets in south east Asia has: food - vegetables, fish, meat and fruit, plus crafts and clothing. 

 

By sheer luck, we spotted, within a minute of our arrival there, exactly the shorts Ashley had asked that we keep a look out for in Chinatown in KL.  No need to wait - here they were.  But I failed miserably to do any bargaining.  I was preparing to pay the stall holder's asking price of 1650baht, when she asked - "how much you want to pay?"  Oops. I forgot my role in this performance.  And instead of saying 800 or 900 baht, or some such low figure, I weakly said : 1200? She snapped it up.

That was the most activity we had today.  I don't think going for a massage or a manicure, or a gentle swim, counts.  Or watching an elephant wander by on the beach.
 

Sorry I missed the photo of the elephant on the beach. Too busy with having a massage 50 metres away among the palm trees.

Next: a Thai cooking class