Epicenter in Khao Lak

Khao Lak was one of those sleepy Thai beach towns where time took a vacation. A thin strip of sand pressed between the dense jungle and the Andaman Sea, dotted with cheap bungalows and the occasional Western escapee trying to outrun the noise of home.

I remember a morning last year when I sat on the beach in Khao Lak, sipping a soft coconut beverage while my toes were the only thing that obstructed the view of the sea. The days were easy back then with a morning swim in the ocean, planning upcoming scuba dives and perhaps ending the evening with an occasional drink at the Happy Snapper.

The beautiful beach in Khao Lak, one year ago.

Today, I heard the horrible news about the tsunami disaster. Mother nature has wrought havoc on Khao Lak and many other parts of the coast after the devastating earthquake. The sea, once a postcard cliché, became a merciless executioner. There was no warning. Just impact. Just loss.

I see terrible images from the tsunami effects in several news flashes and it looks like a completely different world. My thoughts go out to everyone affected by this disaster.