THAILAND: THAIS AND FOREIGNERS LIGHT TEN OF THOUSANDS OF CANDLES ON PATONG BEACH IN MEMORY OF TSUNAMI VICTIMS

Record ID: 647999

  • Title: THAILAND: THAIS AND FOREIGNERS LIGHT TEN OF THOUSANDS OF CANDLES ON PATONG BEACH IN MEMORY OF TSUNAMI VICTIMS
  • Date: 31st January 2005
  • Summary: (W1) PHUKET, THAILAND (JANUARY 31, 2005) (REUTERS) 1. LV OF PATONG BEACH WITH PEOPLE DIGGING HOLES TO PUT CANDLES IN 0.04 2. SLV TOURIST ON SUN LOUNGER WATCHING PEOPLE DIG HOLES 0.09 3. SLV BRITISH TOURIST ROBERT EUNSON DIGGING HOLE 0.14 4. CLOSE ON EUNSON'S HANDS AS HE DIGS HOLE 0.19 5. MCU (ENGLISH) BRITISH TOURIST ROBERT EUNSON SAYING: "A lot of people, a lot of good energy has come forwards, and out of a really terrible event, so much good things have come out of it." 0.28 6. SLV CHILDREN DIGGING HOLE AS SUN SETS 0.34 7. SLV MAN LOOKING ON AS PEOPLE DIG 0.40 8. CLOSE ON HANDS LIGHTING CANDLE IN HOLE 0.45 9. SLV THAI FAMILY LIGHTING CANDLES IN HOLE 0.50 10. CLOSE ON LIT CANDLE 0.56 11. LV OF PEOPLE LIGHTING CANDLES ON BEACH 1.01 12. SLV FEMALE TOURIST LIGHTING CANDLES 1.07 13. LV/CU OF BEACH COVERED WITH LIT CANDLES (2 SHOTS) 1.16 14. SLV/MCU OF MALE TOURIST LOOKING AT CANDLES BURNING (2 SHOTS) 1.25 15. LV OF BEACH 1.30 16. SV FATHER AND DAUGHTER LIGHTING CANDLES 1.35 17. CLOSE ON HOLE FULL OF CANDLES 1.39 18. LV OF BEACH WITH CANDLES 1.42 19. MCU (THAI) TSUNAMI SURVIVOR NIKORN PRADA SAYING: "I actually survived from Phi Phi island. I lost everything. Lots of my friends died, that's why I am here, to bless them so they can go to heaven." 1.58 20. PAN OF PATONG BEACH WITH CANDLES LIT 2.09 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 15th February 2005 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: PHUKET, THAILAND
  • Country: Thailand
  • Reuters ID: LVA67J9VX0RA2LOF6CGWR9LQ5AJK
  • Story Text: Thais and foreigners light tens of thousands of
    candles on Patong beach in memory of tsunami victims.




    Thousands of people gathered on Patong beach in
    Phuket on Saturday (January 31) to light candles in memory
    of tsunami victims. Thais and tourists, schoolchildren and
    their grandparents, all came to spend hours digging tens of
    thousands of holes along the three kilometre beach to
    shelter the candles for the evening's ceremony.

    For one night, the beach that is usually covered with
    sun loungers and bikini-clad tourists would be carpeted
    with candles.

    British tourist Robert Eunson comes to Thailand for
    three months every year. He said the horror of the tsunami
    had brought people closer, and he wanted to pay his
    respects both to those that died and the new friends he had
    made.

    "A lot of people, a lot of good energy has come
    forwards, and out of a really terrible event, so much good
    things have come out of it," 39-year-old Nikorn Prada was
    on Phi Phi island when the tsunami hit. He came to light
    candles for over a hundred of his friends who were less
    lucky than he was.

    "I actually survived from Phi Phi island. I lost
    everything. Lots of my friends died, that's why I am here,
    to bless them so they can go to heaven," he said.

    According to Tahi buddhism, the spirit of those killed
    in the tsunami are trapped on earth if the bodies have not
    been found and cremated. Many believe that burning candles
    can help to release the spirits of those whose bodies are
    still missing.

    Approximately 5,300 Thais and foreigners were killed
    when the tsunami hit thailand, and a further 3,000 are
    missing.


  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register