Guangzhou Daily
26 December, 2005
Five thousand 'kong ming' lamps are released into the sky in a commemoration ceremony one year after the December 2004 tsunami. The lamps symbolized people killed in Thailand in the disaster. They are part of an ancient local tradition in which the lanterns are not only a memorial for the souls of the dead, but help give them passage to heaven. Khao Lak was the area of Thailand worst hit by the tsunami. In twelve countries around the Indian Ocean the tsunami caused well over 200,000 deaths and displaced millions of people. Memorial events reflecting the different cultures affected by the disaster were held throughout the region.
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