Khao Lak. Lottie Knutson is back where it all began – on the beach in Khao Lak, where the tsunami struck home.
Today, 10 years after the tsunami, she participated in the memorial ceremony for the relatives.
– The is still hard to think about and keep aside, she says, says Lottie Knutson.
The tsunami disaster December 26, 2004 brought in a moment Lottie Knutson into the limelight from anonymous CIO at Leisure Offers a very public figure who fought for the affected Swedes in Thailand.
Now she’s back here today to attend a memorial ceremony for those who lost loved ones.
Expressen hits Lottie Knutson, 50, at the little restaurant Mama, right on the beach in Khao Lak area in southwest Thailand.
A short distance away is the hotel Apsara. But that was the name they did not 10 years ago when the tsunami struck home. When was the name instead Thong.
– I was here when Thong built, with monk ceremony and inauguration, she says.
Attracted Swedes
Leisure trips had just received the eye of Khao Lak. They were 15 years ago. Now, would you bet and get hit more Swedes.
In the tsunami was just Thong are hotels that were hit the hardest. In principle, it completely leveled with the ground. Only 46 of the 450 guests survived. Here lost leisure trips several of his staff.
– It is still hard for this location, she says.
Lottie Knutson, who ended his position as CIO at leisure trips this autumn, chosen to come back to Khao Lak is on a private trip with his family.
Before the grand ceremony held today in the afternoon local time, Leisure Travel to hold a small, private ceremony to remember they lost colleagues. Even there shall Lottie Knutson attend.
But she emphasizes that she also wants to honor the Thais who were affected.
– We tend to just talk about the 543 Swedes who perished, and to Sweden was the country outside Asia hardest hit, but you should still remember that very many more Thais killed, she says.
“They put really up”
The help from the Thais days after tsunami disaster heats today.
– They put really up for affected Swedes. It is for many the strongest memory, how the Thais gave their clothes and opticians who gave lenses and glasses and people gave us food, she says.
At one point, a few years after the tsunami, and when she was back in Khao Lak, she stopped along the way to shop.
There at a stall stood a pair of grandparents and sold cashew nuts. Lottie Knutson saw a little girl stood there and hung out at the solstice.
“Then I began to weep uncontrollably”
– Then I imagined that this little girl lost their parents because she was there with her grandparents. Then I suddenly started to weep uncontrollably. I was so overwhelmed by my own feelings, she says.
Even today will occasionally the memories back. Last summer at the big forest fire in the Sala neighborhood.
– It was crazy. There were discussions about compensation for the victims and of course the perceived lack of information and most of the alleged slow authorities was, she says.
Recently, she released a book, which she wrote in part to process their experiences by the tsunami.
She has no regular contact with some of the victims, but it happens that people come up on the town.
– It is consistently tremendous positive reactions I meet. And then there are those who want to tell what happened to them. Contact with people is never negative.
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