Khao Lak

Khao Lak Light Beacon, Nang Thong Beach, Khao Lak

Khao Lak (Thai: เขาหลัก, pronounced [kʰǎw làk]) is a series of villages, now tourist-oriented, mainly in the Takua Pa District and partly in the Thai Mueang District of Phang Nga Province, Thailand.

The name "Khao Lak" literally means 'Lak mountain'. Lak mountain is one of the main peaks in the hilly small mountainous region (maximum height 1,050 meters (3,440 ft) in Khao Lak-Lam Ru National Park. The tiny village of Ban Khao Lak, the original beach, Hat Khao Lak, and the bay of Khao Lak (Ao Khao Lak) actually all lie in the Lam Kaen sub-district of Thai Mueang District.

Beaches[]

Pakarang Cape, early morning

Beach boundaries are fluid, and vary with local prejudices, official government pronouncements, and the marketing efforts of local resorts. It is generally accepted that Khao Lak beaches include (from south to north):

Khao Lak Beach, south of the headland marking the southern boundary of the region
Nang Thong Beach, in the village of Bang La On (frequently called—mistakenly—Khao Lak)
Bang Niang, in the village of the same name some 2–3 km (1.5 to 2 miles) north of Bang La On
Khuk Khak, in the village of the same name some 2–3 km (1.5 to 2 miles) north of Bang Niang
Cape Pakarang, north of Khuk Khak
Bang Sak, north of Cape Pakarang

Taken together, these beaches stretch for some 25 kilometres (16 miles) along the Andaman Sea. All beaches are public, as are all beaches in Thailand.

Economy[]

Since the tsunami, Khao Lak's infrastructure and economy have bounced back. Coastal resorts have been reconstructed or repaired, and new ones have been built or are in the process of being built. In 2016, there are reportedly 7,822 hotel rooms at 104 registered accommodations. By 2018 another 1,213 rooms will be added. Occupancy rates range from 70-90 percent during the high season period (November–March).^[1]

A Khao Lak beach (March 2010)

2004 tsunami[]

Tsunami inundation at Khao Lak; the resort area is in the middle

Khao Lak was the coastal area of Thailand hardest hit by the tsunami resulting from the 26 December 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. Many people died including many foreign tourists.^[2] The final death toll was over 4,000, with local unofficial estimates topping 10,000 due to the lack of accurate government censuses and the fact that much of the migrant Burmese population was not documented nor recognized as legal residents.^[3]

Most of the coastal landscape, i.e., beaches, resorts and vegetation, was destroyed by the tsunami. Some replanting programmes have been initiated and a great deal has been accomplished in the rejuvenation of surrounding foliage. Studies suggesting that coastal vegetation may have helped buffer the effects of the waves have ensured that replanting and maintenance of the coastal vegetation have become a priority in the reconstruction of the landscape.^[4]

As a stark reminder of the force a tsunami can exert, Thai navy boat 813 (Tor 813) lies beached almost 2 kilometres (1.2 miles) inland from Bang Niang Beach. It was on patrol, guarding Bhumi Jensen, a grandson of the king, as he was jet skiing in front of La Flora Resort. Despite rescue efforts, he could not be saved from the power of the waves. His mother, Princess Ubol Ratana, and sister survived by fleeing to an upper story of La Flora. Boat 813 was carried inland and came to rest opposite Bang Niang's marketplace. The area in which it sits has now been renovated and includes a museum dedicated to the events of 26 December.^[5]

Shelter built following the 2004 tsunami.

Others among the casualties were well-known Finnish musician and TV host Aki Sirkesalo and his family, and Imre von Polgar, guitarist for the Swedish rock band, The Watermelon Men. Almost four years old at the time, a young girl was swept away at Khao Lak and remained the subject of a media-covered intensive search despite being formally identified in August 2005 as a victim. Jane Holland (nee Attenborough) the elder daughter of the film director and actor Richard Attenborough perished in the tsunami with several members of her family. The present President of Finland Sauli Niinistö and his son survived by clinging to a power line pole. Since the 2004 tsunami, an early-warning system has been installed along the affected coastline. In April 2012, it received its most recent test following an earthquake off the coast of Sumatra. Audible warning sirens alerted the local population to the possibility of a tsunami roughly 2 hours before estimated landfall, allowing the populace to move to higher ground inland.

The 2012 film The Impossible is based on the true story of the family of María Belón, who survived the 2004 tsunami, and was also filmed in Khao Lak.

Administration[]

The Khao Lak region falls almost entirely within the Khuk Khak Sub-district (tambon) of the Takua Pa District (amphoe) of Phang Nga Province. The Takua Pa District is divided into eight sub-districts. The village of Ban Khao Lak does not fall within the Khuk Khak sub-district, the area commonly thought of as "Khao Lak".

No.	Name	Thai name	Pop.
1.	Takua Pa	ตะกั่วป่า	-	8,575
2.	Bang Nai Si	บางนายสี	9	9,979
3.	Bang Sai	บางไทร	7	2,606
4.	Bang Muang	บางม่วง	8	9,836
5.	Tam Tua	ตำตัว	6	1,631
6.	Khok Khian	โคกเคียน	9	5,599
7.	Khuk Khak	คึกคัก	7	4,638
8.	Ko Kho Khao	เกาะคอเขา	5	848

References[]

^ "Khao Lak Hotel Market Update" (PDF). C9 Hotelworks Co, Ltd. May 2016. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
^ "Tsunami survivors remember 'selfless help' of Thais". The Nation. 28 December 2014. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
^ Charlie Campbell / Khao Lak and Hong Kong. "The Tsunami's Wake". TIME.com. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
^ Calgaro, Emma; Pongponrat, Kannapa; Naruchaikusol, Sopon (November 2009). Destination Vulnerability Assessment for Khao Lak, Thailand (PDF). Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI). Retrieved 2 December 2019.
^ "Model Petra Nemcova returns to Thailand to commemorate tsunami that claimed life of fiance Simon Atlee". NewsComAu. Retrieved 29 December 2014.