these images are very disturbing and i cannot un derstand anyone leavingn racist comments. they would do well to understand that natural disasters ahppen all over the world and it could be them next

this is so sad
when you see thous people just standing there…and there are probably dead now…
so many people had to die on that day
but thanks for uploading this video

Such tragic footage and waste of life. Thanks for removing the ignorant comments from Youtube. There seems to be a plethora of such low-class remarks across Youtube’s system. It gives you an idea of the mentality of our country.

It’s been a long time since I have watch the last tsunami videos. This one have I not seen before. I am very curious if they did sound off an alarming sound that something was up. You like the high pitch alarm sound.. ???

Thanks for sharing this video. It’s horrible to see them on the beach, also why the hell was the guy there on the beach, he’s probably the first one who died on that beach. Rest in peace

Such a terrible tragedy,my heart goes out to everyone caught up in it.and as for people saying the Thais are not equipped for it, Iv’e been on loads of English beaches full of people and if it happened here would we be any better off ? The problem is it doesn’t look like much until its on top of you, and by then its too late

Dear Friend,

Saw video was stunned.
This desperate situation has inspired me to do something for cause.
Whoever faced it should know it.

lets Awake & awken people about this disaster.

@ John – I guess in the face of such danger, mere mortals will be stunned to submission, not realising the danger these waves will bring.

Kenneth at Post # 15. That’s very noble of you to hear about your mission. Sir, May you be safe out there. You can be sure we need more and more people like you. You got my respect.

Best Regards,
Gabe.

I was in Thailand on the day of the tsunami and was lucky to survive. I was on the beach on Ko Lanta when the wave came. I filmed it too and my video is on Youtube. If you search for stuartguerin you will find it and your comments are welcome but I will remove any abuse or racism. Thanks for the video Razlan.

I’ve watched this several times; thanks for posting. Leaving aside the human tragedy for the moment, I find the sheer force and amount of water coming in, truly “awesome”. I’ve read that the wave itself moves through the water at about 600 mph. (!!!)
The tragedy is not simply “Mother Nature”. First of all, the outposts that the U.S. maintains in the area (I think the Geological Survey, but unsure) DETECTED the initial shock, and per protocol, called the White House, DOD, State Dept. etc….and NOTHING was done. Second, I understand that Japan has “early warning systems” to detect the possibility of tsunamis — Indonesia, and other “Third World nations” do not (for economic and political reasons). And, last, so many people were on the beach, because of the hotels and other “services” that cropped up, due to the denial, by various political interests, of basic and real (industrial) development of these various nations, and also due to “globalization”. It is a tragedy that could have been prevented, had the adequate infrastructure been built.
It shows the abysmal ignorance of those who would leave racist or other disgusting comments about such a tragedy.
The loss of life in this event alone, is mind-boggling. People should mourn, but then resolve to not tolerate the economic conditions that led to this.
It’s similar to the “malign neglect” (though not the same magnitude) shown in the response to Hurricane Katrina here in the U.S. The administration had been warned, and did nothing to lessen the loss of human life.
Human life is still sacred. Let us treat it so.

Unbelievable! It just keeps on coming. I’d always thought of a tsunami as being something like the wave surfers surf except bigger, but it’s not like that at all. I don’t think you could surf a tsunami. What’s sad is that a lot of people (like that guy on the beach) had no idea what was coming! We need a better program to educate people about tsunamis and a better warning system. If I had seen the sea pull back like that, I’d be running for the hills!

I am thai. I just saw this video and I will confirm that the thais that took this video are extremely distraught. At first, they called down to hotel workers to round up the guests and quickly tell them leave the beach or run. (he sees the waves brewing). Then he says “omg, this has never happened in thailand before, omg.” Afterwards, he is sad to know that the message didn’t get to everyone in time and he is upset that this has happened while explaining to others what he saw.

On a personal note..I am saddened to think that any racist comments may have been made about this video. No one would wish this kind of destruction on anyone or any country-we are all human and thats all that should matter.

This so horrible. It’s sad to watch the tsunami came and most people died.

Peace.

Oh my god. The people in the video, just lieing in the ground dead. I woul probably pass out if I saw so many dead people on the ground. And that little boy who was just standing there frozen in fear. Oh lordie, that was hard to take. Just another future torn to peices and thrown into the garbage…Tragedy…So sad. You all do realize that by watching this video, you are accepting to watch people dieing, including little kids too. A tragedy. Tsuanmi’s are not a,”Oh hey, that looks cool!!!” Imagine being out there, and watching that thing come hurling at you. Trust me, it isn’t ‘cool’. No natural disaster is ‘cool’.

Wow. Incredible video. The part where he is yelling to “Run Run” is so sad. It is obvious he knows what is coming. I hope someone out there who speaks the Thai language can translate this line by line. I know that is not important but I am so very curious to hear what they are saying to each other word by word. Thanks for posting this. We are nothing against God and Nature and this sure shows who is in charge. Amazing video.

this footage was filmed by a local thai who owned a restaurant and had prior warning from his brother that the tsunami would hit which is why he had the time to set up his camera, he also did all he could to round up people from the beach (you can hear him asking “are you ok?” later in the footage to the people he had managed to get of the beach to the safety of his restaurant) the person he and others with him tried to call to just couldn’t hear their calls. the person on the beach…if you look closely had been sitting down….completely unaware of the danger that faced him up untill the very last moment when he stood up and the wave just took him…tragic no other word for it

do you know that more women and childs were raped and molested in the aftermath of the tsunami and floods on the pretext of lending a helping hand. More people were starved to death , more people were murdered too in the line of protecting their rights. you people should also know this truth ..not only the natural but also the cruel human beings have robbed them of their innocent lives.

Hey, I saw this video and I’m Thai, the things that they are saying at that point is mostly RUN RUN, What’s Happening, the guard is saying that this is the first time it happens in Thailand and all thinks it’s a tornado or something that makes the waves. So at that point they didn’t know it was a tsunami. He’s also saying that military boats are destroyed. I couldn’t understand very much since sometimes he talks with South Thailand dialect and sometimes with the ones that I understand.

(I understand Thai, but this man is speaking a southern dialeque) The man speaking in the video is telling the others with him that he has received word from someone in Patong beach that there is some sort of storm in the ocean (that is why he is up on the hill, he had prior warning), then he tries to yell down to the people on the beach to run, but they can’t hear him. He then says, something to the effect that this is the first time that thailand has experienced anything like this before.

Thanks for sharing. It’s really heartbreaking to see such disaster claim human lives so please, may all those souls claimed rest in peace.

it s to sad to see pople dieing in this ts

Wow this is a mind blowing video. those people thinking it was over. thank you so much for posting it. wonder why ive never seen this clip ever on TV ? the most powerfull video ive ever seen about that terrible day when so mant past away…sad.

Thank you for posting video of this terrible tragedy. I hope that a tsunami early warning system will be established on those affected islands, so such mass loss of lives and property can be prevented in the future. I recall hearing about it, but never saw the actual video until a few weeks ago, and really couldn’t believe my eyes. My heart and prayers truly go out to the victims and survivors worldwide. Hearing about the raw power of a tsunami cannot compare to actually seeing it. There’s another video taken by a Swedish couple vacationing on Koh Phi Phi which shows just how quickly the tsunami was upon them. All videos of this devastating catastrophe just makes me sad, and enlightened. As for the individuals leaving the rude, unkind racist remarks…remember this……KARMA.

At 2:04 you can hear him shouting desperately to those below “Run, run” “Go up” “go up” “Run, run”. You can also hear the girls in the background crying and screaming. I know Thai people, my wife and in-laws are Thai. They are the nicest people on the face of this earth and I assure you this would be a horrendous thing for them to witness. There are so many stories of ordinary Thai people selflessly helping tourists that fateful day. Anyone who left racist comments on You Tube simply advertises their own wickedness and ignorance to the world.

Nick M

Well said brother.

This is a classic textbook case of what an approaching tsunami looks like. The telltale warning sign of the shore waters having receeded extreemly far exposing the sea floor for quite a few meters. You can see and hear the rushing tsunami off in the distance. The people on the beach had about 3 minutes to to run away and save themselves. Tragicaly, many people in this situation wander out onto the exposed sea floor to explore when they should be running for higher ground. usuallt these waves are about 10 to 30 feet in depth and very broad. Basically its like having the sea rushing in at an extreemly elevated hight.

Confronting and emotionally moving….felt like i was there and certainly helped me to understand the enormity of that day….The most moving and explicit video yet I have seen of that tragic day…the memory through this footage will last forever…thank you for the contribution..and may these poor victims RIP…Forever in our hearts xo

Just wanted to say RIP for victims.

The power and sudden nature is incredible. Very scary.

Impressive record of extraordinary tsunami disaster. Thanks for posting, will be unforgettable for me.

I've watched that video a few months ago, but he continues to impress me! Very sad not only for the tragic death of thousands of people, but what makes me really sad is knowing there are people who do not have the minimum of sensitivity and love of neighbor for making racist comments as you had mentioned before! These racist people forget that the unexpected can happen to everyone!!!

Thank you for posting this. I think it's very important to show this and show the warning signs before an impending disaster. Honestly, who wouldn't want to be on the beach if the water was that far out? Damn our human curiosity. I don't see how anyone can leave racist comments on here, especially since it affected the whole world (it slowed down the earth's axis by like so many thousands of a second?)

Anyway, thank you so much for the video!

Ufff

Very shocking… I´m Chilean, and to much people died in the earthquake and tsunami of feb 2010 in my country…

God bless all indonesian and chilean people who died for these natural Catasphes

Hey Juan, thanks for dropping by. Although the event was years ago, the impact can still be felt today. Appreciate the input here.