On 5 January 2024, Ambassador Tanee Sangrat hosted an event in remembrance of
the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, and the reception for Friends of Thailand from U.S. government agencies, Congress, private sector, think tanks, and the Thai community.

H.E. Mr. Georgi Panayotov, Ambassador of Bulgaria to the U.S. and one of tsunami survivors, shared his story and thanked the Thai people for rescuing him and his wife after the tsunami hit, while also stressing the importance of disaster preparedness, promoting awareness about tsunami, and spreading kindness. Ambassador Tanee also talked about the recovery process that includes early warning system and readiness in disaster prevention, resulting in confidence in Thailand’s tourism, disaster prevention and mitigation. Thailand has seen the return of visitors where number has exceeded 28 million in 2023.

The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami inflicted widespread destruction in Thailand and more than 10 other countries causing more than 300,00 casualties. However, at such a hard time, Thailand received an outpouring of support from partners around the globe both in assisting disaster victims and community rehabilitation.