23 January 2015 – Philippine Ambassador to Thailand Jocelyn Batoon-Garcia joined Thai and foreign dignitaries at the “Ten Years on Remembering the Indian Ocean Tsunami” commemoration on 26 December 2014 at the Police Boat 813 Tsunami Memorial, in Takua Pa District, Phang Nga Province of Thailand.

Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha (Ret.) delivered an address and foreign dignitaries shared remarks in front of the Police Boat 813 Tsunami Memorial. Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister General Tanasak Patimapragorn delivered the welcome address. United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Baroness Valerie Amos, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction Margareta Wahlström, and Founder and President of the Happy Hearts Fund Petra Nemcova conveyed their messages of sympathy and encouragement. Representatives of countries in attendance, including Ambassador Batoon-Garcia, laid wreaths in front of the Memorial. Thai relief entities and organizations demonstrated disaster relief operations, in cooperation with local volunteers.

The ceremony was aired on national TV during which ticker tape messages from representatives of different countries in attendance were shown, including the following message from the Philippines:

“The Philippines joins other nations in remembering the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami that resulted in untold loss of lives and property. We believe that the most important lesson we can learn from the tragedy is that by working together and developing stronger regional partnerships in times of calamity, we can build back better, faster, and safer, and be more effective in assisting and rebuilding affected communities.” END