Thousands of Thai residents and international visitors are expected to participate in ceremonies commemorating the first anniversary of last year's tsunami disaster and most of the preparations have completed, Thailand's organizing committee for the event said on Sunday.

Eighty to ninety percent of the preparations necessary for the occasion have completed, according to Tongthong Chandransu, who chairs the government's organizing committee for the commemorative events marking the first anniversary of the tsunami which struck six southern coastal provinces along the Andaman coast on Dec. 26 last year.

Tongthong, deputy permanent secretary to the Ministry of Justice, said Sunday that so far more than 1,200 international guests and some 4,000 Thai nationals who lost their loved ones had confirmed that they would attend the event.

Local villagers are also expected to participate in the event. Overall it is projected that about 10,000 people would attend, said Tongthong who was quoted by the official Thai News Agency.

Major programs will be organized in four of the six provinces hit by the tsunami --Phangnga, Phuket, Krabi and Trang.

The programs include commemorative events, laying a foundation stone for a tsunami monument at Khao Lak in Phang Nga, and prayers from six religions.

Tongthong said that the tsunami event would demonstrate to the public what the government has accomplished in the past one year -- including installation of a tsunami warning system and building unity among the people in the face of natural disaster.

Source: Xinhua