Thailand is a BEAUTIFUL place. I've been there many times; my last visit was in March. I went on a Habitat for Humanity trip to help rebuild areas that were devastated by the tsunami. Even after the years that have passed, many areas in Thailand are still in ruins, and Thailand's economy has suffered greatly as a result. Most beaches still look like this one in the picture. However, I visited one beach that was no longer a beach. Actually, it had a been a coral reef. However, as a result of the tsunami, all the water had left the area, and all that was left was a dry, dead coral reef on land. It was the strangest event in the environment that I have ever witnessed. Walking along this 'beach' was bizarre because coral was everywhere. It was literally a coral reef, without any water around it. It is amazing how powerful the tsunami that hit was, and how catastrophic its effects have had on Thailand's environment.