Vietnam offers sympathy to Thailand on tsunami commemoration

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has sent a message to Thailand expressing deep sympathy over the losses caused by the Indian Ocean tsunami, as Thailand is to mark the disaster's 10th anniversary with a ceremony in the southern province of Phang Nga on December 26-27.

"Our heartfelt sympathy goes out to the Governments and people of Thailand and other countries over the tremendous losses caused by the tsunami disaster 10 years ago," the PM's message read.

He praised the great efforts that have been made to surmount the disaster's consequences, stressing that the anniversary creates an occasion for the two countries to reiterate their joint commitment to bolstering cooperation in preventing and combating natural disasters.

Thailand was one of the four countries hardest hit by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, with 11,000 dead and missing.

On December 26, 2004, a 9.3 magnitude earthquake off Indonesia's western coast sparked a series of towering waves that swept across countries as far apart as Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Somalia.-VNA