Despite a multimillion-dollar international advertising campaign by the Thai government, tourist bookings plummeted in 2005. But tourism officials are optimistic that pre-tsunami levels will be reached by the next season, which begins in November. The country is predicting a 13 percent increase in tourism for 2006. That's about 15 million visitors. A large number of these will be heading for the tsunami-hit areas.

Behind his sunny smile, Serm Kongkhaoriep has a compelling story of survival and courage. When the tsunami hit the island in 2004, he lost his daughter and 30 other family members. He survived because he happened to be on high ground. He says, although full recovery is still some way off, it will happen eventually.