Impacts of the tsunami on a Marine National Park area—Case study of Lanta Islands (Thailand)

Lanta Islands are located in the province of Krabi: here, even though the impact of the tsunami had not been as tragic as in some other areas of Thailand, several villages have been affected and the biological destruction is still in the process of being assessed. These islands include the Marine National Park (MNP) of Ko Lanta, 62nd National Park of the country, established in 1990. Three field trips were carried out in the area: in October and December 2004, and in March 2005. The aim of this article is to present a geographical point of view of Ko Lanta MNP and its surrounding area through a comparative analysis of natural and human conditions before and after the tsunami waves.