Tsunami in Thailand | Strange Tide | 1

Against The Odds

Wondery

Cassie De Pecol, History, Society & Culture, Dolby, Mike Corey, Dolby Atmos, Atmos

4.7 • 7.2K Ratings

🗓️ 4 November 2025

⏱️ 44 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

On the morning of December 26th, 2004, a 9.1 earthquake struck in the Indian Ocean, triggering a tsunami. Along Thailand’s west coast, tourists like Ed and Helen Muesch, and residents like fisherman Wimon Thongtae went about their days, as usual. They were all unaware that a massive wave was heading straight toward them. By the time they realized the threat, they had only seconds to react and try to survive what would become the deadliest natural disaster on record. Order your copy of the new Against the Odds book, How to Survive Against the Odds: Tales & Tips for Animal Attacks and Natural Disasters, for stories of everyday people confronted by life-or-death situations, showing you how they survived—and how you can too. Learn more at SurvivalGuidebook.com.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Wondery Plus subscribers can listen to Against the Odds early and ad-free right now.
0:05.6	Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts.
0:10.0	A listener note. Against the Odds uses dramatizations that are based on true events.
0:15.3	Some elements, including dialogue, may be invented, but everything is based on research.
0:29.2	Thank you. may be invented, but everything is based on research. 34-year-old Wachari Tongte sits on the front steps of her home in the village of Namkem, Thailand.
0:35.9	She sticks a knife into a watermelon and cuts off two slices.
0:40.0	Her daughters, 8-year-old Rati Khan and 3-year-old Sudarat, eagerly hold out their hands.
0:46.5	Watchery smiles at them as she hands them the fruit.
0:50.3	It's late morning on December 26, 2004, and already a bright, warm day.
0:57.0	Watchery loves where she lives, just a few feet from the beach.
1:01.3	From her porch, she can see the white sand glittering from between the stands of palm trees.
1:07.5	She goes back to slicing the watermelon, but then a commotion distracts her.
1:13.1	It sounds like people are arguing on the beach.
1:15.9	She tilts her head, but she's too far away to make out what they're saying, and she can't see who it is.
1:22.3	She shrugs.
1:23.6	It's probably a squabble among fishermen.
1:26.6	Still, she wonders if it might concern her husband, Weiman.
1:30.4	He's a fisherman himself, and he left early this morning with his brother to fish from their boat a few miles out to sea.
1:37.5	As the commotion continues, watchery decides she should make sure that Weemann's not involved.
1:43.5	She tells her daughters to stay put and walks toward the sound of the voices.
1:48.7	A few seconds later, she steps through the stand of palms onto the beach.
1:53.8	But instead of fishermen fighting, she finds a group of her neighbors gathered on the sand.
	...

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