Introduction

Chapter 1 presents an outline of the monograph and the long-term anthropological study that was carried out in Thailand after the tsunami. It provides a contextual background to a multi-ethnic setting, Phang Nga, the worst-hit province, which is explored in this book. The chapter describes how the tsunami affected the country in terms of loss of lives, material damage and means of livelihood. The monograph's focus on culture and religion from a gender perspective, and the special role that Buddhism played in the recovery process, is addressed.