A Czech supermodel injured in the 2004 tsunami is hoping to meet three Thais, one of whom saved her life when she visits Thailand early next month.
Petra Nemcova's hope of finding them has gone viral on Facebook.
Facebook user Pokchonn Disssabutra, personal manager of Thai actress Akhamsiri "Jakjaan" Suwanasuk, wrote on her page on Wednesday that Ms Nemcova was washed out of her room at a resort in Khao Lak when the tsunami struck the South on Dec 26, 2004 and was fortunate to survive.
Her fiance, photographer Simon Atlee, was never found.
The 39-year-old model is due to arrive in Thailand in two weeks to film a documentary about her experience during the tsunami. She hopes to meet three people in particular when she is here.
"The three people are a Thai man who found her in a palm tree and immediately called people to rescue her; a man who gave her a Buddha amulet while she was in hospital being treated for injuries; and a girl who was born the day the giant waves struck and was given the name Tsunami,'' Ms Pokchonn wrote on her Facebook page.
In the wake of the tsunami, a friend had contacted her [Ms Pokchonn] and said that a supermodel and her fiance who were holidaying at Khao Lak in Phangnga province could not be contacted, Ms Pokchonn said. Her friend had asked her to help find them but to keep the matter a secret.
She had checked at several hospitals and found no trace of them, but then received a phone call saying Ms Nemcova had been found seriously injured.
When Ms Nemcova returned to Thailand the following year to pay tribute to her lost fiance, she told her the full story.
Ms Nemcova and Atlee were at a beach resort at Khao Lak at the time. He was packing his bag and she was in the bathroom.
There was a loud noise and then the waves swept her from the room and into the surging water. Luckily, she washed up against a palm tree and held on desperately for life. Debris caught up in the waves pounded against her, and she suffered broken hip bones and abdominal bleeding, Ms Pokchonn said.
After spending eight hours on the tree, a Thai man passing through the area saw her and called for help.
Ms Nemcova and 27 other seriously injured victims were later transferred to Songklanagarind Hospital by helicopter.
She had cried a lot and a male patient in the next bed gave her a necklace with a Buddha amulet to boost her spirits. She has worn it since and later set up a foundation, Happy Hearts Fund, to help child victims of the tsunami, Ms Pokchonn said.
Late on Wednesday night, Ms Pokchonn posted an update.
"Now, some people have contacted me and said they may be the man who rescued her and the person who gave her the amulet. We are making further inquiries."
