Who does not watch movies with Lernardo of the DiCaprio? I do not look. But now I will look surely. Islands Pkhi-Pkhi became well-known after shootings of the adventure American-British film "Beach" with Leonardo di Caprio in a leading role. Pkhi-Pkhi — remarkably beautiful, but with a tragic story. However life always proceeds. 
Even closer Galya Konstantinova, personal archive
Islands Pkhi-Pkhi – too the archipelago in the Andaman Sea, their of everything six, the most known and impressing – two. Two calcareous rocks, transparent water, white sand, thickets of trees. The "ridiculous" name of islands – too from Malayan language: «The flaring island» – ‘Pulau Api-Api. And the island the Fiery tree – Avicenna sea flared.
When these islands were open and populated – nobody knows. And after all archeologists worked and came to a conclusion that settling of this archipelago, as well as the province Krabi in Thailand, goes back to prehistoric times. Probably, sea Roma – Urak-lavoy – the Mongoloid people which wandered on the seas reached there once, and now lives in huge «long houses» in the territory of several states.
In the middle of the 20th century of the island were occupied mainly by Muslims, fishermen and those who worked at coconut plantations. The business based on preparation of soup from bird’s nests – near the Cave of Vikings developed also. Now there are a lot of Thai Buddhists, and the total of constantly living islanders slowly comes nearer to that was to a tsunami.
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Ckeen, Wikipedia -
Galya Konstantinova, personal archive -
20th Century Fox — http://www.movieposterdb.com/poster/bc29b969, Diligent use, Wikipedia
On islands there are no roads for transport, there are no big hotels. "Ambulance" is – it delivers the tourists who have received any damages or divers in hospitals of Krabi or the island of Phuket.
It would be advisable to decide, at last, on writing in Russian. And that they are (islands) at the same time both Pkhi-Pkhi, and Pipi. In Thai language there is a sound aspiration. In some Russian names of Thai settlements it is reflected as the letter "x" (the island Phuket, about which else speech will go), but then it turns out, as the name of Thailand (Thailand) should be changed? So here problems. Nevertheless it is more correct – Pkhi-Pkhi.
Pkhi-Pkhi became well-known after shootings of the adventure American-British film "Beach" with Leonardo di Caprio in a leading role. After the film the flow of tourists sharply increased, and also information that there was a certain lawsuit between the Kingdom Thailand and movie company 20th Century Fox meets. But the East – business thin (c), we will not understand it.
The film "Beach" acted in film in 2000. And in 4 years that tsunami came. And on Pkhi-Pkhi always there is a human activity: both live there, and come to have a rest or dive.
In the morning on December 26, 2004 water from bays suddenly receded, left. In 35 minutes struck a tsunami – directly from these two bays, and waves (one – 3 meters, the second – 6,5 meters) met already above, having covered everything and all. At this time on islands there were about 10000 people. Was lost from 2000 to 4000 people. Still (and passed exactly 10 years) 1200 people are reported missing, the exact death toll is not established. From one hundred survived children everyone lost one or both parents.
In a year the Dutch-farang (so call foreigners constantly living in Thailand) organized group of volunteers, then other organizations were connected. Manually people collected about 20000 tons «garbage and a waste». Why so-called? Tried to sift all this hands, looked for the remains of documents. Not all nevertheless found, time is a lot of missing people.
After the terrible tragedy on the archipelago the system of the early notification of a tsunami is established, all destroyed infrastructure of islands is restored. Also it is possible to hope that this really beautiful corner of the Andaman Sea will please also fans of sea rest, and yet time will involve here cinematographers for shootings of exotic thrillers. Or at least documentary films, what even is more interesting – at my uneducated look.
In 40 kilometers from Pkhi-Pkhi there is a big island Phuket. Many know about it, someone happened, but it is possible to talk about it, having chosen any one curious subject.