Tilly Smith, who was 10 years-old at the time of disaster, was holidaying on Maikhao beach in Phuket when the tide suddenly rushed out.

Smith, who had studied tsunamis in a geography class two weeks earlier, quickly recognised the receding shoreline and frothing bubbles as signs of a possible big wave and warned her parents, who alerted other beach goers and hotel staff.

The beach was quickly evacuated and no one was killed or seriously hurt when the waves crashed a few minutes later.

Maikhao was one of the few beaches in the region with no reported casualties after the tsunami devastated shorelines in 11 countries around the Indian Ocean on December 26, leaving 217,000 people dead or missing.

"On the evening of December 26 Tilly Smith will represent foreign tourists and read out (a) poem to mark the first anniversary of tsunami in Phang Nga province," Thai deputy Prime Minister Suwat Liptapanlop told reporters.

Suwat said Thai orphan Pattiwat Khamkla, whose father was killed in the tsunami, will read a composition by famous Thai poet Naowarat Pongpaiboon as part of the ceremonies.

Some 1,200 foreigners have accepted Thailand's invitation to join the ceremonies, including Sweden's crown princess.

An estimated 4,500 Thais are expected to attend the commemoration, chaired by Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who will also break ground for a tsunami monument in Khao Lak-Lam Ru national park on December 26.

Thailand had invited 14,000 Thai and foreign guests to the ceremonies, agreeing to pay for airfare and accommodation.

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