A design proposal from China Thursday gained the entrance to the final round of Thailand's Tsunami Memorial Design Competition. Another four from Finland, the United States, Spain and Australia also entered the final.

The Chinese design proposal was made by Liang Hou from Shanghai, Apinan Poshynanda, director general of the Office of Thai Contemporary Art and Culture, announced here on Thursday.

Apinan, who is also the Chairman of the Competition Organizing Committee, said that all the five proposals impressed the international jury and expressed the spirit of the competition -- to remember all the casualties and volunteers during the Tsunami disaster last December.

The jury was impressed by the Chinese proposal, especially the massive iconic expression of the circular form, based on the idea of people holding hands, as well as by its low impact on the surrounding environment, Apinan told Xinhua.

The Tsunami Memorial Competition was officially launched by Thailand's Sub-Committee for Tsunami Memorial Project, the Ministry of Culture, and the Council of Architects on September 21, 2005. A total of 379 conceptual entries were received from 43 countries and regions, including two from China.

The owners of the five selected entries will then participate in the final stage next year to further develop details. The final design of the five is due for submission in May, 2006.

In the aftermath of the tsunami last year in South and Southeast Asia, the government of Thailand decided to create an interactive National Memorial and Museum in Phangnga Province, on of the most severely affected areas in Thailand, to commemorate the massive destruction and severe loss of lives.

Source: Xinhua