Petra Nemcova has returned to Thailand to thank the medical staff of Songkhla Nagarin Hospital who helped her recover from the injuries she received when the Tsunami struck the island of Phuket.

Nemcova's boyfriend, British fashion photographer Simon Atlee, was swept by the giant wave and his body was found only in March. The 26-year-old supermodel who survived the disaster, having clung to a palm tree for eight hours with a broken pelvis, spent three weeks in a southern Thailand hospital. She still wears a Buddhist amulet presented to her by a fellow victim during the evacuation from the island.

The tragedy that killed thousands on December 26 has had such an impact on Nemcova's life that she said she might quit modeling for good: "Believe me, it really isn't important," Nemcova was quoted as saying. "There are so many important things in the world like health, love and peace in your soul." However, the model decided to return to work after her recovery and now can be seen on the catwalk again.