What is the importance of Thailand in the short-story collection, Unaccustomed Earth?

Thailand is a nation in Southeastern Asia which borders the Indian Ocean. It is the site for a one-week layover made by Kaushik on his way to a photo editing job in Hong Kong. While swimming on Thailand’s coast, Kaushik is killed by the December, 2004, tsunami which devastates Thailand and many other countries bordering the Indian Ocean.