Thailand: Scientists check Andaman Sea's seabed.

(From Thai Press Reports)

Section: General News - Scenes of divers swimming amid colourful fish and coral are what most people imagine when talk turns to the Andaman Sea's underwater world, The Nation reports.

Oceanologists, however, look deeper - to the seabed - and their research could lead to more efficient measures to tackle natural disasters such as tsunamis.

"The underwater world is one mystery of the Andaman Sea, but the bigger mystery to us is at the seabed," said Dr Anond Snidvong of Chulalongkorn University.

From the shore, the seabed gradually slopes, as most people would imagine. But at some point the slope drops significantly for several kilometres to become a canyon-like feature, …