THAILAND: THAI AND INTERNATIONAL FORENSIC TEAMS USE MICROCHIPS TO STORE INFORMATION ON ROTTING CORPSES OF TSUNAMI VICTIMS

Record ID: 649256

  • Title: THAILAND: THAI AND INTERNATIONAL FORENSIC TEAMS USE MICROCHIPS TO STORE INFORMATION ON ROTTING CORPSES OF TSUNAMI VICTIMS
  • Date: 1st January 2005
  • Summary: (W5) PHUKET, THAILAND (DECEMBER 31, 2004) (REUTERS) 1. MV INJURED TOURISTS AT PHUKET INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT RELIEF CENTRE 0.05 2. SLV AMBULANCE OUTSIDE PHUKET INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT RELIEF CENTRE; SLV PARAMEDICS TAKING A PASSENGER BY STRETCHER UP A THAI MILITARY TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT; SLV BACK OF THAI MILITARY AIRCRAFT; SLV THAI MILITARY AIRCRAFT AND OTHER AIRCRAFT AT AIRPORT (4 SHOTS) 0.26 3. MV INJURED TOURIST BEING TAKEN OUT OF AMBULANCE ON STRETCHER; MV INJURED TOURIST BEING ON GURNEY PUT ABOARD AIRCRAFT; MV INJURED TOURIST ON GURNEY ENTERING AIRCRAFT 4. ANOTHER INJURED TOURIST ON GURNEY BEING PUT ABOARD AIRCRAFT 0.50 5. SLV MILITARY STAFF WALKING TO AIRCRAFT; SLV UNITED STATES AIRCRAFT WITH PEOPLE ENTERING FROM THE REAR 1.09 6. SOUNDBITE (English) UNITED STATES AIR FORCE CAPTAIN JOSH ANDERSON SAYING: "The US is here in support of joint task force 5/36. We are here for tsunami disaster relief all over the South Asia and today we are delivering medical supplies in addition, Thai military force is here to help when we are staying in Phuket." 1.24 7. SLV PASSENGERS BOARDING AIRCRAFT; US AIRCRAFT ABOUT TO TAKE-OFF; SLV PRESS CONFERENCE 1.42 8. (SOUNDBITE) (English) THAI FOREIGN AFFAIRS OFFICIAL MANASVI SRISODAPOL SAYING: "We also confirm once again that there is no cremation or burning of bodies especially on bodies of foreign nationals. The burning of bodies that have taken place is very limited and solely on Thais whose relatives have already identified the bodies and have given the permission to burn the bodies according to religious rites." 9. REPORTERS 10. (SOUNDBITE) (English) THAI FOREIGN AFFAIRS OFFICIAL MANASVI SRISODAPOL SAYING: "At this point we are able to process five hundred bodies a day, cleaning the bodies and putting them in the containers." 2.27 11. SLV FOREIGN FORENSICS STAFF PREPARING GURNEYS AT MOBILE MORGUE; MV FOREIGN FORENSICS STAFF MOVING GURNEYS TO WORK AREA; MV FOREIGN FORENSICS STAFF WITH GURNEYS; SLV MORGUE WORK AREA (4 SHOTS) 2.49 12. SCU FORENSICS STAFF PUTTING ON HAND GLOVES; MV FORENSICS STAFF WITH FACE MASK; SLV FORENSICS STAFF WALKING NEAR TRUCKS (3 SHOTS) 3.00 13. MV FORENSICS STAFF CARRYING POST-MORTEM; MV PEOPLE WATCHING POST-MORTEM; MV FORENSICS STAFF IN PLASTIC SUITS MOVING SUPPLIES FROM TRUCK (4 SHOTS) 3.27 14. SCU FOREIGN FORENSICS STAFF SHOWING LATEST ELECTRONIC TAGGING EQUIPMENT; SCU ELECTRONIC TAGGING DEVICE; SCU TICKERS; SCU ELECTRONIC TAGGING DEVICE (5 SHOTS) 3.50 15. SCU FOREIGN FORENSICS STAFF EXPLAINING USAGE OF DEVICE; SLV OFFICIALS LISTENING TO BRIEFING 4.24 16. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR DR NANTARIKA CHANSUE FROM THE FACULTY OF VETERINARY SCIENCE, SAYING "The use of microchip in inside body in a part that will not be deteriorated with the soft tissue, it will be beneficial for the longer identification period like for many months and or many years." 4.39 17. MV FORENSICS STAFF WITH A CORPSE; MV FORENSICS STAFF WATCHING POST-MORTEM 4.52 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 16th January 2005 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: PHUKET, THAILAND
  • Country: Thailand
  • Reuters ID: LVAB1D5W038R0DXTPBIHPFYVOQFT
  • Story Text: Thai and international forensic teams to use micro
    chips to store information on the rotting corpses of
    tsunami victims.

    Foreign aircraft, including a military plane from
    the United States Air Force, transported injured tourists on Friday
    (December 31, 2004) from the Thai resort island of Phuket which
    was devastated by a tsunami
    early in the week.

    The injured tourists boarded a Finair aircraft and a
    Thai military
    aircraft in stretchers and gurneys for the flight home from
    the relief
    centre at the Phuket airport. The United States Air Force
    sent a C-130
    aircraft to transport other evacuees.

    "The US is here in support of joint task force 5/36 .

    We are here for tsunami disaster relief all over the South
    Asia and today we are delivering medical supplies in
    addition, Thai military force is here to help when we are
    staying in Phuket," said US Air Force Captain Josh Anderson.

    Meanwhile, Thai authorities said forensics will have to
    identify all bodies before any further action is taken.

    "We also confirm once again that there is no cremation
    or burning of bodies especially on bodies of foreign
    nationals. The burning of bodies that have taken place is
    very limited and solely on Thais whose relatives have
    already identified the bodies and have given the permission
    to burn the bodies according to religious rites," Thai
    foreign affairs official Manasvi Srisodapol told a press
    conference.

    The authorities also estimated the latest death toll at
    4,500, with over half being foreign tourists. Some 6,000
    people are still listed as missing.

    Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra had estimated
    that 80
    percent of the missing will eventually be listed as dead.

    Bodies are piling up at various temples for identification,
    officials said.

    "At this point we are able to process 500 bodies a day,
    cleaning the bodies and putting them in the containers,"
    Srisodapol said.

    In Phuket, a joint Thai-European forensics team had set
    up a mobile morgue with high-tech equipment to ensure
    identification of the dead.

    Three such centres, which include refrigerated
    containers, have been set up on the island. The others are
    at Krabi and Khao Lak.

    For the first time, Thai authorities will use micro
    chips to 'tag' the bodies. Forensic experts here say the
    conventional paper tagging is unlikely to work on these
    bodies because they are so decomposed.

    "The use of microchip in inside body in a part that
    will not be deteriorated with the soft tissue, it will be
    beneficial for the longer identification period like for
    many months and or many years," said Dr Nantarika Chansue a
    University professor of Veterinary Science.

    The Autro-German team said their responsibility was to
    insert the chips into the bodies. The Thai authorities will
    have to ensure that the matching documentation is properly
    collated.

    There are growing concerns that the decaying bodies
    could pose serious health issues for Thailand.

    It is hoped that the micro chips, and the containers
    will be the best compromise as foreigners seek to find
    their relatives amongst thousands of dead bodies whilst
    Thais would like to cremate or bury them to avoid a health
    crisis.


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