Norwegian And Danish Consulates To Open In Phuket

[george]

Norwegian and Danish consulates to be established in Phuket

BANGKOK: -- The cabinet has endorsed the establishment of the Danish

and Norwegian Honorary Consulates in Thailand's southern resort province of Phuket to take care of both countries' missing nationals in areas hit by massive tsunami waves three weeks ago.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has proposed the establishment of the consulates to the cabinet after receiving requests from the two governments.

The main duties of the new consulates are to find those who are reported missing following the tsunamis that hit the six Andaman coastal provinces of Thailand--Phuket, Phang-nga, Krabi, Trang, Ranong and Satun--and to send recovered bodies home.

According to the Danish Embassy, seven Danish tourists were killed, while 62 are still missing.

Twelve Norwegian tourists were killed by the tsunamis and 82 remain missing.

Currently, Denmark has two honorary consulates in Thailand--in Bangkok and the renowned eastern beach resort of Pattaya.

Norway has only one consulate in Pattaya.

--TNA 2005-01-19