Sunken Containers and Skeletal Remains Discovered Offshore

[sotsira]

For those who want the latest news on the op here's the link from are very own Pattaya one news team:

http://www.pattayaone.net/news/2009/may/ne...8_05_52_2.shtml

For those who want to debate how long containers float for depending on their cargo and sea conditions and weight mass and cubic capacity and so on need to get a life!

[medegen]

After the Tsunami they kept alot of the bodies in cold storage containers. Some of the unidentified were supposed to be buried. hmmmm.......

Edited May 8, 2009 by medegen

[kalbo123]

Should this thread not be in the news topic...if this isn't news....

[JetsetBkk]

Very surprised the internaional media haven't picked up on this.

Containers full of skeletons and seabed strewn with human skulls.

TIT!

According to Pattaya One, the reports are "rumours"... Have to wait and see what develops.

http://www.pattayaone.net/news/2009/may/ne...8_05_52_2.shtml

[Sabum]

I still say, whether these containers were dropped off a container ship, fishing boat, pontoon, barge or warship there would have been so many people involved in filling the containers, loading them on a vessel and dumping them at sea you just could not keep the story secret.

Just wonder if it was the Khmer Rouge when the killing fields got full?

Did anyone watch this program? I saw part of it - I did not see any skeletal remains, they did dive down to a container. I did not watch all of it though so maybe missed something?

I remain a skeptic. There have no doubt been some very bad things done here I'm sure - I just know that containers falling off ships is not really rare and fisherman would find more fish around them since the fish like the structure. A container can sink like a rock or float awhile depends on the contents - right?

You guys need to brush up on your recent Thai history. 1976 entire special military units and "others" murdered, raped and mutilated the bodies of an unknown amount of young university students that were protesting peacefully. People think several hundred. Basically covered up as no one has been held accountable and yet many witnesses and people involved. 1992 military opens up machine gun fire on groups of thousands of peaceful protestors, no bodies? 2003 three thousand murdered in the drug war.... are all bodies accounted for? Doubtful. What you guys need to understand is this is a repetitive theme and its easier to try and cover things up and forget about it when there is no evidence and no bodies.

[kenai]

I still say, whether these containers were dropped off a container ship, fishing boat, pontoon, barge or warship there would have been so many people involved in filling the containers, loading them on a vessel and dumping them at sea you just could not keep the story secret.

Just wonder if it was the Khmer Rouge when the killing fields got full?

Did anyone watch this program? I saw part of it - I did not see any skeletal remains, they did dive down to a container. I did not watch all of it though so maybe missed something?

I remain a skeptic. There have no doubt been some very bad things done here I'm sure - I just know that containers falling off ships is not really rare and fisherman would find more fish around them since the fish like the structure. A container can sink like a rock or float awhile depends on the contents - right?

You guys need to brush up on your recent Thai history. 1976 entire special military units and "others" murdered, raped and mutilated the bodies of an unknown amount of young university students that were protesting peacefully. People think several hundred. Basically covered up as no one has been held accountable and yet many witnesses and people involved. 1992 military opens up machine gun fire on groups of thousands of peaceful protestors, no bodies? 2003 three thousand murdered in the drug war.... are all bodies accounted for? Doubtful. What you guys need to understand is this is a repetitive theme and its easier to try and cover things up and forget about it when there is no evidence and no bodies.

I agree - many terrible things done here. I wouldnt open any large box that was hidden or buried without expecting the worst. May those responsible be brought to justice and suffer their remaining years and life-times after.

The show I saw did not show remains. I was thinking as I watched it - hire some commercial divers cut it open... don't drag this on. Hopefully they will soon.

I have been commercial fishing for many years and know that during storms things happen on boats and ships no matter how well secured. In one storm we lost over $100,000 in gear. I know container ships lose containers as well. Are these containers inside the shipping lane? Im not sure.

And I know that rumors are extra common here. My wife and I have been told more then once that Thaksin was shot and killed etc... That"s why I'm a skeptic.

[KhaoNiaw]

The Channel 3 show ข่าว 3 มิติ last night said that they are coordinating with the relevant authorities (can't remember which department) and expect to be opening the containers within a few days. They will be filming everything as it happens.

[sriracha john]

DSI Chief for Foreign Affairs Songsak Raksakul said a human trafficking network might be responsible.

Despite the police's other shortcomings, I think this still remains the most viable explanation.

As the recent land border incident with Burma illegals, where 54 persons were found dead in a trucked container, human traffickers have no qualms about ditching their "product."

Edited May 9, 2009 by sriracha john

[ianh68]

Hope BBC / CNN don't pick up on this story, efforts to revive tourism again will be knocked sideways again ....

I would like the truth out to h-ll with what it could or could not do for tourist dollars. Shame on you.

The truth shall set you free

[stevehaigh]

ok, admit it, how many of you are working on a screenplay about this already?

[Meg_2003]

Look forward to hearing what's inside the containers, Why is this all happening so slow... Get them opened already and get finding out the truth as to what happened!

[koenie]

Look forward to hearing what's inside the containers, Why is this all happening so slow...

Contents must disappear or changed first ... ?

[Meg_2003]

Look forward to hearing what's inside the containers, Why is this all happening so slow...

Contents must disappear or changed first ... ?

I wouldn't be surprised.

[yuckfoo]

. (I work for the largest container company in the world)

Tupperware?

[LennyW]

. (I work for the largest container company in the world)

Tupperware?

Yah beauty!!!!

[soundman]

. (I work for the largest container company in the world)

Tupperware?

[teddy_bare]

Has anyone noticed the advert on this page?

NEED A CONTAINER?

A bit off, considering multiple murders may have occured.

[lor]

It's very hard for conventional ships to drop sea containers safely and quickly over the side. Heavy cranes and powerful winches are needed, very low vessel free board and possibly an open stern. These attributes are not easily found on conventional container ships (that rely on port facilities to move containers), oilfield supply vessels (cranes not heavy enough) or fishing boats (just too small).

However, military amphibious landing craft....

During my time as a pirate DJ on the Voice of Peace in the med. I saw a few times container ships with what appeared to be containers just dropping into the sea. I said to the crew that the storm we were experiancing must be very bad because the containers were falling into the sea. They explained that it was normal practise, if the weather was bad, just to throw the containers overboard to reduce the centre of gravity of the ship. There were so many containers on these ships they looked like the new york skyline!

So it is very easy for these containers to be thrown overboard from conventional container ships.

Chris

[loonodingle]

Found this snipit on Bangkok post

Skeleton reports offer hope

By: SIRIKUL BUNNAG

Published: 11/05/2009 at 12:00 AM

Newspaper section: News

Human rights activists and relatives of those killed in the 1992 Black May crackdown are calling for an investigation into the reported discovery of human skeletons in the Gulf of Thailand.

The activists and relatives, speaking after marking the 17th anniversary of the massacre yesterday, said they would write to Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to ask the government to look into the matter.

It was the government's duty to solve this mystery, even if the skeletons do not belong to the missing Black May victims, said Metha Matkhao, secretary general of the Campaign Committee for Human Rights.

News reports say three to five cargo containers stuffed with human skeletons have been found in the sea off tambon Samasarn in Chon Buri's Sattahip district.

Mr Metha said local trawlers had pulled up human skulls. "Seventeen years on, no significant progress has been made in searching for the people reported missing in the attack," said Mr Metha.

"The person who ordered the mass killing has not been punished, nor have the others involved ... who still are living a happy life, playing golf, sipping wine and making comments to the media." The official number of Black May dead was 38, but the figure reported to the United Nations by a committee representing victims was 357, said Adul Khiewboriboon, who heads the committee.

The committee called on the army to stop intervening in politics, saying it had taken a bigger role in politics since the 2006 coup.

-- Bangkok Post 2009 05 11

Considering its a huge amount of possible human remains its doesnt seem to have captured the headlines ??????

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/1648...orts-offer-hope

Edited May 11, 2009 by soundman
Fixed news source formatting.

[Smithson]

DSI Chief for Foreign Affairs Songsak Raksakul said a human trafficking network might be responsible.

Despite the police's other shortcomings, I think this still remains the most viable explanation.

As the recent land border incident with Burma illegals, where 54 persons were found dead in a trucked container, human traffickers have no qualms about ditching their "product."

The DSI was quick to speculate, even before confirmation of the skeletons. Usual rush to blame outsiders? I'd love to hear an explanation of how traffickers came to dump the containers in the sea, 20 or so years ago. I'm surprised how quick ppl are to support such a bizarre explanation.

[sriracha john]

DSI Chief for Foreign Affairs Songsak Raksakul said a human trafficking network might be responsible.

Despite the police's other shortcomings, I think this still remains the most viable explanation.

As the recent land border incident with Burma illegals, where 54 persons were found dead in a trucked container, human traffickers have no qualms about ditching their "product."

The DSI was quick to speculate, even before confirmation of the skeletons. Usual rush to blame outsiders? I'd love to hear an explanation of how traffickers came to dump the containers in the sea, 20 or so years ago. I'm surprised how quick ppl are to support such a bizarre explanation.

I'm surprised that someone would find the only explanation that has a precedent (human-trafficker's cargo dead in containers) to be bizarre. There's a reason I thought it the most plausible... it's the only one that has happened before.

It's probably why the DSI felt the same, too, although they certainly qualified their statement with "might be" and are at least seemingly open to other possibilities.

btw, human traffickers have been transporting their cargo in containers for even longer than 20 years.

A viable explanation for the dumping would be if their cargo simply "expired" in route ala the Burmese incident. The transporters typically dump their cargo when that happens, whether it's roadside in Ranong or at sea off the coast of Sattahip.

Edited May 11, 2009 by sriracha john

[koenie]

I said to the crew that the storm we were experiancing must be very bad because the containers were falling into the sea. They explained that it was normal practise, if the weather was bad, just to throw the containers overboard to reduce the centre of gravity of the ship.

So it is very easy for these containers to be thrown overboard from conventional container ships.

Chris

BULL-SHIT !!!!!

"Just to throw the containers overboard"

tssssssssssss

[skiman1]

Containers will sink fairly quickly in moderate seas, in heavy seas, very quickly, the shifting cargo will quickly punch holes or damage doors. (I work for the largest container company in the world)

Do you float test them?

[Smithson]

DSI Chief for Foreign Affairs Songsak Raksakul said a human trafficking network might be responsible.

Despite the police's other shortcomings, I think this still remains the most viable explanation.

As the recent land border incident with Burma illegals, where 54 persons were found dead in a trucked container, human traffickers have no qualms about ditching their "product."

The DSI was quick to speculate, even before confirmation of the skeletons. Usual rush to blame outsiders? I'd love to hear an explanation of how traffickers came to dump the containers in the sea, 20 or so years ago. I'm surprised how quick ppl are to support such a bizarre explanation.

I'm surprised that someone would find the only explanation that has a precedent (human-trafficker's cargo dead in containers) to be bizarre. There's a reason I thought it the most plausible... it's the only one that has happened before.

It's probably why the DSI felt the same, too, although they certainly qualified their statement with "might be" and are at least seemingly open to other possibilities.

btw, human traffickers have been transporting their cargo in containers for even longer than 20 years.

A viable explanation for the dumping would be if their cargo simply "expired" in route ala the Burmese incident. The transporters typically dump their cargo when that happens, whether it's roadside in Ranong or at sea off the coast of Sattahip.

Yes, I realize there are precedents for dead bodies in containers, however I'm not aware of traffickers using containers in shipping lanes along that route. Maybe you could outline the scenario, where did the journey begin and where were they headed? How did the traffickers manage to push the containers overboard and why did they choose a location so close to shore?

Being so quick to speculate isn't professional on the part of the DSI, possibly a preemptive cover up. There are ample precedents for this. The apparent age and location of the skeletons has HR and victims groups concerned. Has anything more been revealed? All seems a bit fishy to me.

[NanLaew]

... however I'm not aware of traffickers using containers in shipping lanes along that route.

Eh? So you know the routes where there ARE traffickers using sea containers in shipping lanes?

[0zz1]

anything new on this? I saw a short clip just on TV3 where they interview the funny hairstyle lady who seems to be the most famous autopsy doctor as she is seen every time on Thai telly when something like this happens... can anyone know who im talking about and who she works for? Her name is something like: Khunding Pornthip or something... dont know surname..

[JetsetBkk]

anything new on this? I saw a short clip just on TV3 where they interview the funny hairstyle lady who seems to be the most famous autopsy doctor as she is seen every time on Thai telly when something like this happens... can anyone know who im talking about and who she works for? Her name is something like: Khunding Pornthip or something... dont know surname..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pornthip_Rojanasunand

[LennyW]

^ CSI Thailand!!

[gk10002000]

another link here with a few more words and the island.

http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread461290/pg1

[Smithson]

... however I'm not aware of traffickers using containers in shipping lanes along that route.

Eh? So you know the routes where there ARE traffickers using sea containers in shipping lanes?

Not really, although I did a search, there was stuff about containers used for land crossing and something about Chinese gangs using them on ship somewhere.

The cases where ppl have been found dead in containers have been along routes well know for trafficking.