Confusion Over Fate Of Missing Thais In Christchurch

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AFTER WEBSITE REPORTS ONE AS SAFE

Confusion over fate of missing Thais

By Wannapa Khaopa

Nantida Puangthong

The Nation

Thais after website reports one as safe

There was confusion yesterday about the fate of six Thais who have been missing after last Tuesday's earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand.

The website of the college where the nursing graduates studied an English language course reported one of the six as safe.

However, Thailand's ambassador to New Zealand, Noppadon Theppitak, said the status of all the missing Thais was still unconfirmed, and a deputy spokesman of the Foreign Ministry said there was a mistake in the college report

Phimphorn Lianchuea, 42 was reported as safe, according to the website of King's Education, the college where she and the other Thais took the English language course.

Meanwhile, Noppadon denied recent news reports that two of the missing Thai nurses had been located.

"New Zealand authorities informed us that they found Phimphorn safe and had found a woman who looked similar to Haruthaya Luangsuranpeesa at 8am [local time], but they later told us both were still missing at 4pm [local time]. So, their names were added to the list of missing Thais. The misunderstanding could have been because there are many Asians here who look similar," he added.

King's Education posted on its website www.kingseducation.co.nz at 10.10am (local time) yesterday that Haruthaya Luangsuranpeesa and Wanpen Preeklang were missing and were presumed to have been in the collapsed CTV building in Christchurch, while the status of Jittra Waithayatadapong and Siriphan Wongbunngam was posted as unknown.

The website said the status of "Thanydha" as unknown. The name is similar to Thanida Intarangkoon.

Phimphorn's husband, Master Sergeant Sorasak Liangchuea, said that after hearing his wife was said to be safe, he felt better even though he could not contact her yesterday.

Chavanond Intarakomalyasut, secretary to the Foreign Minister, said the Thai National Police Office had sent forensic police to help the New Zealand government identify the disaster victims.

Noppadon said he had asked Japanese rescue workers, who were responsible for rescuing people under ruins of the CTV building, to continue their rescue mission.

He said Chinese, Japanese and Thai students studied language at the building and New Zealand expected there were probably 100 people under the ruins of the building.

Their Majesties the King and Queen yesterday expressed their condolences to the New Zealand government over the Christchurch quake, said Noppadon.

Providence Education Group managing director Thatchakorn Nimsakulthamrong said her company had served Thais, especially nurses, who wanted to study language in New Zealand, for four years. It had sent 20 people there so far, including the missing nurses.

The company is an overseas educational service provider.

A stressed Sorasak took two days off from work.

"Our two children - a 17yearold boy and a 13 yearold girl - have their final exams. I knew they were also worried about their mother's safety as they did not hear this news before going to school. So, I told them to try to do their duty as well as they could," he added.

Doctor Songsak Iuwmanee, her younger brother, said their parents felt relieved after he told them he found the website showed Phimphorn was safe. They wanted her to come back home as soon as possible because they were worried about her safety. They did not want her to go out of Thailand to work anymore.

-- The Nation 2011-02-25

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from

Earthquake death toll reaches 113

Last updated 11:43 25/02/2011

LITTLE CHANCE OF FINDING SURVIVORS

Ninety international students and staff from private training school King's Education are believed to be inside the flattened CTV building.

Australian and Japanese searchers are continuing to work at the site.

A number of Chinese nationals are believed to have been in class when the building was flattened, China Central Television reported on its website.

Some of those students have not responded to frantic calls or text messages sent by their relatives, CCTV said, adding police believed some of the students may have been sent to hospital.

While police had previously said there was no chance of survivors at the building, Police Superintendent Russell Gibson told Radio New Zealand Gibson they had not lost hope.

He said they were experienced searchers and had dealt with similar buildings in other quakes and survivors had been found. Search teams are assessing how to get into the area around the Grand Chancellor Hotel, the only part of the the CBD that has not been thoroughly searched.

A total of 70 people have been pulled alive from the quake rubble with the last last live rescue at 3pm on Wednesday.

Edited February 25, 2011 by genghis61