Disaster victim identification center in Phuket closes doors

PHUKET: -- Thailand closed its Tsunami-related Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) centre in Phuket Monday with some 800 bodies left unidentified, according to a programme official.

The DVI center will be reopened under the auspices of the Royal Thai Police Jan. 4 after the New Year holiday to continue unfinished work to identify the bodies, said Superintendent of Foreign Affairs Division Pol.Col. Pornprasert Kanchanarin.

Some of the 800 bodies are being kept at Bangmaruan and Mai Khao cemetaries in Phuket. Relatives of tsunami victims can contact Bangmaruan cemetary.

The tsunami struck Thailand's six Andaman coastal provinces Dec 26 last year, leaving 5,395 people dead in Thailand and 2,932 still missing, according to Thai government data.

Many of the victims were foreign holidaymakers staying at beach resorts in Phang Nga's Khao Lak district.

--TNA 2005-12-12

to see Interview with Joint Chief of Staff of the Thai Tsunami Victim Identification Centre in Phuket, on moving to Bangkok

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http://www.thaisnews.com/news_detail.php?newsid=154438