Twelve years after the Tsunami there are still 412 dead not taken home

[rooster59]

Twelve years after the Tsunami there are still 412 dead not taken home

 

Image: Thairath

 

Officials at the Ban Muang cemetery in Pangnga said that 412 corpses buried there have still not been claimed.

 

No one knows who they are because no one has come with any evidence to help the authorities.

 

In a recent effort some 23 bodies were identified and five were exhumed and collected by relatives.

 

Another 18 are due to be transported to other parts of the country when relatives turn up to retrieve the bodies in person. DNA evidence is needed to make certain of identities.

 

The cemetery has people of many nationalities buried there.

 

The tsunami happed on December 26th 2004. Almost 5,000 people were known killed in eight Thai provinces with a similar number going missing. A huge number were Scandinavians on holiday in Panggna, Krabi and Phuket.

 

The disaster claimed around a quarter of a million lives across Asia and as far afield as the coast of Africa.

 

Source: Thairath

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2016-12-24

[Laughing Gravy]

It was a very sad day for Thailand and other countries and I remember the moment well. I am surprised so many people have not been claimed. It shows at times just how easily people are forgot. 12 years and some people must wonder where friends or family members went?

[helloagain]

I also cant believe how many unclaimed bodies. Crazy. 

[iforget]

Most likely many of these unclaimed bodies are complete Thai families. After the tsunami my wife and I were in Baan Nam Khem, close to Baan Bang Muang. We met a gent of about 50 who was out in his boat when the waves came in. He rode over them but his entire family - 11 people - was wiped out. Of the 4,000 people living in Baan Nam Khem, around one third died or disappeared. 

[Goingmad]

5 hours ago, Laughing Gravy said:

It was a very sad day for Thailand and other countries and I remember the moment well. I am surprised so many people have not been claimed. It shows at times just how easily people are forgot. 12 years and some people must wonder where friends or family members went?

Many were illegal hotel or restaurant workers. Hotels not claim.

 

[lostinisaan]

1 hour ago, iforget said:

Most likely many of these unclaimed bodies are complete Thai families. After the tsunami my wife and I were in Baan Nam Khem, close to Baan Bang Muang. We met a gent of about 50 who was out in his boat when the waves came in. He rode over them but his entire family - 11 people - was wiped out. Of the 4,000 people living in Baan Nam Khem, around one third died or disappeared. 

 

 

 

 

 

  Reading your post is really frightening and the village Baan Nam Khem has been my home for a few months before the tsunami destroyed almost all houses and killed quite a lot of good friends.

 

   We moved to the lower northeast before the tsunami and saw what happened on TV.  Many phone calls but mostly no reception. We saw a friend's ID card where people were asking if someone had seen her. It was a nightmare I'll never forget.

 

  Hollywood even made a movie ( The impossible from 2012)  based on true events of a Spanish family http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1649419/ and it seems that it was in Khao Lak/Takua Pa province where Ban Naam Khem belongs to. 

 

  I drove down to Baan Naam Khem 4 weeks after the deadly tsunami and I couldn't believe my own eyes. The only thing that was intact were most parts of the school and a few buildings.  I tried to find the place where our friends lived before, but I couldn't even locate the area.

 

The smell of dead people being in salt water for weeks and the hot sun creates a smell that you never get out of your nose. I saw when they pulled out a few body parts when trying to find the house we lived in and I couldn't believe it. 

 

 We stayed for two weeks and found out that a lot of people died and the smell of death was all over the place for a long time. Found bodies were brought to the temple on the hill, but after a few weeks of being in salt water, there's no way to even say if it was a Caucasian or African.

 

A big fishermen trawler looked like somebody parked it there, almost undamaged, bizarre. The Royal family ship in Khao Lak's still there to remind of the deadly Christmas. 

 

I remember everything as it was yesterday. The German forensic team of the BKA immediately made it to Thailand to help identify the countless dead bodies. But Thai authorities kicked them out and blamed them for working without a work permit?  Germany donated 10 Million Euros as first aid ( America came up with $ one million) and they blamed specialists with high tech equipment doing their scary job for free that they worked in Thailand without the needed permission?

 

  Is there a type of work permit that's called Work permit type XXX for humanitarian purposes in extreme situations where countless people have lost their lives and the local forensic team has no idea how to continue with their search? 

 

They had to pack their stuff and leave Thailand and me in tears. The illegal disco that was built on temple grounds in Khao Lak, the luxury resort between Khao Lk and Takua Pa where I've stayed a few weeks was also completely destroyed.

 

   The donated money never reached the suffering people. I've lost all my photos thru 2 dying hard drives, please post photos, should anyone have some photos from the time and area. 

 

   Merry Christmas 2016. 

 

 

 

Edited December 24, 2016 by lostinisaan

[TSF]

Not everybody keeps close contact with their families. Some of these bodies could be foreigners who no longer had any contact with any of their family or relations, so nobody knows where they are or if they were in Thailand at the time of the tsunami.

 

Same thing happened in Darwin when Cyclone Tracy hit, I heard there were hundreds of corpses that were unclaimed, there were lots of transient people in Darwin - hippies, hobos, drifters, people who had left their families behind years ago and had no further contact with their pasts. 

[Somtamnication]

I remember it well, the water runs to Kao Lak and helping relatives in so many ways. RIP to them. I hope they nor I experience it ever again.

So many stories to tell, but can't find the will to tell them.

[NickJ]

A sad day indeed. I remember my mom calling me from the states. I was supposed to be down there but stayed in Bangkok. I to lost friends and neighbors. 

[Khun Paul]

What amazes me is that DNA was NOT collected from the dead, photographic evidence ( pictures of the deceased )  also not apparently collected including teeth impressions, with all that the dead could have been cremated and then a jar and the necessary evidence could have been kept for years. If DNA evidence had #been collected we could see if some had been of one family )

This was disaster planning at its worst and the fact that many have stated at the time,  the families wishes are paramount if you only have a few dead yes I agree BUT with thousands it is better to reply on scientific evidence rather than the actual body , you copuld keep the whole problem in a classroom sized room and a computer.

[drgoon]

37 minutes ago, Khun Paul said:

What amazes me is that DNA was NOT collected from the dead, photographic evidence ( pictures of the deceased )  also not apparently collected including teeth impressions, with all that the dead could have been cremated and then a jar and the necessary evidence could have been kept for years. If DNA evidence had #been collected we could see if some had been of one family )

This was disaster planning at its worst and the fact that many have stated at the time,  the families wishes are paramount if you only have a few dead yes I agree BUT with thousands it is better to reply on scientific evidence rather than the actual body , you copuld keep the whole problem in a classroom sized room and a computer.

 

 

The same old same old.....  TIT

[Zaz09]

I emailed many details of a person who I am sure was lost in the tsunami to the international red cross as well as the Thai organization who was trying to do the identifying. I sent them 2 times along with pictures of Tattoos  and very big descriptions of the person, I never heard anything from them, they didn't even have the decency to reply to me. 

[Raybangkok]

1 hour ago, lostinisaan said:

 

 

  Reading your post is really frightening and the village Baan Nam Khem has been my home for a few months before the tsunami destroyed almost all houses and killed quite a lot of good friends.

 

   We moved to the lower northeast before the tsunami and saw what happened on TV.  Many phone calls but mostly no reception. We saw a friend's ID card where people were asking if someone had seen her. It was a nightmare I'll never forget.

 

  Hollywood even made a movie ( The impossible from 2012)  based on true events of a Spanish family http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1649419/ and it seems that it was in Khao Lak/Takua Pa province where Ban Naam Khem belongs to. 

 

  I drove down to Baan Naam Khem 4 weeks after the deadly tsunami and I couldn't believe my own eyes. The only thing that was intact were most parts of the school and a few buildings.  I tried to find the place where our friends lived before, but I couldn't even locate the area.

 

The smell of dead people being in salt water for weeks and the hot sun creates a smell that you never get out of your nose. I saw when they pulled out a few body parts when trying to find the house we lived in and I couldn't believe it. 

 

 We stayed for two weeks and found out that a lot of people died and the smell of death was all over the place for a long time. Found bodies were brought to the temple on the hill, but after a few weeks of being in salt water, there's no way to even say if it was a Caucasian or African.

 

A big fishermen trawler looked like somebody parked it there, almost undamaged, bizarre. The Royal family ship in Khao Lak's still there to remind of the deadly Christmas. 

 

I remember everything as it was yesterday. The German forensic team of the BKA immediately made it to Thailand to help identify the countless dead bodies. But Thai authorities kicked them out and blamed them for working without a work permit?  Germany donated 10 Million Euros as first aid ( America came up with $ one million) and they blamed specialists with high tech equipment doing their scary job for free that they worked in Thailand without the needed permission?

 

  Is there a type of work permit that's called Work permit type XXX for humanitarian purposes in extreme situations where countless people have lost their lives and the local forensic team has no idea how to continue with their search? 

 

They had to pack their stuff and leave Thailand and me in tears. The illegal disco that was built on temple grounds in Khao Lak, the luxury resort between Khao Lk and Takua Pa where I've stayed a few weeks was also completely destroyed.

 

   The donated money never reached the suffering people. I've lost all my photos thru 2 dying hard drives, please post photos, should anyone have some photos from the time and area. 

 

   Merry Christmas 2016. 

 

 

 

When I was in my thirtys just before I moved here I worked as coordinator for victims of disasters donated money is used to pay the salaries of those who are here to help I was attached to the Royal Thai Army special forces on search and recovery watching the doctors and volunteers from abroad being chauffeured into Wat Yan Yao everyday from luxury resorts being paid 24 hours a day was not the nicest feeling while we were all sleeping on the ground or on the floor of a restaurants banqueting room. I think you will find the reason some were sent back was that they demanded to run and control the relief effort.

[Matt K]

O remember it well. I was stationed at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa Japan as a C-130 Loadmaster from 2000-2006. I was on the first plane we sent from Okinawa to assist, we arrived the morning after it happened. The first 2 weeks we were based out of Don Muang, and flew maximum crew day permitted each day, shuttling in humanitarian aid from Bangkok to multiple places in Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia, and taking people, empty pallets, and bodies away. After a few days, the airport was full of planes from around the world, who also were there to assist.

 

After two weeks of nonstop flying, we moved to Langkawi and did our missions out of there for the next month. I remember taking in an all terrain forklift, loading team, and air traffic controllers into Banda Ace, as the entire island looked like it had been leveled, and there was zero existing support services, personnel, and equipment. The controllers set up a tent and began to direct the flow of aircraft into and out of the airfield, while our loading teams worked around the clock downloading aircraft, and coordinating cargo. 

 

It was was one of the most challenging deployments I ever was involved with. You never knew what was going to show up or where you were going to go. I used every single trick I had to load/unload my aircraft at fields with no material handling equipment or support...coordinating what could and couldn't be safely transported, dealing with completely chaotic situations. There wasn't a moments rest to be had. We all were driven to work as hard as we could, because we knew people's lives depended on us, and you could see the immediate impact of what you did on a daily basis. I never felt as motivated to push further and try harder than I did during the relief missions. It was unbelievably tiring, but also personally rewarding...knowing I was making a huge difference.

[ChoakMyDee]

23 minutes ago, Raybangkok said:

When I was in my thirtys just before I moved here I worked as coordinator for victims of disasters donated money is used to pay the salaries of those who are here to help I was attached to the Royal Thai Army special forces on search and recovery watching the doctors and volunteers from abroad being chauffeured into Wat Yan Yao everyday from luxury resorts being paid 24 hours a day was not the nicest feeling while we were all sleeping on the ground or on the floor of a restaurants banqueting room. I think you will find the reason some were sent back was that they demanded to run and control the relief effort.

 

One reason why I'm reluctant to give to charity.

[soalbundy]

52 minutes ago, ChoakMyDee said:

 

One reason why I'm reluctant to give to charity.

really? I don't give because i'm mean

[lostinisaan]

1 hour ago, Raybangkok said:

When I was in my thirtys just before I moved here I worked as coordinator for victims of disasters donated money is used to pay the salaries of those who are here to help I was attached to the Royal Thai Army special forces on search and recovery watching the doctors and volunteers from abroad being chauffeured into Wat Yan Yao everyday from luxury resorts being paid 24 hours a day was not the nicest feeling while we were all sleeping on the ground or on the floor of a restaurants banqueting room. I think you will find the reason some were sent back was that they demanded to run and control the relief effort.

 

 

Are you really trying to say that the specialists from the German BKA ( forensic experts) were on a salary list????

 

       They flew to Thailand to help and were sent back because they had no work permit. None of them was asking for any type of salary and the German government had already donated 10 million Euro for first aid.

 

     None of these specialists was trying to run the relief effort. Such a post is quite irritating for those who don't know the facts. 

[Wilsonandson]

O remember it well. I was stationed at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa Japan as a C-130 Loadmaster from 2000-2006. I was on the first plane we sent from Okinawa to assist, we arrived the morning after it happened. The first 2 weeks we were based out of Don Muang, and flew maximum crew day permitted each day, shuttling in humanitarian aid from Bangkok to multiple places in Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia, and taking people, empty pallets, and bodies away. After a few days, the airport was full of planes from around the world, who also were there to assist.
 
After two weeks of nonstop flying, we moved to Langkawi and did our missions out of there for the next month. I remember taking in an all terrain forklift, loading team, and air traffic controllers into Banda Ace, as the entire island looked like it had been leveled, and there was zero existing support services, personnel, and equipment. The controllers set up a tent and began to direct the flow of aircraft into and out of the airfield, while our loading teams worked around the clock downloading aircraft, and coordinating cargo. 
 
It was was one of the most challenging deployments I ever was involved with. You never knew what was going to show up or where you were going to go. I used every single trick I had to load/unload my aircraft at fields with no material handling equipment or support...coordinating what could and couldn't be safely transported, dealing with completely chaotic situations. There wasn't a moments rest to be had. We all were driven to work as hard as we could, because we knew people's lives depended on us, and you could see the immediate impact of what you did on a daily basis. I never felt as motivated to push further and try harder than I did during the relief missions. It was unbelievably tiring, but also personally rewarding...knowing I was making a huge difference.

Thank you Matt. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

[free123]

1 hour ago, Matt K said:

O remember it well. I was stationed at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa Japan as a C-130 Loadmaster from 2000-2006. I was on the first plane we sent from Okinawa to assist, we arrived the morning after it happened. The first 2 weeks we were based out of Don Muang, and flew maximum crew day permitted each day, shuttling in humanitarian aid from Bangkok to multiple places in Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia, and taking people, empty pallets, and bodies away. After a few days, the airport was full of planes from around the world, who also were there to assist.

 

After two weeks of nonstop flying, we moved to Langkawi and did our missions out of there for the next month. I remember taking in an all terrain forklift, loading team, and air traffic controllers into Banda Ace, as the entire island looked like it had been leveled, and there was zero existing support services, personnel, and equipment. The controllers set up a tent and began to direct the flow of aircraft into and out of the airfield, while our loading teams worked around the clock downloading aircraft, and coordinating cargo. 

 

It was was one of the most challenging deployments I ever was involved with. You never knew what was going to show up or where you were going to go. I used every single trick I had to load/unload my aircraft at fields with no material handling equipment or support...coordinating what could and couldn't be safely transported, dealing with completely chaotic situations. There wasn't a moments rest to be had. We all were driven to work as hard as we could, because we knew people's lives depended on us, and you could see the immediate impact of what you did on a daily basis. I never felt as motivated to push further and try harder than I did during the relief missions. It was unbelievably tiring, but also personally rewarding...knowing I was making a huge difference.

respect 

[3NUMBAS]

They will fear big bills for this and that so  keep away

[phantomfiddler]

5 hours ago, helloagain said:

I also cant believe how many unclaimed bodies. Crazy. 

 

 I would think that there must have been thousands of unfortunates whose bodies were never found, washed out to sea !

[moe666]

A few are making some really dumb commits. Do you not realize the scope of this ordeal and the confusion that was created by the shear volume of dead, wounded, and the lose of infastructure. This would have been a challenge for any country and especially for a country which doesn't have constant stream of tornados, hurricanes, and other natural clamities 

[Kasset Tak]

9 hours ago, Laughing Gravy said:

It was a very sad day for Thailand and other countries and I remember the moment well. I am surprised so many people have not been claimed. It shows at times just how easily people are forgot. 12 years and some people must wonder where friends or family members went?

There might be whole families among those unclaimed. One of my friends lost his wife and his 3 children that day so the possibility that there are whole families are not that fare fetched and there are/were also many back packers traveling around SEA where their families don't even know that they are/were in Thailand!

[hotchilli]

10 hours ago, Laughing Gravy said:

It was a very sad day for Thailand and other countries and I remember the moment well. I am surprised so many people have not been claimed. It shows at times just how easily people are forgot. 12 years and some people must wonder where friends or family members went?

Unless a whole family was wiped out & there's no-one to claim anyone?

 

[seancbk]

7 hours ago, helloagain said:

I also cant believe how many unclaimed bodies. Crazy. 

 

What does it cost to get a body shipped back to wherever they came from?

Maybe some people think that the person is dead and buried and where really doesn't matter.

[pattayadude]

25 minutes ago, seancbk said:

What does it cost to get a body shipped back to wherever they came from?

not cheap.I believe a few thousand dollars to have it shipped properly

 

27 minutes ago, seancbk said:

Maybe some people think that the person is dead and buried and where really doesn't matter.

depends on the culture,traditions and affordability

[TSF]

55 minutes ago, seancbk said:

 

What does it cost to get a body shipped back to wherever they came from?

Maybe some people think that the person is dead and buried and where really doesn't matter.

How can they ship a body back when they have no idea who the body is or which country the body came from. Remember so many people at Phuket & Khao Lak were in the sea and on the beach with no ID on them. So they find the body of a man wearing nothing but a pair of swim shorts. Not much to go on.

[TSF]

Disgusting to hear the Thai authorities kicked out the German forensic team for not having work permits. Immediately following the tsunami I did hear many foreigners who were volunteers and assisting with the mess down in Khao Lak & Phuket were charged and penalized by Thai authorities for doing volunteer work without work permits.

 

 

[Honthy]

7 hours ago, Goingmad said:

Many were illegal hotel or restaurant workers. Hotels not claim.

 

 

Hotels not, but their families? 

[Goingmad]

6 minutes ago, Honthy said:

Hotels not, but their families? 

Sorry but you are partly wrong. Yes, some could be family.

But it is a fact that many of the small hotels hire illegal workers as maids , laundry , and kitchen help.

Burma and Laos.