Thailand: Coordination committee of missing persons and unidentified bodies to be set-up

A coordination committee will be set up to handle cases of missing persons and unidentified bodies, said Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam.

Mr Wissanu said authorities who receive complaints about a missing person or are informed of an unidentified body must forward the information to the committee.

Usually information about missing people or unidentified bodies is kept at police stations where complaints are lodged, he said.

The committee will act as a database of missing persons and unidentified body cases with the help of the Central Institute of Forensic Science (CIFS) under the Justice Ministry. This will help speed up investigations, the deputy prime minister said.

Region-based coordinating panels will also be set up across the country. The southern panel will be based at Prince of Songkla University, the northern panel at Chiang Mai University and the northeast panel at Khon Kaen University.

Mr Wissanu said the university campuses were chosen as they all have hospitals.

The idea for a coordinating panel was proposed by Khunying Porntip Rojanasunan, former CIFS director-general, before her retirement in September, he said.

Mr Wissanu said the centre was essential and in line with international practices. The country must have a central point of contact especially when it faces a crisis like a tsunami, he added.

Tuesday 3 November 2015

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/752180/missing-persons-panel-set-up