“Death truck’ families to receive B35k per victim

BANGKOK (TNA): Relatives of the 54 Burmese migrant workers who suffocated in the back of a seafood truck in Ranong on April 9 will receive 35,000 baht compensation for each relative who died while being illegally transported to Phuket, Suwanna Suwanjutha, director-general of the Rights and Liberties Protection Department, said on Tuesday.

A total of 121 people were crammed inside a container measuring six meters long and 2.2 meters wide.

The migrant workers died after the driver failed to turn on the air conditioning for the container, which was normally used to transport frozen food.

Khun Suwanna said the money will be awarded to relatives of 34 of the 54 victims at Victoria Point, so the recipients would not have to enter Thailand to receive the compensation.

Documents were being compiled to pay compensation to relatives of the 20 remaining victims, she said.

It was explained that another 65,000 baht will be paid to relatives of each victim in accordance with Thailand’s automobile accident law if the victims were found to have not committed any crime.

Of the survivors, Thai police have taken 10 into custody as witnesses, while others have been repatriated to Myanmar.