TTVI center closure may be postponed

PHUKET: The Thai Tsunami Victims Identification (TTVI) Center has asked the government to postpone the Bangkok center’s closure from December 26 to February 28 because it will not be able to finish its work by the end of the year.

Pol Col Khemmarin Hassiri, Superintendent of the TTVI’s Thai disaster victim identification (DVI) unit, said that the TTVI submitted its request to Deputy Prime Minister Chitchai Wannasathit on October 11.

Col Khemmarin told the Gazette that the TTVI headquarters in the TOT Corporation building in Chalong will close December 16 and unidentified or unclaimed corpses now held in the Mai Khao Cemetery will be moved to Bang Maruan Cemetery in Phang Nga Province.

“We will open a new center of operations in Bangkok on December 17,” he said.

“We are waiting for Cabinet approval,” he added. “Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra also announced at a press meeting on October 15 that the TTVI will move to Bangkok.

“It will not close before December 26 because of the commemoration ceremonies that are to take place at that time. Also, we promised the Prime Minister of Finland that we would not close around Christmas time.”