TTVI staff pay delayed

PHANG NGA (Kom Chad Luek, Gazette): Thailand Tsunami Victims Identification (TTVI) officers working at Bang Maruan cemetery, where 400 bodies remain unidentified, worked without pay for two months because of red tape that prohibited the new TTVI boss from authorizing their salaries.

The problems began after former TTVI chief Pol Col Khemmarin Hassiri was transferred to an inactive post in January following accusations from ambassadors of seven countries that the TTVI had misused donated tsunami recovery funds. [Click here for details]

Royal Thai Police Deputy Commissioner-General Gen Achilawit Subarnbhesaj then assumed command of the TTVI.

However, Gen Achilawit resigned, handing the TTVI reins over to Royal Thai Police Commissioner-General Lt Gen Vanchai Srinuan, who was installed as TTVI chief though without the authority to approve salary payments.

The workers were paid on July 2 after national media coverage of their plight, although the fate of the cemetery remains uncertain.