Thailand to cremate tsunami victims in public health move

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 30 Dec 2004 - 11:00 PDT


Tokyo - The Thai government, citing the shortage of refrigerator containers for storing victims of Sunday's tsunami in southern Thailand, decided Wednesday to cremate the remains after collecting dental impressions and hair for post-cremation identification, Japanese officials said.

The remains of those who remain unidentified--regardless of nationality--will be cremated as an inevitable measure to prevent the outbreak of a secondary disaster in the shape of epidemic infections triggered by the badly damaged bodies.

The 72-year-old mother of Hitoshi Fujimoto, 44, from Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo, who went missing at Khao Lak, southern Thailand, said: "Cremation? How awful! I'm terribly shocked to hear that."

"I've been standing by to depart at any time for Khaolak. I've been waiting for news that my son has been found--no matter what has happened to him. I still believe my son is taking shelter somewhere as he's been to the area many times," she said.

Fujimoto is an employee of a Tokyo-based publishing company. He was in Khao Lak with his colleague, Hiroko Nishikawa, 38, from Toshima Ward, Tokyo, who is missing.

Akira Tanaka, 62, arrived at Phuket Airport on Wednesday to look for his 32-year-old daughter, Yumi, who went missing after the tsunami hit. She had been visiting the resort island with her Australian husband. Tanaka looked agonized, but left for downtown after saying, "I've no option but to believe Yumi is alive at a hospital."

An employee of Nagoya-based Chubu Electric Power Co. who has been dispatched to Phi Phi Island to search for a 34-year-old colleague, said, "I've already heard other people talking about the cremation of the remains except for hair and nails. But I've no reliable information at all because I haven't been in touch with the Japanese Embassy (in Bangkok)."………. CONTINUES……….www.yomiuri.co.jp

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