Officials are speeding up forensic tests on bone pieces found in a forest in Udon Thani's Ban Phue district last week to allow law enforcement officials to check whether they match profiles of missing people.

An initial examination found the bones discovered at a site in tambon Nong Waeng showed they were human, Pol Maj Gen Pornchai Sutheerakun, head of the Institute of Forensic Medicine at the Royal Thai Police Office, said Tuesday.

Forensic experts were conducting DNA tests on the bones in the hope matches can be sought among relatives of people listed by police as missing, he added.

Last Friday, a pile of bones were found in 20 locations at a site known as Koke Thao Khampa (The Old Khampa Mound), about 400 metres off a gravel road in tambon Nong Waeng, Ban Phue district of Udon Thani. The bones were mainly in a burned state.

They were discovered after bushes covering the bones were burned by a wildfire.

Police suspect the bones belonged to murder victims whose bodies were burned on rubber tyres in an attempt to cover up the killings.

Pol Maj Gen Pornchai said conducting DNA tests on the charred bones would be a difficult task, adding examinations would take time since much of the evidence had been destroyed.

He did not reveal how many bones were being tested.

"We are speeding up our work. We will do our best. We know this is a high-profile case," Pol Maj Gen Pornchai said.

Meanwhile, nine missing person complaints have been lodged since the bone discovery was announced, said Pol Col Pornchai Boonrod, superintendent of Ban Phue police station.

The nine missing people were named as: On Deelunchai; Rung Jampasri, Temta Jampasri; Suriya Thongdee; Pipatpong Pansawang; Kulab Insri; Wanchai Homtawin; Ekkapan Salapim; Sai Sansakul and Supaporn Tuangtaoset.

The relatives want to learn the fate of their missing loved ones, Pol Col Pornchai said.

Source:
courtesy of BANGKOK POST

by Bangkok Post

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