Porntip seeks quick move on container

Central Institute of Forensic Science director Porntip Rojanasunan yesterday urged a quick decision from the government to ensure that the truth about a mysterious shipping container on the Chon Buri seabed, rumoured to contain human skeletons, would be known this month.

Leading a team to inspect Samae San Bay in Chon Buri's Sattahip district, Porntip said two methods of inspection were on the table.

One was to cut open the container, believed from the coral growth to have been lying there for 20 years, and use a camera to survey it. The other was to lift the container out of the water and then open it.

The latter method would cost at least Bt10 million and might destroy fertile corals covering the container, she said.

Porntip said they had not cut it open on Friday as they feared the container might have explosives in it and they would first use a GT 200 bomb-detecter to check it.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said he had assigned officials to assess the possibility of cutting open the container and using cameras to survey as it seemed on the face of it the more practicable way.

Regarding reports that many more containers were under the sea, Porntip said she could not confirm that.

Villagers have confirmed the existence of this container.

Since this is not a normal sea-lane, it is impossible to assume that an accident led to the sinking of the container, she said.

It is more likely that it was intentionally dumped, possibly for disposal of a dangerous substance, she added.

Regarding discovery of skulls, she said it was her personal view that they could be the remains of immigrant workers.

The previous suspicion that they might be from the May 1992 incident is not totally ruled out yet, she |added.

Porntip said that if the government made a quick decision, the truth should be known this month. As for the search for other containers, which the Navy minesweeper boats were asked to do, when to start should be known on Monday, she added.

Meanwhile, local residents who asked not to be named said seven containers had been detected by the radar of trawlers and urged the investigation to proceed without pleading budget restraints.

"If the government does not act, and soon, we the people will open the containers ourselves," they said.

They suspect that the container Porntip is working on contains dangerous substances or chemicals, as rumour has it that toxins from Rayong were regularly dumped. But the other six containers remain a mystery because fat has reportedly leaked out of them and come to the surface, they said.