Hat yai: Public Health Minister Phatthana Promphat has expressed confidence in the accuracy of the Ministry of Public Health’s reports on the death toll from recent flooding in Hat Yai District, Songkhla Province, despite contradictory claims by Police General Surachet Hakpal, former Deputy Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police. Phatthana emphasized that the legal and forensic data underpinning the Ministry’s figures can be verified, maintaining that the death toll is below 1,000.
According to Thai News Agency, Police General Surachet accused the Ministry’s reports of being inconsistent with the actual figures. However, Phatthana stood by the Ministry’s data, asserting that the information is factual and corroborated by death certificates that will be issued, with relatives of the deceased serving as witnesses. He suggested that initial arrangements for the bodies, which involve grouping them before and after autopsies, might have caused confusion about the numbers.
The website hakparn.com has also claimed discrepancies in the death toll figures, encouraging relatives to report deaths to challenge the Ministry’s report. Phatthana responded by emphasizing that death certificates must be issued by the Department of Provincial Administration and that autopsies will clarify the details of each death, including the time and place.
Addressing concerns about the reliability of death reports submitted online by relatives, Phatthana underscored the necessity of legal and forensic procedures to confirm deaths. He reassured that the Ministry of Public Health conducts these procedures rigorously. Additionally, a hotline has been established for the public to report deceased or missing persons, but thus far, no alarming number of missing persons has been reported.
When questioned about the possibility of the death toll reaching 1,000 across all provinces affected by the flooding, Phatthana stated such a figure is not anticipated. He reiterated that the finalized death certificate and forensic processes will establish the true numbers.
Regarding Police General Surachet’s motives, Phatthana, speaking as a healthcare professional, expressed belief in the Ministry’s figures, maintaining that the death toll remains below 1,000. He noted that 140 deaths were reported the previous day, with most occurring at Songklanagarind Hospital (PSU), and that forensic analysis is underway, with results expected soon.