Dead Do Talk

Porntip Rojanasunan

Sujets

• Tailandia
• True crime
• Thailand
• Thaïlande

Informations

• Publié par: Marshall Cavendish International (Asia) PTE LTD
• Date de parution: 01 octobre 2011
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9789814382960
• Langue: English

Extrait

2012 Marshall Cavendish International (Asia) Private Limited
Some sections of this book are based on Dr Porntip s biography Mor Muen Sob ( A Doctor With 10,000 Bodies ), translated from the Thai language by Frank Anderson.
Project editors: Greg Lowe (Thailand), Lee Mei Lin (Singapore) Cover and design: Benson Tan
Published by Marshall Cavendish Editions An imprint of Marshall Cavendish International 1 New Industrial Road, Singapore 536196
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National Library Board, Singapore Cataloguing-in-Publication Data Porntip Rojanasunan, 1954- Dr Porntip Rojanasunan : the dead do talk. - Singapore : Marshall Cavendish Editions, c2012. p. cm. eISBN : 978-981-4382-96-0
1. Porntip Rojanasunan, 1954- 2. Forensic pathologists - Thailand - Biography. 3. Forensic pathology - Thailand. I. Title.
RA1025 614.1092 - dc22 OCN753865459

Printed in Singapore by Fabulous Printers Pte Ltd
To my husband Wichai and my daughter Ten, the two most important people in my life. You are always standing by me behind the scenes and supporting me in my pursuit of justice.
And also to my parents, for planting the seeds of determination in me along with the desire to do good deeds according to Buddhist teachings.
CONTENTS





Preface
Introduction: Autopsying Fame
PART ONE: THE EARLY YEARS
Strict Home, Carefree School
Learning From Nature
The Path Becomes Clear
Medical Studies and Politics
First Brush With Love
Another Love
I Decide on Forensic Pathology
My Battle With Cancer
I Meet My True Soul Mate
A Lightning Wedding
PART TWO: AN EXCITING CAREER
Setting Up a Forensics Institute
Anonymous Remains
Strange DNA Cases
Hangthong: Murder or Suicide?
Heading South
Tragic Tak Bai
The Detection Game
Colour Games
The Boxing Day Tsunami
About the Author
PREFACE



T HE DECISION TO BECOME A PATHOLOGIST WAS MADE IN 1979 during my internship at Bhudhachinaraj Hospital in Phitsanulok province. It was the key turning point in my life. It marked a change from striving to cure living human beings to working with those who no longer breathed. It also required a significant change of scene, from the everyday chaos of a hospital ward to working in a morgue in silence where little comfort could be expected from the bad smells, scary images and the sounds of grief.
While the decision to become a pathologist meant I would be working behind the scenes, it also opened the door to a new life for me. It was the key step towards becoming first, an anatomical pathologist and later, a forensic pathologist. Through the autopsies I carried out and other investigative work, I was given many opportunities to help make positive contributions to society. In my quest for justice, I always seek strength and wisdom from the teachings of Buddha.
I have never thought that I am particularly smart. But I was always taught to be conscious of Buddhist doctrine, to follow Dharma and observe religious precepts, to not commit sins and to show gratitude towards the homeland. Most importantly, I was taught to think clearly and systematically.
I have never thought of trying to change anyone. I strive to be true to myself, to be who I am and to not let society or other pressures change me or divert me from my course.
For me the world of pathology and forensics mirrors my life. The more I work, the more value I can create for society. Pathology is a world of constant learning. Conducting autopsies is like being in a perpetual classroom. It has trained me to observe and think systematically. Even today, I am still learning. For example, the bodies of people killed by moving vehicles never tell the same precise story. Autopsies and forensic investigations reveal subtle differences that enable us to help identify the exact cause of death and, perhaps, who was responsible. But the ability to analyse evidence to this level requires a fine attention to detail. It can help us sharpen our minds, not to gain power over others but to protect ourselves and help solve the problems that life presents to us.
The pathologist walks in a world of good Dharma. Every aspect of death helps us develop a better understanding of life. I know that the pursuit of money is a strong desire for many people, but that is not for me. I am happy enough to be healthy.
I have a strong determination to reach nirvana. If, through my work, I can continue to accumulate merit by performing deeds that contribute to society and help bring greater fairness to the justice system through the use of forensic science, then my life will be complete.
Porntip Rojanasunan, Bangkok, October 2011
INTRODUCTION

AUTOPSYING FAME
I T IS WORTH NOTING THAT BEING FAMOUS IS SOMETIMES uncomfortable. Fame can obscure reality. The word itself has connotations that are complicated. It is not a word that is always synonymous with good . In my mind, the word fame could be defined as residue in as much as it is peripheral and relates only to something that finds meaning through accompanying something else.
Some might see fame as a way to reveal the essence of a person, but that is not what happens in reality. Fame can get in the way of everyday communication because its very existence can inhibit or intimidate people and the famous person is often regarded in a different light from others. This means that what the famous person says is often not taken at face value but filtered through the notion of who they are or are thought to be. It can even irritate people as the famous person can be accused of being arrogant. It is often a frustrating barrier. It is also, of course, ephemeral - something like the clapping of hands. If you stop clapping, the fame evaporates. It is not like genuine good works that live on by the substance of what they actually are. I do often wonder what is the value of the fame I have enjoyed and if it has any valuable meaning at all.
From the time I was born to the day I entered my forties, there was no indication that I would become famous. All my family lived very simple lives. As a child I was rather mild mannered; I was interested in nature and always had an analytical bent. When I was sixteen years old, my mother took me to see a fortune-teller. He told her that I was a person who would be fully committed to whatever work I chose to do. I believe the fortune-teller cited a historical figure as a parallel, but I am not bold enough to say who that figure was as I was young and my memory might be playing tricks on me.
In high school, my uncle analysed my handwriting. He told my father that it showed I had a very independent streak and thought that it was a positive trait to have. My uncle also reported that when left on my own, I tended to behave well. And when I was preparing for my university entrance exams, a teacher told me that I would study medicine. He thought, however, that I would not be a regular medical doctor examining patients and that I would end up being a teaching physician.
The idea of being famous simply did not figure in that scenario. It happened by accident and was something for which I had no preparation. This was important because I never became enchanted with fame in itself. So, in turn, I never ended up being seriously damaged by some of its more negative consequences. I suffered only metaphorical cuts and bruises .
The first time I realised I was famous was when a major newspaper published a story about me. I got a phone call from someone I hardly knew who said, They published it in the newspaper! Why did you have to tell them that you were happy to autopsy corpses?
Oh, boy! I replied.
This experience was a first lesson in the pitfalls of fame, and I knew I should be more circumspect in future. But even though I became more careful, fame still followed me in many different circumstances, whether that was because of the in-depth reports about me in the press, or the case of Jenjira Ploy-angunsri (one of my sixth-year medical students at Ramathibodi Hospital who was murdered and chopped into 161 pieces by her boyfriend, a fourth-year medical student at another hospital), or indeed, any of the many other cases I have worked on.
I have also had some fun with my fame, but I do still stand back from it and question whether it is good for me or not. The way I dress, my hairstyle, my speech - they all come under scrutiny. When I first became famous, I would watch TV and actively try to catch a certain programme where I knew I would be featured speaking. It was a novelty. As time went on the novelty wore off. I was