Identification of a corpse using photographs of facial morphology: A case study of the Royal Thai Navy's HTMS Sukhothai sank in the Gulf of Thailand

Main Article Content

Ratthakan Panmarasri

Abstract

The Royal Thai Navy's HTMS Sukhothai shipwreck in the Gulf of Thailand in Prachuap Khiri Khan, in December 2022, has caused many sailors and officers missed. Verification of the personal identity of the deceased, the Royal Thai Police established a frontline operation center, the Institute of Forensic Medicine, and the police hospital organized a team, including medical photographers became an integral part of the identification operation. The photographs from the identification operation were used for forensic identification. All 24 individuals were successfully identified, but 5 people still remain missing. Medical photographers took a crucial part with their photographs of deceased individuals using forensic methods for personal identity verification. These images capture facial morphology details, including a frontal view, a side profile showing ear shape, half-body shots, two-sided full-body images, and the back of the deceased body. The documentation encompasses palms, soles of the feet, wounds, personal features, oral cavity, special dentistry, pictures of dental fillings and orthodontics, external defects, tattoos, scars, moles, birthmarks, signs of disability, uniform with a name on it, and jewelry items. Additionally, documents attached to the deceased person are crucial for aiding in the identification process. All deceased were identified and returned to their families by confirming their identities from relatives or acquaintances of the deceased, together with official documents containing photographs and information of the deceased. Life is specified, such as ID card, driver's license, passport, together with scientific verification such as fingerprint test involving dental examination and genetic testing. All whole mentioned aspects have proofed the effectiveness of the forensic identification.

Article Details

How to Cite
Panmarasri, R. (2024). Identification of a corpse using photographs of facial morphology: A case study of the Royal Thai Navy’s HTMS Sukhothai sank in the Gulf of Thailand. Journal of Criminology and Forensic Science, 9(2), 182–200. retrieved from https://so02.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/forensic/article/view/266753
Section
Academic Articles

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