Death of a citizen in Bangkok

HE died in the fire that turned a popular Bangkok nightspot, Santika Club, into a hellhole on New Year's Day. The Foreign Affairs Ministry has confirmed his death, though no details were released about how his body was identified.

TRAGIC: Thai rescuers standing by bodies of victims wrapped in white cotton sheets in a carpark. Many victims were charred beyond recognition. PICTURES:

With many of the 61 dead charred beyond recognition, the family of Mr Teo Sze Siong, 38, is still clinging to the hope that there may be a mistake in the identification process.

They will not accept that he is dead until they see his body. Mr Teo's two elder brothers left for Bangkok yesterday evening.

According to The Nation newspaper in Bangkok, bodies of most of the victims were charred and mangled beyond recognition.

Bangkok police said that 14 women and 17 men have yet to be identified. Another victim's sex was not known.

Col Nitibanthuwong, Commander of the Disaster Victim Identification Division, told The Nation that a centre was set up at the Thonglor police station to coordinate attempts to identify the unknown bodies.

He urged relatives to come to the centre with dental records or items that could provide DNA footprints for identifying the bodies.

Lt Col Sujettana Sotthibandhu, a forensics expert, told UK's The Telegraph that it might take at least a week of DNA analysis to identify the more than 30 bodies that were charred beyond recognition.

The unidentified bodies were all transferred to the Police Hospital for identification.

Mr Teo's family received news yesterday afternoon that he was one of those killed in the fire and the stampede that was sparked off by the fire.

Two other Singaporeans are reported to have been hurt and in hospital. Their names have not been released.

Mr Teo's younger sister told The New Paper that the family was unable to accept news of his death.

She said in Mandarin: 'It's too sudden... And it's not confirmed yet. We are hoping it's not him, not until we see his body. That's all we can hope for for now.'

She added that their mother was not taking the news well. Mr Teo, who was married, lived with his mother in a Toa Payoh flat.

Neighbours said they have not seen his wife for some time. The family had told them that she was working in China.

His sister said Mr Teo was in Bangkok for a holiday with a group of friends.

Loud wails could be heard from Mr Teo's flat several doors away since yesterday afternoon. Relatives were also seen walking in and out of the flat.

Mr Teo was the fourth of five siblings.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said it has made arrangements for Mr Teo's two brothers to fly to Bangkok.

Similar arrangements have also been made for family members of two other Singaporeans who are hospitalised with minor injuries.

The New Paper understands that Mr Teo and the two injured Singaporeans, a man and a woman, are friends.

They were believed to be there with another friend whose whereabouts are still unknown.

MFA added that the Singapore Embassy in Bangkok will continue to work with the local authorities to ascertain if there are any more Singaporeans affected.

Mr Teo's neighbour, who wanted to be known only as Mr Ho, said that Mr Teo was a very friendly man who was always smiling.

Mr Ho, 52, a stockbroker, said: 'He would walk over to chat with me whenever he saw me doing stretching exercises along the corridor.

'He told me that he was working at the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore.'