Army to help arrange funerals of Covid-19 victims

Army chief General Narongphan Jitkaewtae on Friday issued the order to the funeral divisions under Quartermaster Department of every Army corps.

“Every Army corps has a funeral division, which is responsible for arranging the funeral for Army personnel who died in action,” said Narongphan.

“They collect the body, identify the deceased with help from the relatives and then dress up the body for cremation.”

The Army chief added that the funeral division can adapt their skill and knowledge in dead body collection in the battlefield to help relatives of Covid-19 victims prepare for the funeral.

“All officials who join the campaign will be volunteers,” he said.

“Officials will show respect to the deceased while wearing PPE suits to protect themselves against the virus. The Army also will provide body bags made for dead soldiers in the battlefield and aluminium coffins to transport the body to the crematorium.

“All equipment will be thoroughly disinfected after use, except the body bags, which is for one-time use, and we will provide three for each body so officials can have added safety,” he said.

Thailand reported 119 deaths from Covid-19 on Friday, with cumulative deaths since April 1 at 3,930 from a total of 481,967 infections.