Thailand - Dr. Death

13 min 35 sec - 19 January 2004


Porntip at bookfair with lots of fansT11 (upsot music)Porntip Rojanasunan is a doctor with a difference – she speaks for the dead…and what she’s got to say has made her the best selling author of a string of real-life crime books.(upsot music with bowing)The reason for her popularity is simple.Thailand’s Doctor Death as she’s known is a forensic scientist who’s turned the straightforward autopsy in to a battleground for the truth.
Vox pops in thai T11.6THAI - SUBTITLES 11.06.13 I know that a lot of cases have been solved because of dr porntip’s investigations 6.23 without her many cases won’t be properly settled and the murdered might still be free 6.27
T1.26.20 27.18 (girl) I like the way she dresses because being a doctor doesn’t necessarily mean being conservative
T1.25.54 25.54 (man) I like her because she is very brave very outspoken she dares to expose the truth
tv interview - porntip at bookfairt11 Originally inspired by the quirky skepticism of TV detective Colombo - Porntip has herself become a regular crime commentator on the evening news - the reason - she combines forensics with other clues from victims lives - today it’s the murder of a young pregnant doctor - by her boyfriend.
Synch porntip 40.20 bookfair 40.20 in this case maybe the girl had a pattern of masocism and the boy sadism and the same as the case my medical student the girl had a problem he had had no father or mother figure.
portnip at home cooking T.5.24.06 (upsot porntip cooking)At home with a family of her own Porntip takes her mind of such sordid stories by cooking or working up what’s considered in conservative Thailand her outlandish fashion - that led one police chief to state she just wants to be an actress.
T/T T4.15.00 I just dress to support to make me happy to compensate the work not to be the actress but why he said that I think because in the last five years many news reporter want to interview me because of my straight word in the case and because of my fashionable appearance.
phone on standby / dinner served etcT5..33.45 T6.1.03 With her nights on standby for the next murder Porntip relishes the regularity of family life.And while bank-manager husband Virachai is proud of her work – he admits not liking the sight of an autopsy.
porntip and hubby in kitchen t5.32.30 5.32.30 (porntip laughs in b/g) I don’t know before (porntip: he’s afraid) yes I never come in the autopsy room I never come in that room (porntip: 16 years after married the first time for him to see my work is on the television!!) … I don’t like the noisy of the saw…??
T1.00.05 porntip suits up in autopsy room (brief upsot saw?)Virachai has good reason to stay away – Pornthip’s work is undeniably gruesome.
Synch or t/t 1.19.47 Upsot: this is the area of contusion on the left side of the brain which caused the brain
Porntip and others in autopsy lab But her skill is in reading the real cause of death – and then being brave enough to go public.In many cases the mute testimony of her murder victims doesn’t fit the official version of events from Thailand’s at times brutal – and commonly corrupt police.
Synch t4.7.50Can trim where possible 4.7.50 in every cases that .. more than sixty percent of the cases when people ask the help from me – so in more than sixty percent of the cases you find something different – to what the police are saying yeah yeah – so sixty percent of the cases you find the police are wrong (nods) that’s a big problem isn’t it? big problem but maybe someone will think that I like to be opposite the police – no – but I think it’s because of the (thai) there are so many problem – maybe a flood of problems (laugh)
Porntip gets snaps with fans (upsot laughing)So popular is Porntip’s work it’s now impossible her to travel anywhere in Thailand without adoring fans demanding an autograph - or a picture.(snap - upsot laughing) But today Porntip is not in the southern city of Surat Thani for photos - she’s here to fight a law suit brought against her by local police.
driving pov - then synch porntip in carTHAI - SUBTITLES 1.1.29 they sued me because I did an autopsy of one person who died in police custody. From the autopsy I can tell that person might have been beaten by the uniformed guys until he died .. not as they said by the other prisoners. 1.1.45
porntip looking out window It’s a case that goes to the heart of what Porntip stands for … and why so many Thais have rallied to her support.
T/T over her looking out window t1.4.06 - pov cutaway - then synch porntip in car THAI - SUBTITLES 1.2.00 (thai) I was quite upset at first. I did not understand I thought the police would think about human rights because there was a person who died under their custody. Instead of thinking about finding the truth they sued me - I was quite upset. (synch at 2.14) But now I think well never mind I will fight them if that helps make the justice system better - I will fight. 1.2.19
funeral photos still of dead guy at T3.13.00 again at 13.33 (little sad or tense music?)The case centres on the death in police custody of a quiet, married 21-year-old - Suthisak Rimdusit.Accused of raping a four-year-old girl - Suthisak was hauled in for police questioning…in one hour he was dead.The police said he died of asphyxia.
Brief upsot T2.16.15 Upsot porntip: 2.16.15 they preserve the body in the fridge
porntip and evan with photosT2.18.49 synch porntip with evan 2.14.03 and again T2.26.44 onwards more stills and her pointing Suspicious of Suthisak’s rapid expiry in police hands - his family did what scores of Thais are now doing every year - they brought his body to Porntip for an independent autopsy.There was no indication of asphyxia…
**2.2.26 stills of bruise on chest./plastic on genitals**T2.27.17 giant bruise on dead guy’s chest (brief porntip upsot to break v/o)Instead Porntip found signs of torture - melted plastic on his groin, a telling bruise on his chest – indications she says of police brutality.
Synch porntip 2.18.02 18.02 this kind of injury happen from someone who jump on the body when this one was lying down on the floor 18.15
Porntip arrives at court // Surat T1T1.12.51 onwards (get them sneaking looks at the camera) (tense music?)Lieutenant-Colonel Sugreetha Onsuk was the policeman in charge – he says other inmates killed Suthisak – and is suing Porntip for blaming police
synch cop 1.13.27 (thai) THAI SUBTITLES 1.13.27 I sued her because the policemen want society to know that Dr Pornthip is trying to damage our reputation.
cop doorstop /// CUT TO // 1.44.18 Qu dr porntip said the guy was brutally beaten before dying - he died in custody - what do you say1.44.22 that is the fact - yes - but as you can see the other prisoners confessed that they beat that guy to death … nothing to do with any policemen … OK? 1.14.35
Police and pornthip **new grabT10.43.18 from bookfair 10.43.18 this kind of pattern of injury might not be due to body assault from anger must be from the police who want something who want the truth from him and that’s’ why the police are now suing you because you said that it looks like like police brutality 43.35 look like police more than the other prisoner
Police with Pornthip in room In a telling twist Police refuse to release the dead boy’s semen for an independent dna test – to Pornthip this means Suthisak probably didn’t even commit the crime…but his dearth reveals a major problem in Thailand’s justice system.
Homloar - either two-shot through office glass/walking in office/or on the phone T9. after i/v Thailand’s leading human rights lawyer Somchai Homloar says the courts rely too heavily on confessions instead of scientific proof.
Synch homloar t9.22.00 according to the system if the accused confess the confession can be used enough to prosecute the accused how do the police extract that confession? // CUT TO // they may use the plastic bag to wrap up the head of the accused and the accused have to confess and sign the confession
ITV FOOTAGE5.50 onwards (moody music)The use of confessions instead of science is now the issue in the case of Australian backpacker Kelvin Bourke. He was shot while camping on the Thai-Burma border with his girlfriend.
ITV TAPE 6.37 Under pressure to catch culprits police hauled in two hilltribe men – who quickly confessed.
ITV TAPE 10.00-10.10 But when presented to his girlfriend, Sheri MacFarlane - who was raped by the attackers - couldn’t positively identify them.Found guilty and facing a death sentence they now say their confession was false – beaten out of them.Then they called in Porntip - who made a startling discovery.
synch porntip overlay with victim vision T11.54.08// the dna of them were not compatible with the dna of the semen in the vagina of the victim // 54.34 and what chance do they have of getting off 54.34 in this case I think I cannot help because the process is in the court no-one can interrupt this but I try to find the truth for them
surat thani court surat tape T2.13.45 cops everywheresurat t2.15.30 cops arrest two ngo guys (upsot altercation outside court)Back at the Surat Thani court case things have gone from bad to worse.(quick upsot from heated meeting)Police have turned up in strength not just to intimidate Porntip - but to arrest two ngo volunteers who had helped her with the case.(upsot as guys led away)
cops come out – surat t2.19.13 Colonel Onsuk refuses to answer any more of our questions.(…goodbye goodbye 20.47 …)
ngos taken away in van - police phalanx drives off t2.16.41 cops drive off with motorcycle outriders But their aggressive resistance to change is not just because they’re not used to it.In Thailand forensic findings are generally under police control and used it to fabricate evidence and make money.
Synch somchai homloar t9.11.02**new grab 10.58 the centre for the forensic is under the control of the police and we found that in many cases the result of the test of evidence is not reliable because of the corruption of the police some influential people can interfere even to pay for to make the result otherwise.,
Porntip working – possibly office with books (reprise touchyfeely music)For Porntip there is one way justice can be delivered to all Thais regardless of position or money – a forensic institute separated from the police But with a former policeman as Prime Minister – the Thai government is now ignoring her
10.49.49 synch porntip 10.49.49 maybe I will go out and raise funds from the public because I don’t want to be the one that everyone come to see me when they need help I think the government should set up the institute for the public why they ignore this problem of human rights.?
And Porntip has good reason for urgency in her pursuit
Synch porntip T4.16.22 I had two cancer in my life and I told the public that I want to be the good one because I want to die in a good way maybe there are not so long for me (hold on smile)
porntip in office – spiritualism viz Although working a modern science - Porntip is a very traditional Thai.She believes the spirits of the dead seek justice through her.But with powerful - at times brutal - forces arrayed against her does Dr Porntip fear for her own safety?
Synch porntip 4.20.25 4.20.25 I think about the goodness should protect me from the danger from the other people // CUT TO // so I believe that the spirits of the dead will protect me (laughs) it’s the buddhist way - you genuinely believe that - yeah I genuinely believe
End on spirit viz Many Thais who’ve never dared challenge the police before must be praying that she’s right.
DR PORNTIPReporter: Evan WilliamsCamera: David Leland/Geoff LiebknechtEditor: Simon BrynjolffssenProducer: Karuna Buakamsri