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A team of 68 support personnel is staying on in Thailand to help those affected by the tsunamis and their families. The team first arrived in Phuket on December 30, 2004 to provide assistance to Hong Kong residents.

Ms Linda So, the coordinator of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government Support Team in Phuket said, "The deployment is made in the light of the prevailing circumstances. We will continue to provide essential services to Hong Kong residents requiring our help in Thailand."

Today, 31 members of the team including 21 police officers and 10 Immigration officers returned to Hong Kong from Phuket via Bangkok.

Meanwhile, police officers are continuing to locate Hong Kong residents, who have lost contact with their families, by visiting hotels and tourist spots in Phuket. Team members will continue to provide every possible assistance to the Hong Kong girl who remains in a critical condition in a Phuket hospital and her mother.

Immigration officers are currently manning help desks at Bangkok International Airport, Phuket Airport and the Co-ordination Centre in Phuket.

To complement the Thai effort to set up a DNA database of the deceased, the support team is offering to take DNA samples of Hong Kong family members who are currently in Thailand.

Ends/Friday, January 7, 2005

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