As soon as Pornthip gave her statements in the court in KL on Teoh Beng Hock's case, she took the next available flight to Bangkok, packed some simple luggage, and rushed to the turbulent South on military aircraft.

Bombing attacks were launched again in the southern part of the country known for chronic religious conflicts, and Pornthip had to rush there to collect evidences related to the bombings in order to help the police track down the mastermind.

On 26 October, a policeman was killed while another injured during a gunfight with some suspcious figures at a Muslim hamlet in Yarang district. A man suspected of involvement in a string of criminal acts also perished in the crossfire.

This was yet another incident believed to be related to the bombings in southern Thailand.

Since the first episode of violence broke out in January 2004, the situation has never improved to this day, and has instead deteriorated. According to unofficial statistics, at least 3,900 lives have so far been claimed by violent assaults in southern Thailand. Buddhists, Muslims, teachers, policemen and even estate workers have not been spared.

When Pornthip rushed in from Bangkok on 27 October, she was followed by Guang Ming Daily executive editor Tan Soon Keat and a photographer.

Taking the lead in collection of evidences

Intelligence Unit personnel and policemen visited the site on the third day after the incident, and proceeded to the four provinces in the south on a fact-finding mission.

Investigations were carried out from 8.00 a.m. to 4.40 p.m. at a few suspicious residential units as well as vacant lands.

Collection of evidences was led by Dr Pornthip herself with the assistance from the IU personnel and local policemen. Among the devices employed were GT200 long-distance explosive/narcotic detector, portable explosive detector, gloves necessary for smear tests, etc.

After the operation, all collected samples were sent to the IU administrative centre at Pattani camp for further analyses.

Searching for solutions

Forensics is a kind of science in which pathologists and forensic doctors make logical deductions from their DNA findings in a bid to get the solutions for unresolved criminal cases. Such scientific deductions begin with the collection of apparent and easily visible evidences such as splinters, debris, fingerprints, teeth and blood stains.

During the exclusive interview with Pornthip Rojanasunan, Guang Ming Daily followed her deep into the troubled South and witnessed how she moved about swifty among several predominantly Muslim villages looking for clues for a string of violent outbreaks in the region.

During the three-day, 72-hour expedition, we followed Pornthip and a large team of armed military policemen to tread the soil of southern Thailand, where violent outbursts and assaults could erupt anytime.

Thanks to the mysterious death of political aide Teoh Beng Hock, Malaysians get to know this fashion-conscious legendary woman.

This exclusive interview with Pornthip Rojanasunan was conducted at the forensic administrative centre in Pattani.

We could feel the madness outside the building, but cordoned off with a thick wall from external turbulence, we have seen another side of Pornthip many are unaware of. (Translated by DOMINIC LOH/Guang Ming Daily)

Part 1: Wanted: Pornthip's head!
Part 3: The sensational side of Pornthip Rojanasunan
Part 4: Pornthip: Big shots could be behind the heinous crimes in Thailand's Deep South