BOOK REVIEW Dr Porntip Rojanasunan from Thailand, one of the most prominent forensic pathologists of our times, came to Malaysia’s attention in 2010 when asked to give expert opinion at an inquest into the death of Teoh Beng Hock.

When she ruled out suicide by the DAP political aide, her opinion was taken lightly and dismissed by those in authority. She was accused of being a fortune-teller and a "liar" when she revealed that pressure had been exerted on her not to testify.

dr porntip rojanasunan book the dead do talk pornthip Porntip's autobiography ‘The Dead Do Talk’, published earlier this year, unsurprisingly makes no mention of her experience in Malaysia, apart from one line.

The autobiography unfolds parts of her life enough for the reader to understand what an impressive pathologist she is.

But the title is the first unsettling dimension which a reader has to negotiate - it is a fierce juxtaposition to her voice which is acutely alive throughout the narration.

It is not until the final chapters that one understands her intention in writing the book - it is not as much to reveal her life’s journey as it is to convince the Thai people of the benefits of DNA testing and forensic pathology.

The first chapter, ‘Autopsying fame’, seems like an effort to convince herself that she is unaffected by the fame she never quite foresaw herself experiencing.

As she claims: ‘From the time I was born to the day I entered my forties, there was no indication that I would become famous.’

The over-use of the word ‘fame’ is disconcerting. It is as if the author is methodologically pinching herself into believing that she is famous, while digesting and evaluating the impact ‘fame’ has had on her life.

Another unsettling aspect is the rather shallow evaluation of her childhood. Even at the age of 58, Porntip appears to be still reconciling her difficult relationship with her dictatorial father.

NONE She relates the story of a young girl with a free spirit, trapped in a home where there is no freedom. This public grappling with her childhood dynamics leaves the reader uncertain as to what to make of her.

Why is such a strong, vibrant, powerful and apparently flamboyant personality unable to let go of the residue of hurt, anguish and uncertainty from her childhood?

As she moves on to talk about her early experiences with love, potholes appear as well - details are left out and the time-line is sketchy.

The reader is left to wonder if she is ashamed to come clean or whether her experiences are simply plain and undramatic. Or perhaps it was an ordinary life of an ordinary girl who did eventually meet her ‘true soul mate’.

Complete change

The second half of the book is an almost shocking transformation. Porntip no longer sounds ordinary. The change in tone, the focus, the clarity and the objectivity of her story is stupendous.

This Porntip systematically lays out the story of a professional who has chosen the rarest and most uncomfortable specialisations in the medical world.

She tells how she set up a forensics institute in Thailand. She exposes some of Thailand's most corrupt and difficult-to-digest political scandals pertaining to police brutality.

Her first case in 1998 was of particular significance - one of her students was found dead, the body chopped into 161 pieces. But Porntip had to set aside her emotions to solve the case.

This is when she starts building her argument for the absolute importance and credibility of DNA testing. This is when she realises the urgency of setting up a system to efficiently identify corpses.

A NONE whole chapter is dedicated to strange cases that were resolved with the use of  DNA.

Porntip also travelled around the world to study DNA testing processes that were carried out ‘efficiently and transparently’. However, she failed in her effort to convince the Thai Justice Ministry to adopt a similar regiment.

Towards the end of the book, she talks about her work in the aftermath of the death and destruction wrought by the tsunami of December 2004, which also affected southern Thailand.

Like a soldier and true to her profession, Porntip marched in her army of medical staff to deal with a crisis for which no one could have been prepared.

At this point, the reader may have to put down the book and calm a racing heart in order to deal with the magnitude and severity of the calamity.

As Porntip winds up her story, it results in another transformation - this time, of the reader who finds respect and admiration for a character who is larger than life and who is not averse to kicking an ass or two to achieve her professional ends.

And if there are occupational hazards, she is not deterred, for "the spirits of the dead watch over me. I'm sure of that".

LYNN D’CRUZ is a member of the Malaysiakini team. ‘The Dead Do Talk’, published by Marshall Cavendish’, is available at leading bookstores nationwide. A copy of the book was provided for this review.