American Ambassador Ralph Boyce has renewed inquiries about the Bt88 million in donations to help the Thai Tsunami Disaster Victim Identification (TTVI) in identifying bodies and transporting them to their families, a source said yesterday.

Last November, an inquiry about the money - that was suspected to have been misused - was filed to then national police chief Gen Kowit Wattana by ambassadors of Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, England, the United States and France, but they received no reply. Boyce then made inquiries with acting national police chief Gen Seripisut Temiyavej on February 14.

In Boyce's letter, the American Embassy thanked police efforts to probe an allegation of donation money abuse and offered to use the leftover funds to cover the expenses of an inspection of the TTVI accounting procedures and records.

It also said hiring law firm Baker & McKenzie to audit TTVI's accounts might not be the best option to ease the doubts of the international community. Other well-known firms which have no auditing limitations would be more appropriate.

The letter also called for clarity about TTVI's future moves, as there were still 402 bodies not yet identified. Since TTVI had on February 5 said it might wind up soon due to a shortage of staff, the seven ambassadors raised concern as they wanted it to continue until its mission was complete.

National Police Deputy Commissioner-General Isaraphan Sanitwong na Ayuthaya, who headed the donation money investigation, said the findings were submitted to Seripisut on February 16.

He declined to give the result, saying Seripisut should disclose the details.

An inside source said it was highly likely the probe would find nothing suspicious.