BANGKOK, March 25 (Xinhuanet) -- Two autopsy centers for tsunami victim bodies identification in Thailand's southern Phangnga province have been closed, the official Thai News Agency reported.

    Around 1,000 bodies of Asian victims at Wat Yan Yao and Wat Bang Muang in Phangnga will be transferred to the well-equipped identification center at Phuket's Mai Khao Cemetery for further examination, Deputy National Police Chief Napadol Somboonsab was quoted as saying Friday.

    Identified bodies will be moved to the Bang Maruan Cemetery in Phangnga, where they can be discharged to their relatives.

    So far, about 2,000 bodies have been identified. About 950 werereleased in the first two month following the disaster.

    The Bang Maruan Cemetery center will be fully operational by mid-April, and its final construction, costing more than 5 millionbaht (119,000 US dollars), is now underway.

    There are still some 1,000 foreign tsunami victims waiting to be identified at the Mai Khao Cemetery identification center in Phuket.

    Nopadol said it would take about one or two years for all the bodies, of both Thai and foreign victims, to be identified and repatriated to their countries. Enditem