Wisut Romin, head of the Thalang District Registration and Card section at the Thalang District Office made the apology yesterday (Nov 3) after details of the incident were posted on social media.
Mr Wisut explained that his office for years had been reusing printed paper as an “energy-saving measure according to the government policy”.
He said the document printed was not a marriage certificate, as reported on some websites.
The document printed was an official confirmation of marriage, known by its document designation KorRor.2. (Click here for a translated version from the Thai Department of Consular Affairs.)
The document was intended to be used to support an application for a visa application to study abroad, Mr Wisut said.
However, in re-using previously printed sheets of paper, the KorRor.2 was printed on the back of a death certificate, Mr Wisut said.
The death certificate printed was issued on Feb 19 last year for a suicide, confirming the cause of death as asphyxiation by hanging, Mr Wisut confirmed.
“The Thalang District Registrar’s Office apologizes for the mistake in this matter. We are ready to confirm that this will not happen again, and we have urged the officers to check the documents every time before giving them to the public.” Mr Wisut said.