This paper presents and discusses 30 cases of cadavers that had been transferred for forensic entomology investigations to the Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, northern Thailand, from 2000 to 2006. Variable death scenes were determined, including forested area and suburban and urban outdoor and indoor environments. The fly specimens found in the corpses obtained were the most commonly of the blow fly of family Calliphoridae, and consisted of Chrysomya megacephala (F.), Chrysomya rufifacies (Macquart) Chrysomya villeneuvi Patton, Chrysomya nigripes Aubertin, Chrysomya bezziana Villeneuve, Chrysomya chani Kurahashi, Lucilia cuprina (Wiedemann), Hemipyrellia ligurriens (Wiedemann), and two unknown species. Flies of the family Muscidae [Hydrotaea spinigera Stein, Synthesiomyia nudiseta (Wulp)], Piophilidae [Piophila casei (L.)], Phoridae [Megaselia scalaris (Loew)], Sarcophagidae [Parasarcophaga ruficornis (F.) and three unknown species], and Stratiomyiidae (Sargus sp.) were also collected from these human remains. Larvae and adults of the beetle, Dermestes maculatus DeGeer (Coleoptera: Dermestidae), were also found in some cases. Chrysomya megacephala and C. rufifacies were the most common species found in the ecologically varied death scene habitats associated with both urban and forested areas, while C. nigripes was commonly discovered in forested places. S. nudiseta was collected only from corpses found in an indoor death scene.

A 20-year-old well nourished woman was found dead suddenly and unexpectedly in her bedroom. According to her medical history, Graves' disease was diagnosed in August 2000 and the symptoms of thyrotoxicosis were poorly controlled. Autopsy and histology revealed diffuse enlargement of the thyroid gland (125 g, diffuse hyperplastic goiter), pulmonary edema, cardiomegaly (440 g) without coronary artery occlusion or stenosis. The cardiac muscles showed interstitial fibrosis with hypertrophy of the myocardial fibers. The circumstances and scene of death as well as the detailed postmortem analysis indicated that thyroid crisis from Graves' disease was the cause of death.

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is one of the most undiagnosed causes of death, and more than half of fatal PE is discovered only during autopsy. The author reports a case of sudden death from massive pulmonary thromboembolism due to an inferior vena cava (IVC) thrombosis caused by chronic pancreatitis. An extensive search for the location of the thrombus identified the source of emboli. The probable mechanism of IVC thrombosis caused by chronic pancreatitis is discussed. Awareness of this serious complication of chronic pancreatitis may have prevented the sudden death.

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