pagallim

I'm a volunteer case worker for a UK military charity. Just before last Christmas I was dealing with someone who had died in a Phuket hospital. I eventually tracked down a relative in the UK, though they were unable to help with funeral expenses. There wasn't a next of kin locally, or anybody else willing to take responsibility for either the incurred hospital fees or interment costs. The person had a very small amount of money in their Thai bank account, though this could not be accessed by anybody without going to court and an Estate Administrator appointed (this would have cost many more times than was actually in the account). His next of kin signed a power of attorney for me to act on their behalf, and the British Embassy issued me a Consular Letter naming me as having authority to make arrangements. The body had been in the hospital morgue for about 3 weeks, and the hospital gave a deadline for a part payment of the hospital bill to be paid and the body released, other wise the routine is the body is buried in a marked grave and remain there for 5 years waiting to be claimed. If nobody comes forward in that 5 years, the body is then exhumed and cremated. Fortunately, the hospital understood the situation with the persons finances, and said that if the Embassy gave them a letter requesting debt relief on compassionate grounds for the full amount of the hospital expenses owed they would release the body to me The Embassy provided such a letter and the hospital consented to release the body to me. Next step was arranging a funeral. The hospital administrator recommended using a local Foundation, and we contacted them. They arranged for the body to be cremated at Wat Chalong 2 days later. I had to be there in the morning to sign authority for the body to be taken by the Foundation from the morgue. The all inclusive cost quoted by the Foundation was 10,000 baht, which included transport from hospital to the temple, flowers, and a service by monks. I had to obtain an actual Death Certificate from the Amphur, using the medical death certificates from the hospital, and the Consular Letter. The funeral took place on the 23rd December, and I tried to contact as many people as possible who might have known the deceased. My wife and I collected the ashes from the temple the following morning, Christmas Eve, and hired a longtail boat to scatter them in Chalong Bay. The charity I represent was going to pay for the funeral, so I actually paid for everything and they reimbursed me. When you get into the nitty gritty of dealing with death in Thailand, it really is a wake up call about having something in place for that 'what if' scenario. No two people's circumstances are going to be the same, but the Thai requirements for authority should be the same throughout the country. Some photos.

About a week ago, made an appointment for 1 p.m. today for my annual Marriage extension. Chose that time as it allowed for the required visit to the bank for the necessary bank book update and letter, copies to be made etc. Email confirmation from Immigration at the time, and in fact a reminder email yesterday of the booking. So, duly arrived just before 1 p.m., had the paperwork checked by the volunteer (I'm pretty meticulous in making the required copies that are necessary, so confident this will be a short in and out. Wrong. Apparently there were a few couples who the previous day had not had the correct documents, and they came back again. My 1 p.m. appointment was a waste of time, as the people from yesterday were given priority, and my appointment was out of the metaphorical window. So, not acually seen until 3 p.m., documents checked (15 minutes, all correct), then a 30 minute wait for my passport to be returned with the usual 'Under Consideration' stamp. To cap it all, we are now halfway home in the car, with the traffic quite heavy, when my wife gets a phone call from Immigration asking us to return as they had forgotten to take a photo of us together in Immigration. Absolute crap service, and the last time that I will made an appointment. Ater 5 p.m. by the time we got home.

I would second the recommendation for Jotun. My whole (large) house exterior was painted 9 years ago, and still looks good.

London (Metropolitan) Police salaries, starting circa 36,000 pounds, rising to 54,000 pounds after 7 years. Provincial police are not far behind, then also take into consideration their early retirement benefits and generous pensions. https://www.met.police.uk/police-forces/metropolitan-police/areas/c/careers/police-officer-roles/police-constable/overview/benefits-and-rewards/

Given the timelines quoted, and the possible conflict between the estimated time of death versus the prime suspect's flight departure, there may be others involved, probable/possible associates of the prime suspect, so hence the potential usefulness of CCTV footage. All conjecture of course, based on coincidence. Other cases of 'conflict' related assaults and deaths amongst farangs in Phuket at least, there are usually at least 2 or more assailants.

Not saying they were the killers, only an observation that firstly, a group of mature quite large foreigners that I recognised as being the type coming from some of the southern satellite countries of Russia (of which Tajikistan is one of several), and secondly that co-incidentally, the following day, the body was found in a property rented/used by a Tajik national, who had flown out of Phuket on a Turkish airlines flight to Istanbull that same evenng. I'm sure that the Tops shop in question will have CCTV.

Indeed, though Chechens tend to be more Slavic in appearance, as are Georgians. Kazakhs have typically Asian features, unlike the other 'Stans.

I live in a village around a mile from where the murder took place in Chalong. At about 7 p.m. that Tuesday evening, I popped into a Tops shop not far from me on the Chaofa West road. The shop is quite small and the aisles quite narrow, so the group of 4 or 5 fairly large men stood out. Having previously worked in Russia, I can usually pick them out, and this group I knew to be from one of the 'Stans, who are typically swarthy and Arab like in appearance, usually sporting beards. Never dressed well enough to actually be Arabs. Didn't give it another thought until reading this story, though now wonder if this group had some involvement, the timing and near location fits.

Suspected to be as a result of a 'business disagreement', this afternoon a Russian man (apparently 42 years old) found murdered with his throat slashed in a house behind the Ban Chalong school in Chalong. No doubt this will be getting wide coverage as the day progresses.

With respect, 'Poached' is as far from a 'Thai' resturant as it is possible to be. I live near to the original 'Poached' in Chalong, and can support all comments to its breakfast creduntials. But Thai? Rawai has become so international that it's not easy to get good/original Thai food. Stretch the search towards Phuket Town and Vichit may be better. That said, 'We Cafe' in Rawai is good, and is popular with Thai's as well as tourists.

Whilst useful to have one, an officially translated and registered home country will would suffice.

For clarity, the disposal of all personal assets within a will can only be distributed/claimed by a Thai court appointed Estate Administrator. Your will needs to name who you wish to be appointed as your EA, not only to whom your assets are to go to.

Indeed. However, unrelated to what I described in an earlier post, a friend of mine passed away last year, with death occuring quite quickly (within a couple of days of becoming ill) rather than suddenly. He'd given his wife access to his bank account which helped her quite a lot in the immediate aftermath of his death. As I write, his bank account is still open now, some 7 months after his death, in fact a tax rebate has just been credited to it. On a previous post that you made, the police did not visit his house, and neither they nor the Embassy informed his bank. His wife had all of the documentation.