Deputy Interior Minister Polapee Suwunchwee has ordered the relocation of three sets of remains buried at a Jewish cemetery in Bang Khla district, Chachoengsao, after its operating licence lapsed.
During a visit to the site on Monday, September 7, Polapee said the three people had died after the cemetery's licence expired and district authorities had not been notified. The district office and provincial governor will issue a formal written order requiring the remains to be moved.
A fourth burial is believed to have taken place while the licence was still valid. Polapee said that interment was lawful, but instructed deputy district officials to review the legislation; the remains may also have to be moved if they find a breach.
Licence renewal was refused
The cemetery operator received a licence in 2021 and applied to renew it when it expired in 2023. However, an inspection by the district chief and other agencies found that construction at the site did not comply with legal requirements, including rules on its distance from roads and rivers.
The licence was not renewed. An appeal to the interior minister at the time failed, and the operator has since taken the matter to the Administrative Court, where proceedings are still pending.
Polapee said any question of official negligence in inspections or licensing would need to be decided on the facts. In this case, he said officials had carried out their duties properly.
Charoen Krung and nationwide checks
Polapee said early checks indicated there were four or five places in Charoen Krung where human remains had been buried, amid reports that another Jewish cemetery there had operated without a licence for 30 years.
Officials have been sent to review the sites under relevant laws and regulations, with findings expected within one or two days. A nationwide review has also been ordered for all cemeteries. This is to establish whether all cemeteries have valid operating licences, and any site operating unlawfully will face legal action.
Pictures courtesy of The Nation
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