Breakdown of Funeral Costs in Thailand

[Stubby]

Good afternoon, forum.

A couple of years ago someone posted a breakdown of funeral costs in Thailand. I've done plenty of searching, and have found many funeral threads from over the years. However, I haven’t been able to locate the one where the poster listed a breakdown of all the individual costs. It had everything with the price in Baht at the side of each item. Obviously, this didn't include private costs like donations, food, and days of partying, etc.

 

Please reply here if you know where this post located on Thaivisa. Likewise, please point me to anywhere else this information might be available.  Why am I asking? Well, I've seen cheap funerals done for less than 10K Baht. I've also seen prices up to half a million and everything between the two extremes. It'd be nice to have a real cost breakdown so that I can be specific in my Advanced Decision document.

Thanks in advance for any help

Stubby

[BobBKK]

I think you need to be a tad more specific?  cremation?  how many people would attend?  what happens to your ashes?  otherwise it's 'how long is a piece of string'?

[billd766]

Unfortunately there is no simple or easy answer.

 

Firstly it depends on your location, city, urban or rural.

 

My FIL died at Bang Na in Bangkok last november and the family went to 5 different wats in a 3 km radius asking for 5 nights of mourning as family were coming from up to 500 km away. Each wat had prices ranging from 25,000 to 60,00 baht depending on your requirements. It also depends on how popular the wat is. The more popular the higher the cost. 

 

I think the family paid about 50,000 baht for the wat fees.

 

You need to specify

How many monks you want. (For some odd reason I think that they come in an odd number.)

Will you do your own catering or use the temples staff

You will also have to supply ice and drinking water in the little plastic throwaway cups. The temples usually have the large red ice chests for hire

You will need to supply gifts for all the monks that you hire

Bigger temples have more mourning halls depending on how many mourners are expected and if you want a/c or fans.

 

I am not sure if the cremation costs are included but you need to wait 24 hours for the bones and ashes to cool and the monks to have yet another ceremony with more gifts.

 

When my MIL died up here in rural Khampaeng Phet the cost for 5 nights was about 10,000 baht and some of the family stayed at the temple as we had run out of room. Not expensive.

 

The family and some friends did the catering but we did NOT provide any alcohol after the evening ceremonies nor for after the cremation. For 100 guests you would need to feed them and tou would need perhaps 30 bottles of Hong Thong. Many will be taken home afterwards, soft drinks for the kids, plenty of ice and water.

 

This should give you some basic ideas and if you need more info you will have to send your wife/trusted Thai male friend out in the area where you think you will be cremated and get some basic costs. From that you can flesh it out to give you a ballpark figure.

[KhunBENQ]

1 hour ago, Stubby said:

However, I haven’t been able to locate the one where the poster listed a breakdown of all the individual costs

There is indeed a double digit number of threads on this topic.

One post that has a tabular list:

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/440286-isaan-village-funeral/?do=findComment&comment=4199704

The total of 111k is a mid range event if you compare with numbers found in the many threads (30k to 300k).

It depends so much on location, rank/status of the deceased, number of guests, quality of catering/drinks.

Catering can be a full service company that does it all or it is a community event with many helping hands but also the whole mess (slaughtering/cutting, cooking and all the waste left over for millions of flies).

 

What I miss in the list is the return from money donations of the guests which is absolutely mandatory (at least here in the village).

Edited June 4, 2018 by KhunBENQ

[lensta]

Actually I just want the cost of the actual cremation as I don't want any monks or any of the other

usual mumbo jumbo stuff associated with a Thai funeral. Die - burn, end of story.

Edited June 4, 2018 by lensta

[Lacessit]

My best guess is 5000 - 10,000 baht in a Thai village. Any time a person dies in a village, the locals contribute to the funeral. Not much - about 100 - 200 baht, depending on what they can afford. But multiply that by a hundred or so villagers, and it adds up.

[Randell]

I was told very pleasantly that I could wish what I wanted but when I was gone it would be up to them to do with in the village and family traditions so don't worry you have a long life ahead of you yet. Don't even think about it. the family will get all that I have and it for them to do with as they wish. I wish they wouldn't spend it all sending me off. But I have gone out of my way to adapt  myself into  village life so I am fine with the families ultimate call on this.

[crazykopite]

A friend past on 2 years ago all in cost was 30,000 baht which included 3 nights in a refrigerated shaped coffin, when I go it can be a couple of bags of charcoal in a hole in the garden no monks just a few friends and a few beers to see me on my way !

[Gandtee]

1 hour ago, crazykopite said:

A friend past on 2 years ago all in cost was 30,000 baht which included 3 nights in a refrigerated shaped coffin, when I go it can be a couple of bags of charcoal in a hole in the garden no monks just a few friends and a few beers to see me on my way !

 

1 hour ago, crazykopite said:

A friend past on 2 years ago all in cost was 30,000 baht which included 3 nights in a refrigerated shaped coffin, when I go it can be a couple of bags of charcoal in a hole in the garden no monks just a few friends and a few beers to see me on my way !

Me too. But my ashes to be scattered in Sattahip Bay where I can join my departed Mum for a bit of swimming. 

[Sheryl]

Cremation only, 10K or less in a rural village, maybe twice that in an urban area.

 

Note that before you can be cremated or buried permission must be obtained from your embassy to release the body, most Embassies will not give that until they in turn get the green light from next of kin (NOK). If you have a Thai spouse that is easy, but if you do not have any Thai (legal) family they are going need to track down NOK. Some embassies have systems whereby you can register your presence in Thailand and provide contact information in advance, if so this  is where they will look first. Many Embassies will accept someone named as Executor in your will, if you have one, in lieu of NOK.

 

It is not necessary for the NOK to come to Thailand or personally oversee the arrangements - they can delegate that task to someone (individual or company) in country if they prefer. Embassies just want to be able to show that they did their due diligence in seeing that NOK were informed of the death and that disposal of the remains accorded with their wishes. When I have been involved in this for US citizens all the NOK had to do was fill out 2 simple forms and email or fax them back to the Embassy: one asserting that they were the NOK and the other authorizating person/company X to handle all arrangements on their behalf.

 

Note also that if you have any assets back in your home country, or your survivors are eligible for any sort  of benefits after your death (pension, social security survivor benefit etc), it will usually be necessary to get  a document from your Embassy stating that you died in Thailand ;this is issued based on a Thai death certificate.

 

This company specializes in expat deaths and can handle all the paperwork as well as arrange a no-frills cremation or burial, with or without ashes provided to your family or mailed back home as preferred (they cal also do with frills funerals, if wanted):

 

https://www.amarinternational.com/

 

And I believe so can this one:

 

https://www.evercaresolution.com/resources/home.html#faq

 

the first one offers pre-paid arrangements i.e. you can select what you want and pay for it in advance. Not sure if the second does as well or not. Also not sure how costs between the two places compares.

 

The big advantage to using companies like this is that they handle the paperwork, contacts with Embassy etc, which can be hard for survivors to manage (especially if Thai or not located in Thailand) and also if you do not have family here in Thailand to handle things. For those who have Thai spouses and don't need Embassy certification of their death (i.e. no assets back home or survivor benefits in play) probably no need.

 

Re  ceremony, be aware that it has great cultural importance in Thailand both as a matter of face (if you have a Thai family they will completely lose face in the village and with their friends and family if there is no funeral) and also -- very important -- to prevent haunting by the deceased's  ghost, which in the minds of most Thais is a very real issue. Hence even when someone dies without a penny to their name, if it happens in a village or mu ban, odds are the neighbors will between them come up with the funds for a small ceremony. Not because they care about the deceased per se but because they are afraid of his/her ghost and these ceremonies are believed necessary to  send the spirit on its way. Also, these are big social events for the village and people enjoy them accordingly.

 

Your chances of avoiding a funeral ceremony if you leave behind a Thai spouse or family are therefore pretty low.

 

How much the ceremonial aspect costs is utterly variable depending on scale (and "face" may require more rather than less) but it is indeed the custom for all who attend (which is usually everybody in the village as well as all family members) to make a donation, just as they do at weddings, and this helps defray the cost.

 

 

 

 

[tutsiwarrior]

just paid 80k baht for a funeral at a local village wat, pretty much to local and family traditions...8 monks chanting  and 4 days at the wat from delivery from the hospital to today when we have the cremation and the festivities are still going on there...so looks like 5 days altogether...all food and drink and wat costs included...looks like all of the village attended plus some neighbors from our local town...

 

this is in central Thailand about 2hr drive from BKK for regional comparison purposes...

 

 

[billd766]

1 hour ago, Sheryl said:

Cremation only, 10K or less in a rural village, maybe twice that in an urban area.

 

Note that before you can be cremated or buried permission must be obtained from your embassy to release the body, most Embassies will not give that until they in turn get the green light from next of kin (NOK). If you have a Thai spouse that is easy, but if you do not have any Thai (legal) family they are going need to track down NOK. Some embassies have systems whereby you can register your presence in Thailand and provide contact information in advance, if so this  is where they will look first. Many Embassies will accept someone named as Executor in your will, if you have one, in lieu of NOK.

 

It is not necessary for the NOK to come to Thailand or personally oversee the arrangements - they can delegate that task to someone (individual or company) in country if they prefer. Embassies just want to be able to show that they did their due diligence in seeing that NOK were informed of the death and that disposal of the remains accorded with their wishes. When I have been involved in this for US citizens all the NOK had to do was fill out 2 simple forms and email or fax them back to the Embassy: one asserting that they were the NOK and the other authorizating person/company X to handle all arrangements on their behalf.

 

Note also that if you have any assets back in your home country, or your survivors are eligible for any sort  of benefits after your death (pension, social security survivor benefit etc), it will usually be necessary to get  a document from your Embassy stating that you died in Thailand ;this is issued based on a Thai death certificate.

 

This company specializes in expat deaths and can handle all the paperwork as well as arrange a no-frills cremation or burial, with or without ashes provided to your family or mailed back home as preferred (they cal also do with frills funerals, if wanted):

 

https://www.amarinternational.com/

 

And I believe so can this one:

 

https://www.evercaresolution.com/resources/home.html#faq

 

the first one offers pre-paid arrangements i.e. you can select what you want and pay for it in advance. Not sure if the second does as well or not. Also not sure how costs between the two places compares.

 

The big advantage to using companies like this is that they handle the paperwork, contacts with Embassy etc, which can be hard for survivors to manage (especially if Thai or not located in Thailand) and also if you do not have family here in Thailand to handle things. For those who have Thai spouses and don't need Embassy certification of their death (i.e. no assets back home or survivor benefits in play) probably no need.

 

Re  ceremony, be aware that it has great cultural importance in Thailand both as a matter of face (if you have a Thai family they will completely lose face in the village and with their friends and family if there is no funeral) and also -- very important -- to prevent haunting by the deceased's  ghost, which in the minds of most Thais is a very real issue. Hence even when someone dies without a penny to their name, if it happens in a village or mu ban, odds are the neighbors will between them come up with the funds for a small ceremony. Not because they care about the deceased per se but because they are afraid of his/her ghost and these ceremonies are believed necessary to  send the spirit on its way. Also, these are big social events for the village and people enjoy them accordingly.

 

Your chances of avoiding a funeral ceremony if you leave behind a Thai spouse or family are therefore pretty low.

 

How much the ceremonial aspect costs is utterly variable depending on scale (and "face" may require more rather than less) but it is indeed the custom for all who attend (which is usually everybody in the village as well as all family members) to make a donation, just as they do at weddings, and this helps defray the cost.

 

 

 

 

 

IIRC when a farang dies the police must be informed and the body taken to the local hospital for checking the cause of death. In most cases of natural death the hospital tell the police who them release the body to the Thai family and then normal proceedures carry on. Also it is the job of the police to inform the embassy though whether that happens in  rural parts I don't know.

 

The embassy also need the passport to be returned.

[billd766]

5 minutes ago, tutsiwarrior said:

just paid 80k baht for a funeral at a local village wat, pretty much to local and family traditions...8 monks chanting  and 4 days at the wat from delivery from the hospital to today when we have the cremation and the festivities are still going on there...so looks like 5 days altogether...all food and drink and wat costs included...looks like all of the village attended plus some neighbors from our local town...

 

this is in central Thailand about 2hr drive from BKK for regional comparison purposes...

 

 

 

That sounds about right.

[simon43]

Sheryl, as a point of interest, who is one's NOK?

 

For example, I am happily divorced (3 times).  Legally, I don't think my ex-wives count as NOK.  Would it be my eldest brother or my eldest child? (My parents are both deceased).

 

What's the order of 'seniority' as far as NOK is concerned?

[Sheryl]

1. Spouse (exes not included).
2. Adult children if any
3. Parents if still living
4. siblings

I am not sure past this. And in my experience if there is no spouse Embassies are satisfied with any "first degree" relative and if there are non such the whoever they can scrounge up as long as tbat person will sign a statement acknowledging that they are your nearest living relative.

I have also known at least the US Embassy to accept an unrelated person named as Executor in the deceased's will.

Basically they just want to cover themselves from any repurcussions from relatives who might complain to the foreign office.

Sent from my SM-J701F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[scorecard]

2 hours ago, Sheryl said:

Cremation only, 10K or less in a rural village, maybe twice that in an urban area.

 

Note that before you can be cremated or buried permission must be obtained from your embassy to release the body, most Embassies will not give that until they in turn get the green light from next of kin (NOK). If you have a Thai spouse that is easy, but if you do not have any Thai (legal) family they are going need to track down NOK. Some embassies have systems whereby you can register your presence in Thailand and provide contact information in advance, if so this  is where they will look first. Many Embassies will accept someone named as Executor in your will, if you have one, in lieu of NOK.

 

It is not necessary for the NOK to come to Thailand or personally oversee the arrangements - they can delegate that task to someone (individual or company) in country if they prefer. Embassies just want to be able to show that they did their due diligence in seeing that NOK were informed of the death and that disposal of the remains accorded with their wishes. When I have been involved in this for US citizens all the NOK had to do was fill out 2 simple forms and email or fax them back to the Embassy: one asserting that they were the NOK and the other authorizating person/company X to handle all arrangements on their behalf.

 

Note also that if you have any assets back in your home country, or your survivors are eligible for any sort  of benefits after your death (pension, social security survivor benefit etc), it will usually be necessary to get  a document from your Embassy stating that you died in Thailand ;this is issued based on a Thai death certificate.

 

This company specializes in expat deaths and can handle all the paperwork as well as arrange a no-frills cremation or burial, with or without ashes provided to your family or mailed back home as preferred (they cal also do with frills funerals, if wanted):

 

https://www.amarinternational.com/

 

And I believe so can this one:

 

https://www.evercaresolution.com/resources/home.html#faq

 

the first one offers pre-paid arrangements i.e. you can select what you want and pay for it in advance. Not sure if the second does as well or not. Also not sure how costs between the two places compares.

 

The big advantage to using companies like this is that they handle the paperwork, contacts with Embassy etc, which can be hard for survivors to manage (especially if Thai or not located in Thailand) and also if you do not have family here in Thailand to handle things. For those who have Thai spouses and don't need Embassy certification of their death (i.e. no assets back home or survivor benefits in play) probably no need.

 

Re  ceremony, be aware that it has great cultural importance in Thailand both as a matter of face (if you have a Thai family they will completely lose face in the village and with their friends and family if there is no funeral) and also -- very important -- to prevent haunting by the deceased's  ghost, which in the minds of most Thais is a very real issue. Hence even when someone dies without a penny to their name, if it happens in a village or mu ban, odds are the neighbors will between them come up with the funds for a small ceremony. Not because they care about the deceased per se but because they are afraid of his/her ghost and these ceremonies are believed necessary to  send the spirit on its way. Also, these are big social events for the village and people enjoy them accordingly.

 

Your chances of avoiding a funeral ceremony if you leave behind a Thai spouse or family are therefore pretty low.

 

How much the ceremonial aspect costs is utterly variable depending on scale (and "face" may require more rather than less) but it is indeed the custom for all who attend (which is usually everybody in the village as well as all family members) to make a donation, just as they do at weddings, and this helps defray the cost.

 

 

 

My embassy has a specific website where you can record your wishes, very easy to use,  you can:

 

- Officially record your NOK either in Thailand or anywhere, contact details etc. 

- Officially record there is no NOK in your home country, or anywhere.

- Officially record that you don't want anybody to be informed of your death in home country. Etc.

 

Takes just a few minutes to complete, worth considering so that the Thai police / your own embassy have specific names and contact details etc., or on the other hand they don't waste time and resources unnecessarily trying to establish family names and addresses, and try to find people. 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 4, 2018 by scorecard

[Sheryl]

That sounds great, wish all Embassies did the same. Which Embassy is this?

Sent from my SM-J701F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[scorecard]

I have PR for Thailand, my beloved Thai wife has passed on, I live with my Thai son and his Thai wife and their kids / my grandchildren. I have no family whatever remaining in my home country and I was never close to them at all when they were alive. My Thai son and his new family are my family.

 

My son has very clear instructions about my cremation, very simple, small wat where the cost is low, 1 monk to chant for a few minutes (to make my son happy), no nightly prayers etc, no party of any sort.

 

He wondered how he could explain all of the above to the broader family and not look like he's doing a cheap charlie on dad.

 

I suggested that he explain it was my wish that every Baht possible must be saved for my grandchildresn education.

 

He liked that suggestion and it in fact fits with reality, I know he will say the above if needed and then change the subject. 

 

 

Edited June 4, 2018 by scorecard

[scorecard]

2 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

That sounds great, wish all Embassies did the same. Which Embassy is this?

Sent from my SM-J701F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

Australia.

 

 

[Stubby]

Thanks, everybody, there are some really, really good replies here.

 

I probably wasn't specific enough in my opening post. I'm not interested in parties, guests, food, booze, monks, and all that other jazz, at least not yet. I was keen to know the procedural costs mainly. KhunBENQ pointed me to the thread I'd been looking for. I knew someone who died in Bangkok about three years back, The poor sod was barely 50. Anyway, his family in the US either couldn't pay or wouldn't pay for his funeral costs. There was a whip-round among the local expats that knew him to raise the 25K fee for a basic send off. Because we see so many figures thrown around I was curious to know how the organizers came to this cost. I didn't attend but the small gathering that did say it was a nice do, for want of a better expression.

I know some of these send-offs can be extravagant and go on for days. Personally, I can't see the point in throwing the party of your life when you're not there to enjoy it. And the guests (most of them strangers) are probably too drunk to even know who's just been toasted ?

Anyway, great responses, so thanks one and all ?

Stubby

 

Edited June 4, 2018 by Stubby

[Box fighter]

Hi forum

   I lost my best friend in Pattaya 5/6 weeks ago aged 72 he suffered a heart attack he had a thai live in gf and he had a condo in the nirun it was in his name and transferred over over in his demise after the medics came and pronounced him dead he was taken to Bangkok memorial in Pattaya where he stayed 3 days and he had autopsy done and was taken to Bangkok ( embassy) his passport was handed over and cut corners and returned to the person who done the funeral this was done back in Pattaya just off 3 rd road and soi beakow some 4 days later the flowers were done and there was about 20 witnesses of his gfs family and friends from rayong after the funeral the monks assembled all the ashes and were given back to the undertaker the undertaker made sure the condo was put in his thai gf name and his ashes returned to England total price was 35000 baht the undertaker kept in constant contact with the deceased’s daughter back in England all times it was simple and beautify done this included the return of the ashes in a lovely urn 

hope this helps  

[Sheryl]

My condolences on your loss. Thank you for sharing this information

 

Who was the undertaker? I am thinking perhaps one of the companies I mentioned?

 

Sent from my SM-J701F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

 

 

 

 

[scorecard]

15 hours ago, scorecard said:

I have PR for Thailand, my beloved Thai wife has passed on, I live with my Thai son and his Thai wife and their kids / my grandchildren. I have no family whatever remaining in my home country and I was never close to them at all when they were alive. My Thai son and his new family are my family.

 

My son has very clear instructions about my cremation, very simple, small wat where the cost is low, 1 monk to chant for a few minutes (to make my son happy), no nightly prayers etc, no party of any sort.

 

He wondered how he could explain all of the above to the broader family and not look like he's doing a cheap charlie on dad.

 

I suggested that he explain it was my wish that every Baht possible must be saved for my grandchildresn education.

 

He liked that suggestion and it in fact fits with reality, I know he will say the above if needed and then change the subject. 

 

 

 

Just thought of a small addition; my son's in-laws have asked many time how rich his father is*, etc., and asked / hinted strongly about giving them all gifts of money / asking him to ask me for cash handouts, to be handed over NOW!

 

They annoy the hell out of my son, he's never rude to them but always gives them a strong NO and makes it plain there is no discussion on this point. Several times I've been told directly by son's in laws that I'm keeneow mark (very stingy), even though when my son married he gave his in-laws a very large dowry, and we've been quick to pay several very large hospital bills for them, and once a gift of 250,000Baht so that son's father-in law wouldn't lose his farm which he had used as security for his delinquent daughters' student loan, her education all finished (didn't graduate - attended spasmodically, too lazy to try to study) she refuses to pay back, even 200Baht per month.

 

My son will no doubt be expecting that the requests for cash will start again instantly I am dead. Son saying, again  'all preserved for his kids education' still the perfect answer. 

 

* Comments about me being rich all driven by my son's middle aged loud mouth know all / know nothing ladyboy brother in law who has convinced them that I have money without limits because like all farang my home government gives every citizen, all ages, working or not working , in the country and out of the country, 50,000Baht a month. He claims he has proof but cannot show the proof because the whole will be punished. They believe him.

 

 

Edited June 5, 2018 by scorecard

[Gandtee]

I feel sorry for your son. They will descend on him like vultures. He must be strong and put his children first. I hope you are not planning to pop off soon?

[tryasimight]

In the last year there have been two funerals in the village of people I know closely. 

Wifes Uncle....5 day affair with a big to do at the temple....rockets, lots of ceremony involved, high profile guests etc. Cost a lot of money 1-2 hundred thousand (or maybe double that...I really don't know) at a rough guess. The ceremony at the Wat went on for three hours from memory (seemed much longer ... got really boring watching people sucking up to the monks).

Wifes friends sister.....no 'party' ...dead one day, burnt two days later...freebie cremation...cost very, very little (nothing basically). The cremation costs zero in our village (for anyone not just the poor people) , the expense is all about show.

 

The cost really depends on who,what and where you are.

[Gandtee]

To sum up. Face.

 

[BlackJack]

On 6/4/2018 at 5:56 PM, Sheryl said:

Cremation only, 10K or less in a rural village, maybe twice that in an urban area.

 

Note that before you can be cremated or buried permission must be obtained from your embassy to release the body, most Embassies will not give that until they in turn get the green light from next of kin (NOK). If you have a Thai spouse that is easy, but if you do not have any Thai (legal) family they are going need to track down NOK. Some embassies have systems whereby you can register your presence in Thailand and provide contact information in advance, if so this  is where they will look first. Many Embassies will accept someone named as Executor in your will, if you have one, in lieu of NOK.

 

It is not necessary for the NOK to come to Thailand or personally oversee the arrangements - they can delegate that task to someone (individual or company) in country if they prefer. Embassies just want to be able to show that they did their due diligence in seeing that NOK were informed of the death and that disposal of the remains accorded with their wishes. When I have been involved in this for US citizens all the NOK had to do was fill out 2 simple forms and email or fax them back to the Embassy: one asserting that they were the NOK and the other authorizating person/company X to handle all arrangements on their behalf.

 

Note also that if you have any assets back in your home country, or your survivors are eligible for any sort  of benefits after your death (pension, social security survivor benefit etc), it will usually be necessary to get  a document from your Embassy stating that you died in Thailand ;this is issued based on a Thai death certificate.

 

This company specializes in expat deaths and can handle all the paperwork as well as arrange a no-frills cremation or burial, with or without ashes provided to your family or mailed back home as preferred (they cal also do with frills funerals, if wanted):

 

https://www.amarinternational.com/

 

And I believe so can this one:

 

https://www.evercaresolution.com/resources/home.html#faq

 

the first one offers pre-paid arrangements i.e. you can select what you want and pay for it in advance. Not sure if the second does as well or not. Also not sure how costs between the two places compares.

 

The big advantage to using companies like this is that they handle the paperwork, contacts with Embassy etc, which can be hard for survivors to manage (especially if Thai or not located in Thailand) and also if you do not have family here in Thailand to handle things. For those who have Thai spouses and don't need Embassy certification of their death (i.e. no assets back home or survivor benefits in play) probably no need.

 

Re  ceremony, be aware that it has great cultural importance in Thailand both as a matter of face (if you have a Thai family they will completely lose face in the village and with their friends and family if there is no funeral) and also -- very important -- to prevent haunting by the deceased's  ghost, which in the minds of most Thais is a very real issue. Hence even when someone dies without a penny to their name, if it happens in a village or mu ban, odds are the neighbors will between them come up with the funds for a small ceremony. Not because they care about the deceased per se but because they are afraid of his/her ghost and these ceremonies are believed necessary to  send the spirit on its way. Also, these are big social events for the village and people enjoy them accordingly.

 

Your chances of avoiding a funeral ceremony if you leave behind a Thai spouse or family are therefore pretty low.

 

How much the ceremonial aspect costs is utterly variable depending on scale (and "face" may require more rather than less) but it is indeed the custom for all who attend (which is usually everybody in the village as well as all family members) to make a donation, just as they do at weddings, and this helps defray the cost.

 

There is only one company that does everything including in house legals/insurance/probate and that is www.thai888.com

One company to handle everything  - sounds like sense as why run around to other places when you are stressed to get the same end result?

 

On 6/4/2018 at 5:56 PM, Sheryl said:

 

 

 

 

[malagateddy]

 
IIRC when a farang dies the police must be informed and the body taken to the local hospital for checking the cause of death. In most cases of natural death the hospital tell the police who them release the body to the Thai family and then normal proceedures carry on. Also it is the job of the police to inform the embassy though whether that happens in  rural parts I don't know.
 
The embassy also need the passport to be returned.

Best that next of kin " holds on " to passport..just tells police it's been " mislaid
I helped the widow of a man who had not made a will to get all papers n documents together.
Fortunately a friend of mine lives in Buriram area and was in the insurance game.
He managed to sort out everything for the widow.
I will say to all expats here..draw up a will..explain everything to your wife and write down in simple terms all contacts/companys etc to be notified come your demise.
Majority of Thai widows sadly do not have a clue.
Hope above helps.

Sent from my SM-G7102 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[NancyL]

In my experience with the U.S. Consulate, they return the passport to the Nex-of-Kin with holes punched in the cover to invalidate the passport.  It is the duty of the NOK or their representative to go to the local immigration office with the Thai death certificate to inform immigration of the death.  Otherwise, at least in Chiang Mai province, eventually immigration will seek out the person for overstay when they miss the application for their next extension of stay and there is no record of them having left the country.  No fine for the NOK if they fail to notify, but it's just not a good idea to make immigration come searching.

[scorecard]

On 4/6/2019 at 7:13 AM, malagateddy said:

Best that next of kin " holds on " to passport..just tells police it's been " mislaid
I helped the widow of a man who had not made a will to get all papers n documents together.
Fortunately a friend of mine lives in Buriram area and was in the insurance game.
He managed to sort out everything for the widow.
I will say to all expats here..draw up a will..explain everything to your wife and write down in simple terms all contacts/companys etc to be notified come your demise.
Majority of Thai widows sadly do not have a clue.
Hope above helps.

Sent from my SM-G7102 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

 

It's perhaps not that simple. Perhaps country by country.

 

I know from a past experience that the RTP quickly pass the passport of a deceased Australian to the OZ embassy in Bkk who in turn issue an all points bulletin to many OZ govt. agencies.

 

This ensures that any pensions etc., payments are stopped quickly and in some cases (DVA) it quickly prompts the payment of a government funeral / bereavement benefit (from memory about AUD2,000-) into the account in Thailand (or wherever) of the deceased.

 

I also know that if the pension payments continue after death but later the gov't agency involved discoveres the person has deceased then the money must be paid back to the government and they will take action to get it returned. 

 

How all of that works for other countries I have no idea. 

 

 

 

Edited April 8, 2019 by scorecard