On 11/8/2020 at 7:46 PM, VocalNeal said:

 

I don't remember reading that he couldn't be repatriated just that the family can't come here. there is more than one way to solve a problem.

Indeed. The body has been kept here for over 5 months now. This costs 800 dollar per month.
He could have been repatriated, that might be late now, or
the body could have been cremated in Thailand and the ashes kept/sent over for a later funeral in Thailand or Australia.

Now you have an angry family who want to raise 40,000 for costs (which costs) and who do not understand 
each potential traveler is asked by Thai authorities to have 25,000 in their personal bank account (as a guarantee not as a payment) before being allowed to travel.

There is more than one way to get closure.

 

So many questions about this. From Pattaya one news. Was it near Pattaya?  The report says he was with friends on a fishing boat when it happened??  From Australia , very fit, ?? Who were the friends and why is there nothing about what exactly happened?  Anyone?? 

I don't know why this is news.  As others have posted, it's not impossible to transport his remains to his home country during this pandemic.  What should be making news are the dozens of elderly resident expats here in Chiang Mai who are close to death (or have died in the past five months), yet their loved ones were unable to come be with them them nor was it possible for them to return to their home countries because they needed to have an escort and a Thai escort could not be arranged for them.

 

But old, wrinkled people don't look as nice as the fitness yoga instructor who is the subject of this post.