Cremated persons Ashes/Bones returning to UK Family

 

Could anybody tell me how to OFFICIALLY and LEGALLY send back part of the cremated Bones/ashes from a friend who recently passed away in Thailand.

I have the death Certificate, I am the Executor of his Thai Will, part of the ashes will remain here, the rest will go back to his family in The U.K.

 

The courier services and Thai Post have all refused, stating their own policy or Gov. Regs.

Nobody is willing to actually go to the U.K. and take them.

 

Thanks

Send them via post and declare it's something else? Who is gonna argue if it's tea or ashes?

I see that no one wants to take the remains to the UK but just in case there is a change of mind:-

 

When my wife died, I took some of her ashes to Turkey and then to the UK. They were in my suitcase and marked 'human remains - non toxic' (or some such thing).

I was stopped, searched and swabbed at every airport and stop over, but always allowed to continue my journey.

Sorry - no idea about post etc in Thailand.

Father-in-law died in Australia and his remains were posted but via an Qantas.

 

Maybe try unaccompanied baggage or freight with an airline?

There was a post about this in the last 6 months I think.

 

Try doing a Google search, as that function on here is rubbish.

 

If you can't find it, try pm'ing one of the mods.

 

Edit:

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1208032-ashes-to-the-uk/

I just mailed my mother's remains to the US via the Thai Post office.  No questions asked, they even helped box up the ceramic vase very well so it wouldn't break.  Cheap.  And arrived in under 3 weeks.  No forms, nothing.

6 minutes ago, Jeffr2 said:

I just mailed my mother's remains to the US via the Thai Post office.  No questions asked, they even helped box up the ceramic vase very well so it wouldn't break.  Cheap.  And arrived in under 3 weeks.  No forms, nothing.

On your customs declaration form what did you put?

 

I have been told that in The U.K.  If I knowingly label them  incorrectly the customs can/will incinerate them ( no Joke they do this with everything.)

This would cause distress to the family in U.K..

They could not be hear for his funeral/cremation but I was able to Video it, however the final placing of his ashes will be their goodbye.

 

Seemingly Ashes are allowed in a airline passengers hold baggage therefore, I hope they will allow them to be sent unaccompanied baggage.

I will certainly check at a different Post Office.

MANY Thai's view the ashes along the same vein as Chosts therfore,

this could be just one Post Office worker who does not want to handle them.

 

My email request to ThaiPost has produced No REPLY.

 

Thank you for the replies I have received. Food for Thought!

OP, why not send with DHL or similar ? They would know the customs procedures etc

You should be able to get an official letter from the funeral home where cremation was performed, this may help with Post / delivery or questions asked.   

2 hours ago, CANSIAM said:

You should be able to get an official letter from the funeral home where cremation was performed, this may help with Post / delivery or questions asked.   

Find another post office!  I had no form, no letter.  They knew what to do, no questions asked.

Notify the UK Embassy of the passing. I believe you are meant to notify them of a death being the Power of Attorney. Ask them for advice on how you can return the ashes at the same time.

Ashes need to be properly sealed in a container (suggested an inner and outer container), Glass, stone, ceramic or metal may not be allowed (must be transparent to x-ray  security checks and not easily damaged). You may have problems with identifiable bones. Rules may vary depending on country of origin, destination and carrier.

There are also rules in the UK on where you can scatter ashes.

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Can ashes be sent by post?

 

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You cannot send the whole amount of cremated human remains / cremation ashes in the post. You can however send up to 50g of ashes. The consequence is that Royal Mail and Parcelforce Worldwide cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to items, not that you will fined for sending them.

 

https://scattering-ashes.co.uk/general/post-office-royal-mail/

On 6/12/2021 at 9:49 AM, rickudon said:

Ashes need to be properly sealed in a container (suggested an inner and outer container), Glass, stone, ceramic or metal may not be allowed (must be transparent to x-ray  security checks and not easily damaged). You may have problems with identifiable bones. Rules may vary depending on country of origin, destination and carrier.

There are also rules in the UK on where you can scatter ashes.

X-ray can see through all of those, no need to be "transparent", that's just for visual inspection without opening the container?