Expat Death Procedure

[Saminthailand]

On my or another Expats death in Thailand, what is the procedure? How do the next if Kin communicate with the Consulate?

 

Yes have read .Gov but it's not that we'll explained

[Upnotover]

Well, GOV.UK says "The next of kin must provide proof they are related to the person that died and inform the embassy in writing who they have requested to make the arrangements" and when you click the inform the embassy link it pops up an email link.  So presumably email is their preferred communication method. 

[OneMoreFarang]

The local authorities will contact the embassy of the person's home country.

Then "the embassy", I guess with the help of the home country, will find out who is next of kin. Then they will inform next of kin. And the embassy will also likely inform next of kin who they could/should contact in Thailand.

Then it's up to next of kin to decide what will happen next.

[KannikaP]

9 minutes ago, Upnotover said:

Well, GOV.UK says "The next of kin must provide proof they are related to the person that died and inform the embassy in writing who they have requested to make the arrangements" and when you click the inform the embassy link it pops up an email link.  So presumably email is their preferred communication method. 

So my long time GF, who doesn't even know the password for my PC, must inform gov.uk in writing (address ?) or email that I have popped my clogs. Ha ha. 

[sherwood]

My wife of over six years never tells me about anything until the last possible moment so I intend to avail her to the same option. 

[sungod]

13 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

So my long time GF, who doesn't even know the password for my PC, must inform gov.uk in writing (address ?) or email that I have popped my clogs. Ha ha. 

Not sure if its the same all over the country, but normally when you are dead as a foreigner you will be taken to the police hospital morgue in Bangkok, identity established, relevant Embassy informed and it rolls from there.

[Liverpool Lou]

3 hours ago, KannikaP said:

So my long time GF, who doesn't even know the password for my PC, must inform gov.uk in writing (address ?) or email that I have popped my clogs. Ha ha. 

No, she doesn't have to inform "gov.uk".   She'll have to inform someone and the police would be a good start if they hadn't already been advised.   She could just contact your country's embassy which no doubt would be able to handle.

[Liverpool Lou]

3 hours ago, Saminthailand said:

How do the next if Kin communicate with the Consulate?

They, the police or medical authorities phone the embassy.

 

You may need to clarify exactly what it is that you are asking.

[JeffThorsen777]

Thanks a lot!

[brianthainess]

There is a place in the back of your passport where you can put your next of kin's contact address, phone num. It is advised to use pencil in-case you wish to change it.

I presume the police inform your embassy and they will contact your next of kin.

[brianthainess]

On 12/28/2021 at 8:11 PM, sungod said:

Not sure if its the same all over the country, but normally when you are dead as a foreigner you will be taken to the police hospital morgue in Bangkok, identity established, relevant Embassy informed and it rolls from there.

Yes I believe that is true, I had a friend who died in a local hospital from natural cause, his body was sent to Bangkok, i believe also to check the cause of death, he was in a very long term relationship here with a LB, (he had already signed over everything to 'her'). 'She' had to wait for the body to be sent back, before the cremation could take place.

[crazykopite]

Having taken care of two deaths in the past 3 months the whole procedure can be a nightmare especially as one passed on the Thursday and one passed on the Friday so I had to wait until the following Tuesday and Wednesday to get the bodies released even though I was named as executor in both wills one was a Brit who came in on a Canadian passport the other a swede problem is the embassy of the deceased has to contact the next of Kin . When your dead you don’t know your dead you leave the problem for others .

[sharecropper]

On 2/22/2022 at 9:22 PM, crazykopite said:

Having taken care of two deaths in the past 3 months the whole procedure can be a nightmare especially as one passed on the Thursday and one passed on the Friday so I had to wait until the following Tuesday and Wednesday to get the bodies released even though I was named as executor in both wills one was a Brit who came in on a Canadian passport the other a swede problem is the embassy of the deceased has to contact the next of Kin . When your dead you don’t know your dead you leave the problem for others .

Thanks. What did you have to do and\or who did you have to contact at the British Embassy (if anyone) in order to get the body released?

[British Consular Team]

On 4/27/2022 at 2:49 PM, sharecropper said:

Thanks. What did you have to do and\or who did you have to contact at the British Embassy (if anyone) in order to get the body released?

Hello @sharecropper. Please see further advice on this page of GOV.UK on how to get a Consular letter from the Embassy in order to get the body release.

[billd766]

1 hour ago, British Consular Team said:

Hello @sharecropper. Please see further advice on this page of GOV.UK on how to get a Consular letter from the Embassy in order to get the body release.

But Thailand is my home and I shall be cremated at the local wat some 500 metres away.

 

My Thai wife IS my next of kin, followed by my Thai son.

 

I married my Thai wife at the registrar's office on 28 April 2000 and I have the laminated copy of the certificate. I also have the laminated copy of the wedding certificate translated and certified copy by the MFA in Bangkok.

 

Our son was born on 1st August 2004 at the military hospital in Nakhon Sawan and I have the laminated copies of his birth certificate in both English and Thai.

 

In the UK there is my son, his wife and 2 children and my ex-wife and nothing else for anybody to claim for.

 

What else do I need?

 

[sharecropper]

3 hours ago, British Consular Team said:

Hello @sharecropper. Please see further advice on this page of GOV.UK on how to get a Consular letter from the Embassy in order to get the body release.

Excellent - thanks. So my wife just produces our marriage certificate and my will, under which she is sole executor, beneficiary and has sole authority to decide on my funeral arrangements and disposal of my remains?

 

Who does she send this all to/take it to at the Embassy?

 

And how long does this all usually take while I'm (probably expensively) lying on a slab in cold storage?

 

Thanks.

[scooterboy]

To Sharecropper - no further info from anyone, I see.

 

Yes, it would definitely be great to know more about the procedure and timeframe regarding the "Consular Letter".

 

I presume (but don't know for certain), that it can be requested via an email to

[email protected]

 

I have already prepared such an email for this purpose, which requests release of my body and includes my passport details and my partners Thai Id, passport copy and phone number.

 

Again, I presume that the Consular Letter is an official 'release of body' authorisation. If so, how does the next of kin receive it (i.e. via email?) and what does he/she actually do with it - take it to the police or mortuary (or wherever)? 

 

Anyone have any info or advice of the above?

 

Thanks  ????

 

[lungbing]

It really would help if the consular officials themselves answered this instead of us going round the houses for weeks debating it.

[pattaya1234was]

On 2/18/2022 at 8:32 AM, brianthainess said:

Yes I believe that is true, I had a friend who died in a local hospital from natural cause, his body was sent to Bangkok, i believe also to check the cause of death, he was in a very long term relationship here with a LB, (he had already signed over everything to 'her'). 'She' had to wait for the body to be sent back, before the cremation could take place.

No doubt someone will correct me if I am wrong but I was under the impression that if one died in hospital there was no need for the body to go to Bangkok. The hospital takes of matters. If you die at home then Bangkok is the calling place.

To save my partner having problems on my death my brother, in the UK, has informed the Embassy here in Bangkok that he is happy for my partner to deal with matters-the Embassy have been provided with my partners details ID Card etc. The Embassy has acknowledged that they have the details.

[scooterboy]

Sheesh! I do hope that Bangkok is NOT the (only) calling place in Thailand. I live way up-country, very far from BKK. It would def be mighty bothersome for my partner to have to worry about what may or may not  be occurring in far-off BKK, while trying to sort out my personal effects and all the running around and masses of paperwork that are undoubtedly required.

 

Unfortunately, I can't guarantee popping my clogs in a hospital....????

 

 

[billd766]

2 hours ago, scooterboy said:

Sheesh! I do hope that Bangkok is NOT the (only) calling place in Thailand. I live way up-country, very far from BKK. It would def be mighty bothersome for my partner to have to worry about what may or may not  be occurring in far-off BKK, while trying to sort out my personal effects and all the running around and masses of paperwork that are undoubtedly required.

 

Unfortunately, I can't guarantee popping my clogs in a hospital....????

 

 

I agree with you. I live in rural Kamphaeng Phet about 375km from Bangkok. One thought that I have, is that if my dead body has to be taken to BKK, who will pay the cost to take it there and who will have to pay to return it.

 

AFAIR if the expat dies a natural death of old age or a known underlying disease (cancer for example), the local police are notified and the body taken to the nearest hospital. The doctors will examine the body for any obvious sign of assault. If there is none, then the body  is released to the NOK. They then do their part and the body is taken to the wat and kept in a chiller coffin for the required number of days before the cremation or whatever.

 

In my case and possibly other expats, we may not fit into a standard Thai size coffin. It may pay us to get a custom made coffin of the right length, width and height with the right thickness to carry our weight without breaking and the body falling out.

 

It won't bother me if I fall out but if my body were to say, "that hurt", panic may ensue.

 

[Denim]

3 hours ago, scooterboy said:

Unfortunately, I can't guarantee popping my clogs in a hospital....????

 

After reading this thread I don't think I'll bother with popping my clogs at all.