Funeral at local temple for foreigner ( English )

[Speedo1968]

Does anyone know what "signing off" documents are required for request to have a funeral and be cremated at a local temple ?
I follow no faith and have had a DNR ( used a couple of times  ) and general document for funeral for many years.
I have been to a number of Thai funerals of people I knew well and, wish to make it as easy as possible for the person that will arrange mine.
Already advised my next of kin in UK with no issues.
Have tried getting a simple answer from the British Embassy both in writing and verbally but no definite fixed requirements i.e. do I need to send a death certificate to the embassy, do they send it back with an approval document ???   Do they need something from next of kin ?   Do they need a document from the person who will arrange funeral ?   Can all of this be done in advance documentation ?
Please keep replies to the questions asked - thank you.

[lopburi3]

Perhaps more information?  You have no marriage to a Thai?  So next of kin will be in UK?  Expect Embassy will have to contact next of kin for instructions and suspect there will be set options that Embassy can arrange locally but may only be cremation itself.  Sorry can not be of more help but without local involvement suspect options are limited.  I would keep trying to get information from your Embassy as they are point on such matter (Thai authorities need Embassy OK to release body).  If you do get solid information expect others would welcome overview of what you find out.

[Speedo1968]

On 8/23/2022 at 7:35 PM, lopburi3 said:

Perhaps more information?  You have no marriage to a Thai?  So next of kin will be in UK?  Expect Embassy will have to contact next of kin for instructions and suspect there will be set options that Embassy can arrange locally but may only be cremation itself.  Sorry can not be of more help but without local involvement suspect options are limited.  I would keep trying to get information from your Embassy as they are point on such matter (Thai authorities need Embassy OK to release body).  If you do get solid information expect others would welcome overview of what you find out.

OP - Thanks lopburi3 for your comments.
I am not married to a Thai but have had longtime friend for more than 20 years.
Next of kin ? I have next of kin in UK but what happens if you don't have etc. ?   What happens if you want someone other than family to agree about funeral ( local knowledge of what needs to be arranged to reduce stress on family members.    The embassy doesn't seem to have an answer to this.   They also don't seem to have an answer as to who can arrange funeral other than Funeral Parlors.   They claim local temple funerals ARE expensive: not to my knowledge of those I attended here, even when the person was a well known person in the local community.

My next of kin in UK have agreed no problem to my friend making arrangements for funeral so I have drawn up a document stating it is my wish to have a Buddhist funeral / cremation at a local temple and named my friend as organiser.   This will be translated in to Thai and stamped by a lawyer.      I am hoping that the British Embassy will accept this along with death certificate - if this of course can be given to friend.    Then I must hope that the local hospital gives signed death certificate to friend etc etc. ( get translated to English and copied for UK pension office, bank etc. ).

I am told that if I die the police and local govt. office have to be informed so I think I need to have my friend ask these offices now what needs to be done not to wait until I am dead.

Will let you know how I get on with initial documents and govt departments.

 

[lopburi3]

48 minutes ago, Speedo1968 said:

They claim local temple funerals ARE expensive: not to my knowledge of those I attended here, even when the person was a well known person in the local community.

Actually they are/can ge quite expensive when you include the gifts/foods and such but for most Thai it is somewhat offset by gifts from those attending.  But costs can easily be many hundreds of thousand baht even for less well known when 3 or 7 day type at major temples.

 

As said Embassy much release body so if they do not have any method to record your desires expect they will need to contact your next of kin and get instructions from them.  Embassy must have some method to record your next of kin?