The cheapest farang funeral - what is involved and what would it cost? Help please.

[cliveshep]

While I'm in no hurry to depart this realm, at almost 78 it can only be a matter of time, and maybe not much of that. As I am a pensioner on a miserable UK pension living here with my Thai wife of 12 years who is 38 years younger and has no job, I am naturally concerned as to how she will manage after I'm gone. She insists she'll find factory work but it is my funeral costs that bother me. Like all foreigners married to Thais we got the 400,000 baht in the bank, and she has access to my bank account, passwords etc and her name is on the account but not visible in the passbook except under UV light so in theory she is legally able to withdraw money.

 

In fact for the past 9 years since Theresa May forced us to leave the UK she often handles Transferwise transfers from my UK bank to my Thai bank account as well as paying bills via transfers from my Bangkok Bank to her own bank for that purpose. I have found I can trust her implicitly. I have told her to get a grip when I pass and transfer the money from my account to her own account immediately and before anything else. This is so  that she has something to live on. She says if a farang dies the police have to be informed and they collect the body for a forensic examination etc. and also take away computers, phones etc always suspicious of foul play by the wife?  That is what she says, is she right? Presumably being RTP they'll want to extort money too?

 

Can any informed person advise me on likely procedures please?

 

When I'm dead I won't be caring what happens to my body, she might as she is loving, but I've told her to deal with it the cheapest way possible. My experiences in the UK with my own parents show death is a big money-maker for some in that business, I don't want her in that trap so please can you folk offer information and advice I can pass on?

 

A fire or hole in the garden is probably not a viable or legal option. So no suggestions of that ilk please. Is it temple or church or some cheaper alternative and what role if any to the venal RTP or other grasping civil servants have?

 

BTW - I have made a will, it is written in both Thai and English, and I had it witnessed and signed on every page by a Government Employee and one other person - there are two copies which she keeps safe. In it I make quite clear my two adult kids want nothing and everything of mine is hers. Both cars, motorbike and house have always been in her sole name to keep away RTP and other vultures.

[proton]

How did Theresa May force you to leave the UK?

[jvs]

Cheapest funeral,no monks,no flowers around 10 000 baht.

This will not however give face to your wife.

If she agrees with what you want you can already shop around for a price.

Legally after a foreigner dies at home there has to be a post mortem.

If there are no suspicious circumstances then the Police will leave you alone.

 

 

[advancebooking]

Actually the 100% cheapest option in Thailand that will NOT cost your thai family here anything is to donate your body to Science. Its a matter of filling out a form that you download from the website of the Siriraj Piyamaharajkarun hospital in bangkok. After you submit the forms they will send you a member card and you keep it in your wallet. If you die your wife can call them and they send a van immediately. After medical and dental students are finished doing surgery on all parts of your body it will be cremated and they inform the date etc to your wife. She can attend the ceremony along with anyone else who cares. Unsure if its available to westerners but surely should be. Call them

[ChipButty]

I have been having similar thought recently although I'm reasonably fit and healthy for 72 I don't want my wife spending fortunes on a funeral, pointless,

Maybe my thoughts were brought on after a couple of funeral's recently one a farang and the other Thai they must have spent a fortune feeding people for 4 or 5 days and the amount of flowers, you didn't send me flowers when i was alive so why send them when I'm dead? 

If I'm being honest i don't want a funeral just cremate me and how about everybody plant a tree............? 

[NanLaew]

49 minutes ago, proton said:

How did Theresa May force you to leave the UK?

At the risk of going off topic, the OP and his wife probably fell foul of the then Home Secretary's draconian revision of the financial requirements for legal immigration by one's foreign spouse. It's a Tory thing.

[cliveshep]

@ advancebooking: Donating to science is not an option due to my age - we looked into that before.

 

@jvsWhere would I look in shopping around. or rather where would my wife look?

 

@Nanlaew@: Totally correct.

 

@proton: The wizened witch of Maidenhead becamse Home Secretary at a time when loud voices were being heard to curb immigration numbers. The numbers were of course from poorer EU countries flooding in and working for far smaller wages and often doing a better job and working harder. Cries for Brexit went unheard by her Ladyship who was a staunch Europhile so her solution, draconian as it was, was to cut most foreign UNI entrances (which caused howls of anguish from cash-strapped UNI's) and also to virtually ban all foreign spouses or family members of same who did not already have indefinite leave to remain. She accomplished this by raising the minimum income to over £18k where before is was, quite reasonably, set at the Income Support level (assuming an adequate accomodation available which the local authority had to be paid to survey and certify!) 

 

For me the income level while still working was no problem, but once retired on a State Pension many English spouses like me suddenly found their wives or husbands facing  deportation due to failing TM's income requirement. Also, the "Life in the UK" test was another matter along with uprated English speaking and reading requirements not previously required. Regarding the Life in UK test - who knows (or even cares) how many golf courses there are in Scotland? A test cleverly and viciously designed for failure. 

 

We saw the light and during the 2nd year and just after I retired accepted that way-laying TM and cutting her throat one dark night whilst desirable was not an option, the inevitable would be my wife would be deported like so many others after her husband retired so we sold everything including the house, bought our own shipping container and spent 6 months packing every last inch of it, and simply said our goodbyes to close friends and my adult kids and sent the container out and flew out the same day it was collected. We had the shipping time to find and buy a house - which we did - and a month or so later the container hit Lam Chabang port and was delivered. We sold it to the crane company that unloaded it.

 

Edited August 13, 2023 by cliveshep

[roo860]

Went to a mates funeral last week in chiang mai, no monks etc, his coffin was put straight into the crematorium oven, survived by a son who works in chiang mai. No idea on cost, but can't have been that expensive. 

[cliveshep]

9 minutes ago, roo860 said:

Went to a mates funeral last week in chiang mai, no monks etc, his coffin was put straight into the crematorium oven, survived by a son who works in chiang mai. No idea on cost, but can't have been that expensive. 

Was the crematorium a Budhist temple one?

[scorecard]

1 hour ago, cliveshep said:

While I'm in no hurry to depart this realm, at almost 78 it can only be a matter of time, and maybe not much of that. As I am a pensioner on a miserable UK pension living here with my Thai wife of 12 years who is 38 years younger and has no job, I am naturally concerned as to how she will manage after I'm gone. She insists she'll find factory work but it is my funeral costs that bother me. Like all foreigners married to Thais we got the 400,000 baht in the bank, and she has access to my bank account, passwords etc and her name is on the account but not visible in the passbook except under UV light so in theory she is legally able to withdraw money.

 

In fact for the past 9 years since Theresa May forced us to leave the UK she often handles Transferwise transfers from my UK bank to my Thai bank account as well as paying bills via transfers from my Bangkok Bank to her own bank for that purpose. I have found I can trust her implicitly. I have told her to get a grip when I pass and transfer the money from my account to her own account immediately and before anything else. This is so  that she has something to live on. She says if a farang dies the police have to be informed and they collect the body for a forensic examination etc. and also take away computers, phones etc always suspicious of foul play by the wife?  That is what she says, is she right? Presumably being RTP they'll want to extort money too?

 

Can any informed person advise me on likely procedures please?

 

When I'm dead I won't be caring what happens to my body, she might as she is loving, but I've told her to deal with it the cheapest way possible. My experiences in the UK with my own parents show death is a big money-maker for some in that business, I don't want her in that trap so please can you folk offer information and advice I can pass on?

 

A fire or hole in the garden is probably not a viable or legal option. So no suggestions of that ilk please. Is it temple or church or some cheaper alternative and what role if any to the venal RTP or other grasping civil servants have?

 

BTW - I have made a will, it is written in both Thai and English, and I had it witnessed and signed on every page by a Government Employee and one other person - there are two copies which she keeps safe. In it I make quite clear my two adult kids want nothing and everything of mine is hers. Both cars, motorbike and house have always been in her sole name to keep away RTP and other vultures.

Do you mean a typical western style funeral? 

 

Or a typical Buddhist cremation at a temple which offers such facilities?

 

If it's a Buddhist creamtion the cost is the same as a piece of string mostly depending of extrensions of number of days, parties etc.

 

My Thai, at my requestlooked for the cheapest near us in Chiang Mai.

 

I did, some time back, tell my son 'keep it totally simple, no extra days, no parties, just the cost levied by the temple for the burning'.

 

Best he found (just 1.5 km away) was 30,000Baht. But he also found there is no standard pricing.  

[roo860]

18 minutes ago, cliveshep said:

Was the crematorium a Budhist temple one?

Yes, only the Thai guy who operated the crematorium was there.

[sirineou]

1 hour ago, cliveshep said:

I am naturally concerned as to how she will manage after I'm gone.

That is something all of us who love our wives and are older should be concerned with. 

You are a good man for thinking that ,

My wife is also 25 years younger than me , we are very close, and I after also wonder what would happen to her when I am gone, I am 66 so with luck I have a bit of time but who knows what's in the cards for each one of us?

I am lucky enough to had the option to take a reduced pension from my trade union, and after my death the wife gets 70% of it for her life,  (that should screw the bastards since the wife is almost 25 years younger than me LOL) and since she has lived in the states for a number of years and has US citizenship, she will also get part of my social security when she comes of age. , That and some properties we have here in Thailand , she should be fine,

 but I worry she will be lonely. She is not one to make friends easy. 

  We also have talked about what to do with e after I pass, and as you said , we will be dead so who cares, But I am afraid Thais have to save face so they need to do something.

So the idea of donating the body to science sound like a very good idea and something I will also look into it. This will force her not to do anything and would have a face shaving excuse. In fact it will not even be her choice so it will not even be be an excuse .

[bkk6060]

Creamate and dump in the ocean off Pattaya.

[brianthainess]

1 hour ago, cliveshep said:

and also take away computers, phones etc always suspicious of foul play by the wife?  That is what she says, is she right?

No I don't think so, my friend died in a hospital, and I'm right now using his lap top, it was password protected, I took it to Advise and they just reloaded windows. nothing left of his.

Same with his phone my wife now has it.

[brianthainess]

2 hours ago, jvs said:

Cheapest funeral,no monks,no flowers around 10 000 baht.

This will not however give face to your wife.

If she agrees with what you want you can already shop around for a price.

Legally after a foreigner dies at home there has to be a post mortem.

If there are no suspicious circumstances then the Police will leave you alone.

 

 

First how do have a cremation without monks

My friend died in hospital and was still sent to BKK from KC for an autopsy. 

[brianthainess]

Just to make it clear OP do you mean Funeral or Cremation ?

[brianthainess]

The biggest cost when my mate died was to the funeral Directors who sorted all paper work death cert, came to Koh Chang and registered his birth at the Amphur, collected some clothes to dress him, back to BKK, collected the body and delivered to the Temple included coffin. 43k. (that was 2 return trips with their van.

The cremation 20 people food and 3 days overall 20k,

Day 1; chanting/food

day 2; cremation

day 3 smash what's left wrap in a cloth, take out in a friends small boat (500b) and lay in the sea.

I would just say that the directors were great 'Asian-one' recommended by the OZ embassy to me,  among others.

Edit; I would also add my missus pays into a village fund and when I die she can borrow from that until my money is cleared for her to have.

 

Edited August 13, 2023 by brianthainess

[scubascuba3]

Transfer the 400k to your wife before you die, maybe use an agent for last few years if necessary

[The Fugitive]

31 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

Just to make it clear OP do you mean Funeral or Cremation ?

Good question with relevance for others too. By chance, not far from my home, I noticed a very small road sign pointing to 'Christian Church'. I haven't been down that road to take a look but I'm thinking that the church probably would have it's own graveyard?

[brianthainess]

1 minute ago, The Fugitive said:

Good question with relevance for others too. By chance, not far from my home, I noticed a very small road sign pointing to 'Christian Church'. I haven't been down that road to take a look but I'm thinking that the church probably would have it's own graveyard?

Maybe they have a Crem.

There is a Russian church near me, but no Russians  LOL i'll say no more on that. 

[Tropicalevo]

9 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

The biggest cost when my mate died was to the funeral Directors who sorted all paper work death cert, came to Koh Chang and registered his birth at the Amphur, collected some clothes to dress him, back to BKK, collected the body and delivered to the Temple included coffin. 43k. (that was 2 return trips with their van.

The cremation 20 people food and 3 days overall 20k,

Day 1; chanting/food

day 2; cremation

day 3 smash what's left wrap in a cloth, take out in a friends small boat (500b) and lay in the sea.

I would just say that the directors were great 'Asian-one' recommended by the OZ embassy to me,  among others.

 

That is pretty much what happened when my wife died. She died in her sleep at home.

Things to watch out for.

The police were notified of her death by the hospital that I took her to where they tried to revive her. The police came and checked the place to see if a crime had been committed.

The hospital (private) then sent her body to the government hospital - supposedly for an autopsy.

The private hospital also notified the British embassy who were very good and responsive.

The government hospital would not release her body for the funeral until both the embassy and the police said OK.

There was a bit of argy bargy as the government hospital wanted 'more paper work and fees'. I called on the Thai parent of two of the kids in my wife's class. He fixed the problem with one phone call and her body released to the temple.

Guy in the morgue also wanted extra money but the Thai headmistress sorted him out in no time.

 

Good luck.

[The Fugitive]

3 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

Maybe they have a Crem.

There is a Russian church near me, but no Russians  LOL i'll say no more on that. 

I understand! One Christian church I have seen doesn't have it's own crematorium but they do have an ossuary as an alternative to normal underground burials. 

[brianthainess]

2 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

That is pretty much what happened when my wife died. She died in her sleep at home.

Things to watch out for.

The police were notified of her death by the hospital that I took her to where they tried to revive her. The police came and checked the place to see if a crime had been committed.

The hospital (private) then sent her body to the government hospital - supposedly for an autopsy.

The private hospital also notified the British embassy who were very good and responsive.

The government hospital would not release her body for the funeral until both the embassy and the police said OK.

There was a bit of argy bargy as the government hospital wanted 'more paper work and fees'. I called on the Thai parent of two of the kids in my wife's class. He fixed the problem with one phone call and her body released to the temple.

Guy in the morgue also wanted extra money but the Thai headmistress sorted him out in no time.

 

Good luck.

Sorry to hear, was she Thai? That's why i used the directors in the end otherwise I'd have been running around in BKK from police forensic, Embassy, back home to Amphur, back again and then I'd still have to get him back to KC.

[brianthainess]

27 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Transfer the 400k to your wife before you die, maybe use an agent for last few years if necessary

That would probably cost more than a cremation.

[brianthainess]

10 minutes ago, The Fugitive said:

I understand! One Christian church I have seen doesn't have it's own crematorium but they do have an ossuary as an alternative to normal underground burials. 

Sounds Catholic.

[stevenl]

2 hours ago, ChipButty said:

I have been having similar thought recently although I'm reasonably fit and healthy for 72 I don't want my wife spending fortunes on a funeral, pointless,

Maybe my thoughts were brought on after a couple of funeral's recently one a farang and the other Thai they must have spent a fortune feeding people for 4 or 5 days and the amount of flowers, you didn't send me flowers when i was alive so why send them when I'm dead? 

If I'm being honest i don't want a funeral just cremate me and how about everybody plant a tree............? 

Because spending on a funeral will give your wife standing (face).

[The Fugitive]

8 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

Sounds Catholic.

The church I saw was built by Chinese and is at; Lumlukka, Pathumthani. You are quite correct, ossuary cemeteries abound in South American countries where space is at a premium and people cannot afford to buy a grave. After the rent runs out the bones are removed and placed in wooden boxes on shelves in the cemetery storeroom. I once saw bones which had been put into a reused cardboard box awaiting collection from a cemetery office. Apparently, if you remove you can take your relative with you!    

[metisdead]

Some off topic posts contravening our Community Standards have been removed.

[jvs]

3 hours ago, cliveshep said:

Where would I look in shopping around. or rather where would my wife look?

All temples have different prices,you can call around or go visit them.

There is no need(other then for your wife maybe)to have a Buddhist

kind of ceremony.

I have been to burnings where there were no monks at all,just shove them in

there and burn them.

You can have it done on the cheap but around 40k will send you off with

a few monks blessings.

Flowers alone will run 10000 baht already.

Make your wishes known and they will be respected.

 

[TimeMachine]

7 hours ago, advancebooking said:

Actually the 100% cheapest option in Thailand that will NOT cost your thai family here anything is to donate your body to Science. Its a matter of filling out a form that you download from the website of the Siriraj Piyamaharajkarun hospital in bangkok. After you submit the forms they will send you a member card and you keep it in your wallet. If you die your wife can call them and they send a van immediately. After medical and dental students are finished doing surgery on all parts of your body it will be cremated and they inform the date etc to your wife. She can attend the ceremony along with anyone else who cares. Unsure if its available to westerners but surely should be. Call them

 Falang body.  Surely they would pay top dollar.  My uncle did that in oz.  I'm thinking that route as well but it feels a bit eerie having people poke around you even when dead.  I could also plan a long walk in the forest and nitrogen feed until asleep.