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

[hotandsticky]

9 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

A friend tried that.

 

They didn't want his body.

[hotandsticky]

8 hours ago, cliveshep said:

Was the crematorium a Budhist temple one?

What other cremation options are there?

[The Fugitive]

10 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

A friend tried that.

 

They didn't want his body.

They don't want anyone's organs if they're over 65 years either!

[NanLaew]

9 hours ago, cliveshep said:

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?

The police need to ne notified of the death of any foreigner and if that happens in a hospital while under care, there's no need for any 'investigation' and a death certificate is easily issued. If the foreigner dies at home, there's no mandatory post mortem but the police do need to investigate. If there's evidence that the foreigner was under medical care or there are no suspicious circumtances, the autopsy will be waived. However, one should have crossed the t's and dotted the i's on that evidence. For example, my neighbor has been discharged from palliative care at a local hospital to his home with terminal brain cancer. His lawyer made sure there was evidence from the hospital that he was in terminal decline and the he was till under the care in the form of daily phone calls with his wife and a weekly house call. Otherwise, a death certificate may need to be issued by a doctor after doing an autopsy at the local police hospital.

 

Regards computers and smartphones, one should investigate data encryption software if the contents may survive the content owner. For example, if TrueCrypt encryption is used, it's a (very, very, very long) password to access the data. I have clients that install it on workstations and if I have to reboot, there's a 72 digit "key" to start Windows!

[tandor]

14 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.

 

 

i disagree about the post mortem. If a Thai doctor is treating you and is prepared to sign the Death Certificate, then no autopsy is needed. 

However, your wife MUST contact your Embassy and City Hall for the document to release the body for funeral.

Edited August 13, 2023 by tandor

[brianthainess]

13 hours ago, The Fugitive said:

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!    

drifting of subject some but the Philippines also, I have seen a vlog ''Flogging a dead horse'' by Shaun king. they were stacked very high, in a huge compound, some people actually live there. and piles of unclaimed bones, he was riffling through. Interesting but macabre, 

[hotchilli]

17 hours ago, cliveshep said:

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.

She'll withdraw the money, bury you for 20,000 and enjoy the rest.

[hotandsticky]

5 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

She'll withdraw the money, bury you for 20,000 and enjoy the rest.

I hope so, that is what the OP wants to achieve.

[bbko]

My Thai friend's bulldog died and my friend had her cremated at a small local Temple, nobody there except the dog's owner, a few friends and the Thai man working the cremation furnace, I think she paid 2,000.  Seems the furnace was big enough to hold a human, so I'm guessing the cost can't be much more for that type of service.

[actonion]

15 hours 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. 

A U.K  friend died last year  in Pattaya, his Thai wife wanted him to be buried in the local  Church Cemetary, after enquiring  she was informed that her husband did not attend  any of the church services  therefore  permission was denied,  she had  him cremated at the temple

[CecilM]

Less than 10k at a temple. Unfortunately I’ve been to too many recently.

If that’s too expensive, start saving now. Or just put 400k+10k into your savings account and keep it there.

[crazykopite]

Have been involved in two friends funerals just for the funeral 2 nights prayers , transport remains ,flowers . Picture . Clean body , gasoline , food for 40 cost on average 25,000 baht the gasoline alone was 3,000 baht and for one of the friends they ran out and called me to go buy another 30  litres that also included going back at 3 am to collect the bones and the dispersal of them I chose to place the remains in the sea went out on my kayak rather than pay for long tail which would of been another 1,500 baht  if you don’t have the prayers , flowers , and food then you only have to pay for the gasoline and the guy who takes care of it all also there is all the costs for the death certificate, release of body ,translation of all paperwork that’s in the 25k as the two friends passed within 6 months of each other the cost was roughly the same 

Edited August 14, 2023 by crazykopite

[crazykopite]

1 hour ago, CecilM said:

Less than 10k at a temple. Unfortunately I’ve been to too many recently.

If that’s too expensive, start saving now. Or just put 400k+10k into your savings account and keep it there.

You must live in the sticks to get it at that price 

[Ralf001]

21 hours ago, jvs said:

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

 

 

 

Thats decent.

will have that added to my will cause I'll be gone soon and want to be toasted as cheap as possible.

[Confuscious]

21 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

I have written in my last will that my corpse would be donated to science.
No costs.
That's the easiest and the best solution.
I don't get it why people are attached to a corpse after the person dies.
Most of them, have never taken time to be with that person or even write him/her a few letters when he/she was alive.

[Seppius]

5 minutes ago, Confuscious said:

I have written in my last will that my corpse would be donated to science.
No costs.
That's the easiest and the best solution.
I don't get it why people are attached to a corpse after the person dies.
Most of them, have never taken time to be with that person or even write him/her a few letters when he/she was alive.

What happens to your corpse once science has finished with it? Still has to be disposed of, so still a problem for who is left behind

[jvs]

9 minutes ago, Seppius said:

What happens to your corpse once science has finished with it? Still has to be disposed of, so still a problem for who is left behind

That will be dealt with in the agreement,what ever is left over will be cremated and the ashes can be returned to the relatives.

 

[Olmate]

22 minutes ago, crazykopite said:

You must live in the sticks to get it at that price 

Bang Sare very similar cost 

[soalbundy]

In the village where I live in Isaan everybody has a funeral insurance (or fund, I've never really taken much notice) I think (not sure) it pays out 50k which is enough for the funeral, monks, cremation and the feasting. I haven't heard of a funeral director, from what I have seen the monks take care of most of what goes on, the puu yay baan does things like ordering the tent and seats and the women of the village handle all the cooking of food (money comes from the insurance) and serving at table (all done for free). The funerals seem quite lavish even for the poor.

My better half has us all on this insurance which doesn't cost much. When I told my missus to make my cremation as cheap as possible and take the money she was horrified and said it wouldn't be tolerated, she would lose face and since I am the only falang in the village and well liked a proper send off would be expected, even demanded.

[circa02]

From experience around 20k for minimal but respectful, cant remember each cost but some of the items:

 

Hospital releasing the body, any unpaid hospital bills

Volunteer Ambulance to deliver body to temple

Donation at temple to handle the funeral and cremation - body usually held for a two or more days

Scattering of the ashes

Food for everyone after the event

Endless calls and faxes to British embassy

 

 

[Sandboxer]

So are there crematoriums that have no affiliation whatsoever with temples/monks etc? Just a regular business that you can pay a few thousand baht or whatever for the gas to BBQ your azz?

 

 

[Tropicalevo]

19 hours ago, brianthainess said:

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.

She was a born and bred Brummie.

Good idea to use the Funeral people. I have never seen one here on Samui.

Yes, it was a lot of running around.

Temple, police statin 3 times (we need another form) and the government hospital at least 5 times.

And all of that was with the heads of the International school helping me. At least her Social Security payments paid for it all.

 

[brianthainess]

1 minute ago, Tropicalevo said:

Good idea to use the Funeral people. I have never seen one here on Samui.

I only found out from the OZ embassy, 'after' I had done some running around from this end, bouncing between hospital and cop shop they hadn't told me before.

. I got so stressed by the whole thing I came out in a horrible pus rash allover my body yuk, i ended up 2 days in hospital.

As my friend had MND I had his ATM card, so (illegibly?) withdrew what little savings he had at the hospital, with permission from his family in NZ I had a document giving me power of attorney.

[HarrySeaman]

A friend here in Pattaya, who was a teacher, died without a will in Queen Sirikit hospital in Sattahip.  He had told me he wanted the cheapest funeral available and to give his remaining funds to a charity for children.  It took weeks for me to be appointed executor.

 

Once I was appointed executor some Thai friends of ours and I could collect the body.  It was transported in the morning to the  Wat Nop Thong Di Si Puet Ta Ram temple complex in Pattaya where it was placed in the crematorium. The same afternoon funeral was attended by the Thai friends, some farang friends, and some former students so a small ceremony was held before the cremation. The next morning the the remains (mostly wood ash and bones) was collected and we went to to จิตตภาวัน วิทยาลัย พระครูวินัยธรธนากร อัตตะสาโร (หลวงพ่อพูลทรัพย์), which translates as Chittaphawan College of Phrakhru Winaithornthanakorn Attasaro (Luang Por Poonsub) for disposal at the end of an ocean pier they have.  It was necessary to pay/make a donation to both temples.

 

I can't tell you the cost because the Thai friends paid for the cremation and disposal.

 

My Thai "long time companion" (Thai legal language for common law wife) is my executor and beneficiary. I have told her I want her to do a very simple low cost cremation and dispose of my remains as she wishes, but I realize that she will do as she wishes. I just hope that she can stand up to her family and make them understand that I an not religious and don't want a fancy expensive funeral and they will loose face by insisting on one.

[The Fugitive]

4 hours ago, actonion said:

A U.K  friend died last year  in Pattaya, his Thai wife wanted him to be buried in the local  Church Cemetary, after enquiring  she was informed that her husband did not attend  any of the church services  therefore  permission was denied,  she had  him cremated at the temple

Christianity in action; 'He wasn't a member of our club so no you can't'. Buddhists don't operate like that. 

[Neeranam]

23 hours ago, cliveshep said:

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

She seems to know a lot about this. 

 

How do the Police know what is a farang phone/computer?

 

 

[Neeranam]

5 hours ago, bbko said:

My Thai friend's bulldog died and my friend had her cremated at a small local Temple, nobody there except the dog's owner, a few friends and the Thai man working the cremation furnace, I think she paid 2,000.  Seems the furnace was big enough to hold a human, so I'm guessing the cost can't be much more for that type of service.

It's donation only usually. 

They won't do humans at a pet crematorium. 

[khunPer]

A cremation without any funeral ceremony would be cheapest choice. The cost might vary depending of area, temple and crematorium. Where I live the cremation cost in a modern crematorium (diesel burners) was 6,000 baht almost 8 years ago. I don't know the actual price, but it would probably be little higher now.

[saakura]

I have recently helped a few foreigners in a similar situation (wanting the lowest cost funeral). Where the actual death happened at the hospital where the person was rushed to at the end stage, a death certificate was easily issued, and on the basis of this, a police clearance was issued. Where the foreigner had died at home, the police came for a routine enquiry and spoke to the neighbours and concluded that there were no suspicious circumtances and the autopsy was waived and police clearance issued.

 

At the administrative office of local temple, we informed them of our requirement for low cost funeral and submitted the originals + copy of police clearance. For a sum of 11,000 Baht, a few monks chanted prayers for 10 minutes and the body was cremated thereafter. An official cremation certificate was issued.

Next day we collected the ashes/bones in a ziplock bag and immersed it in the river. Last bit was going to the embassy with police clearance + cremation certificate to get the passport cancelled. Pension was automatically stopped on passport cancellation. This was at a temple somewhere in Onnut Road in Bangkok.

Edited August 14, 2023 by saakura

[The Fugitive]

1 hour ago, soalbundy said:

In the village where I live in Isaan everybody has a funeral insurance (or fund, I've never really taken much notice) I think (not sure) it pays out 50k which is enough for the funeral, monks, cremation and the feasting. I haven't heard of a funeral director, from what I have seen the monks take care of most of what goes on, the puu yay baan does things like ordering the tent and seats and the women of the village handle all the cooking of food (money comes from the insurance) and serving at table (all done for free). The funerals seem quite lavish even for the poor.

My better half has us all on this insurance which doesn't cost much. When I told my missus to make my cremation as cheap as possible and take the money she was horrified and said it wouldn't be tolerated, she would lose face and since I am the only falang in the village and well liked a proper send off would be expected, even demanded.

Thanks for this. It's going on all the time so the locals are well versed and like to be prepared. The biggest variable seems to be the duration and number of guests. A couple of friends of my Mrs were recently bereaved. Their alcoholic farang husbands left no money for their funerals and they had to find in the region of 150,000 baht each.