Dead Farang - Low Cost Cremation

[hotandsticky]

A friend who lives on the Darkside died this week and his wife is looking a temple to perform a cheap and cheerful cremation.

 

 

There are no family members around and a limited circle of friends so a low-key/low cost cremation is the objective.

 

 

Does anyone have experience of local temples that would fit the bill.

[Upnotover]

I have attended funerals of foreigners on the darkside at Wat Khao Puthong Pattaya (Mabprachan), Wat Suttawas (Nernplubwan) and Wat Boon Samphan (Khao Noi).  All were low key affairs, minimal monk involvement. I would imagine the wife is best placed to know what she wants but can't imagine anything would be lower cost than these. 

[CanadaSam]

I really hope we get some more useful answers to this question, I too, would like to leave a minimal burden when I leave.

[hotandsticky]

12 minutes ago, CanadaSam said:

I really hope we get some more useful answers to this question, I too, would like to leave a minimal burden when I leave.

 

 

I think there is a market for something like 'Direct cremations' - a simple burn with a single monk saying a few words, no guests, and the ashes get handed back.................all for, say, 30,000 Baht.

[Bert got kinky]

14 minutes ago, CanadaSam said:

I really hope we get some more useful answers to this question, I too, would like to leave a minimal burden when I leave.

 

Sheryl posted a link and some good info on this, earlier this year.

 

 

[scubascuba3]

2 hours ago, hotandsticky said:

A friend who lives on the Darkside died this week and his wife is looking a temple to perform a cheap and cheerful cremation.

 

 

There are no family members around and a limited circle of friends so a low-key/low cost cremation is the objective.

 

 

Does anyone have experience of local temples that would fit the bill.

Maybe the Thai wife or friends can phone the temples and find out

[advancebooking]

One can donate ones body to Science. I read a thread in the last 4 months about this. They send the van from a bangkok hospital somewhere to pick up the body. All free service after documents are accepted and after you die. 

[Sandboxer]

Or, just let the govt handle the disposal at zero cost. Can't squeeze water out of a dead diamond.

[jacko45k]

I recall attending such a funeral at Wat Nong Yai, it is on the right after you pass through North Rd junction on Sukhumvit going North. 

[scorecard]

17 hours ago, advancebooking said:

One can donate ones body to Science. I read a thread in the last 4 months about this. They send the van from a bangkok hospital somewhere to pick up the body. All free service after documents are accepted and after you die. 

However there's some 'rules':

- Age of the deceased must not be older than xxx., so that reusable parts can be harvested quickly.

- Body must be free of many diseases. Some teaching hospitals can use the body for dissection by medical students but only is the body is free of certain disease.

- Some use the body for research data into a number of diseases.

 

[nobodysfriend]

21 hours ago, hotandsticky said:

no family members around and a limited circle of friends so a low-key/low cost cremation is the objective.

 

May he RIP .

 

 

[brianthainess]

I  had to arrange one for my friend who died;

Not in Pattaya, but here on Koh Chang the Actual cost of the 3 day cremation was only about ,5K.at the small local temple, food, 20k for 20 people, 500b to take the ashes out in a boat....The body was brought back from BKK (autopsy) by ASIAONE funeral directors recommended by the OZ embassy, (two trips to Koh Chang first to register the death at the local Amphur) all paperwork and docs. done by them via his embassy, and including the basic coffin 43K. I hope this helps ( all cremations here seem a 3 day affair). where it says other just put the name of the Temple. 

[tmd5855]

Couple an hour from me, the husband cut himself badly taken to village hospital who discovered he had no health cover.  Needed blood transfusion and special medicine, proof of funds could not be done before he passed, being a heavy smoker and spirit drinker did not help.

 

He dropped off the radar and rumours started, friends were blanked, info scarce what they think happened were!!!!  Hospital released the body to wife, put in the back of a pick-up and taken up to the wifes village where on temple grounds a pyre were made and cremation carried out, all the ashes put in the local river.

 

Guy had no friends in attendance since it where done over a couple of days.

 

Now that story maybe B/S though having seen rules not being adhered too for non-Buddhists who knows.  Would be very cheap though.

[hotandsticky]

22 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Maybe the Thai wife or friends can phone the temples and find out

 

 

Indeed.

 

A much easier task when you have some idea of the temples that have performed 'low cost' cremations.

 

 

That is the whole point of this thread so that I, and others, can pass on such information.,

[hotandsticky]

22 hours ago, advancebooking said:

One can donate ones body to Science. I read a thread in the last 4 months about this. They send the van from a bangkok hospital somewhere to pick up the body. All free service after documents are accepted and after you die. 

 

 

I know 3 people who thought that they would be smart doing that - all 3 were rejected for the reasons mentioned above.

[brianthainess]

1 hour ago, tmd5855 said:

Couple an hour from me, the husband cut himself badly taken to village hospital who discovered he had no health cover.  Needed blood transfusion and special medicine, proof of funds could not be done before he passed, being a heavy smoker and spirit drinker did not help.

 

He dropped off the radar and rumours started, friends were blanked, info scarce what they think happened were!!!!  Hospital released the body to wife, put in the back of a pick-up and taken up to the wifes village where on temple grounds a pyre were made and cremation carried out, all the ashes put in the local river.

 

Guy had no friends in attendance since it where done over a couple of days.

 

Now that story maybe B/S though having seen rules not being adhered too for non-Buddhists who knows.  Would be very cheap though.

Different rules for Thais, most falang are given an autopsy whether they die in hospital or not. IME

[brianthainess]

1 hour ago, hotandsticky said:

 

 

Indeed.

 

A much easier task when you have some idea of the temples that have performed 'low cost' cremations.

 

 

That is the whole point of this thread so that I, and others, can pass on such information.,

Try to find the smallest one in your area. 

[scorecard]

2 hours ago, tmd5855 said:

Couple an hour from me, the husband cut himself badly taken to village hospital who discovered he had no health cover.  Needed blood transfusion and special medicine, proof of funds could not be done before he passed, being a heavy smoker and spirit drinker did not help.

 

He dropped off the radar and rumours started, friends were blanked, info scarce what they think happened were!!!!  Hospital released the body to wife, put in the back of a pick-up and taken up to the wifes village where on temple grounds a pyre were made and cremation carried out, all the ashes put in the local river.

 

Guy had no friends in attendance since it where done over a couple of days.

 

Now that story maybe B/S though having seen rules not being adhered too for non-Buddhists who knows.  Would be very cheap though.

 

At my request last year my Thai adult son did a 'survey' of temples for cremation costs near us here in Chiang Mai city. Lowest was 30,000Baht, that included one monk to do some initial chanting.

 

In my case there will be no other costs (no parties, no food, no Chinese style multi table food etc.).

 

Why, because the 'events' after I pass have been discussed many times by the outer circle Thai family with their requests for big money from me in advance.

 

One family member asked my son for 500,000Baht in advance. In this case the request is to support impressing the community, showing the community that the family is rich (not true) because there's a farang in the family.

 

Son has now told all of them no party whatever. Why? Because dad has given an instruction that 100% of his funds are to be kept for the education of his 4 grandchildren. They didn't try to argue with that.

 

[hotandsticky]

1 hour ago, brianthainess said:

Different rules for Thais, most falang are given an autopsy whether they die in hospital or not. IME

 

 

In this case the autopsy was being performed in Bangkok.

 

 

I was previously told that they do NOT  automatically do an autopsy on a Farang; in this case the deceased was 77 years old, with underlying health conditions, so I am really surprised that was necessary.

[scorecard]

1 hour ago, brianthainess said:

Different rules for Thais, most falang are given an autopsy whether they die in hospital or not. IME

I'm aware of an autopsy of only one farang. Reason: the farang involved very regularly took young urchin / street boys to his house (often as young as 13) for sex, nude boy parties etc, then refused to give them food or 'tips'.

 

Several times he had been severely beaten up by gangs of these kids and neighbors called the police who took the beaten up farang to the local gov't. hospital for medical attention. 

[brianthainess]

1 hour ago, scorecard said:

I'm aware of an autopsy of only one farang. Reason: the farang involved very regularly took young urchin / street boys to his house (often as young as 13) for sex, nude boy parties etc, then refused to give them food or 'tips'.

 

Several times he had been severely beaten up by gangs of these kids and neighbors called the police who took the beaten up farang to the local gov't. hospital for medical attention. 

It depends where you die, I know of 2 now that died here on KC,  in the gov't hospital, 'my village' both were sent to BKK, you can't argue with the police, when they say it is the Law, yet you know it is not. At least I got the 5k receipt.

[brianthainess]

2 hours ago, hotandsticky said:

 

 

In this case the autopsy was being performed in Bangkok.

 

 

I was previously told that they do NOT  automatically do an autopsy on a Farang; in this case the deceased was 77 years old, with underlying health conditions, so I am really surprised that was necessary.

Yep that is where the cops send you, I was only to pleased when the OZ embassy 'EVENTUALLY' told me of the funeral directors ( after I was stressed out), it would have been a frigging nightmare for me, going there not once but twice. they dealt with all the necessary documents

It would have meant go to the police forensics,

get the death cert,

go to the embassy,

come back to KC, register his death with the Amphur,

go back, and arrange transport to bring his body back to KC  

It would have taken days and quite an expense, for me ( for him actually as I had his ATM and pin number illigal maybe but ..), fuel, ferry, hotels.

I actually got some sort of stress rash that came out all over my body with puss filled spots. 

[hotandsticky]

Good timing for this:-

 

 

Expat funerals in Pattaya have become much more expensive

 

 

 

 

https://www.pattayamail.com/news/expat-funerals-in-pattaya-have-become-much-more-expensive-467725

[brianthainess]

4 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

Good timing for this:-

 

 

Expat funerals in Pattaya have become much more expensive

 

 

 

 

https://www.pattayamail.com/news/expat-funerals-in-pattaya-have-become-much-more-expensive-467725

That's why I recommended using a funeral directors they sort out all the paper work, IMO the cost is worth every Baht, no running about. Plus though stated it does need two trips, This is the bit they have omitted; as the death cert. Has to be registered in the Amphur where you die. Only then they will release the body and not before.

[redwood1]

 

Folks have you ever once read of a farang or Thai for that matter who died a normal death and though this fabled mandatory Thailand autopsy it was discovered that there was foul play involved with the death?

 

No No you have not ever heard this not even once I bet......I have never heard it in over 20 years here...

 

Why Not?

 

Because a real autopsy is a very involved and expensive process....And no way on Gods green earth is their any possible way they could ever remotely begin to do more than a 5 minute autopsy on the many many people who die every single day in Thailand and especially in Bangkok.....

 

So I think this required autopsy is a scam $$$$$....For normal deaths....

 

 

 

[BigStar]

Recent article in Pattaya Mail by Barry Kenyon:

 

Expat funerals in Pattaya have become much more expensive

 

Not entirely clear on a couple of points, somewhat simplified, but overall a good read.

[Tropicalevo]

On 8/3/2024 at 9:22 AM, brianthainess said:

I hope this helps ( all cremations here seem a 3 day affair).

 

From what I have seen, 3 day cremations (or more) tend to be for Thais.

All of the foreigner's cremations that I have attended have been one day, overnight burning and then pick up the ashes/bones the next day.

This is for five out of five cremations of foreigners - including my wife's.

[Tropicalevo]

On 8/3/2024 at 12:14 PM, hotandsticky said:

 

 

In this case the autopsy was being performed in Bangkok.

 

 

I was previously told that they do NOT  automatically do an autopsy on a Farang; in this case the deceased was 77 years old, with underlying health conditions, so I am really surprised that was necessary.

 

I agree re the no autopsy. I suspect that they say that so that folk feel better.

My wife was 55 and died at home, in her sleep.

I was told that there would be an autopsy and to wait a week before booking the funeral.

It was a money grab.

Body stored in the morgue for a week and I had to pay storage.

I had to help to dress her body for the funeral (smart clothes) and there had not been an autopsy.

(There were a few more money grabs - the police for the 'no crime' report, the hospital for God knows what and delivery of her body to the temple - since when was a songteow more expensive than a limo?)

[brianthainess]

4 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

 

From what I have seen, 3 day cremations (or more) tend to be for Thais.

All of the foreigner's cremations that I have attended have been one day, overnight burning and then pick up the ashes/bones the next day.

This is for five out of five cremations of foreigners - including my wife's.

Well it was organized by my Thai wife for my friend, Day One  body arrived at the temple early morning, coffin put on display, her and friends sweep out the area, and put out the chairs inside and out, food was cooked also by friends of my wife, after the Monks had eaten there breakfast elsewhere and of course cooked for them, they Sauntered over sat on the 'stage' and played with some string to keep out the evil spirits, chanted for a bit, wandered over to the coffin with paper flowers, then sat down Again. We ate.

Day 2 a bit more chanting, then coffin put on a trolley and pushed over to the oven area, three times around the oven then loaded in by 'rescue workers' then covered in oil, and set on fire. 

Day 3 remove the cooled bones and smash them up, put in a cloth and taken out to the sea.

Just to add there was only 3 other falang there, the rest were Thai that were friends of my wife, and came because he was also a friend of hers, even though some had never met him, the moral support was appreciated by me.

[scorecard]

On 8/3/2024 at 10:46 AM, hotandsticky said:

 

 

I know 3 people who thought that they would be smart doing that - all 3 were rejected for the reasons mentioned above.

Same, I've read several reports saying that many folks are rejected t before r after their death.