What is the current 2025 Cost of a Cremation in Thailand?

[AngryMan]

I am curious as to what is the general cost of a Cremation for a None Thai in Thailand?

Sorry if this info is posted elsewhere but I could not find it.

[IvorBiggun2]

 

[billd766]

I think that the cremation ceremony would depend on the wat itself, rural;, urban or big city wat, the number of monks needed/asked for, how many days the body is lying there. For the cremation itself, AFAIK the body is either soaked in oil, or a gas burner is used and would be relatively cheap. It is all the add ons that cost.

 

Food etc for X number of people for X number of days, Water, beer, whiskey, ice. soda for the kids are usually on a sale or return basis.

 

Gifts will be required for all the guests.

 

If the wives or the family do the cooking they will rent the stuff from the temple or elsewhere.

 

TBH brutally honest, asking for a figure is a bit like asking how long is a piece of string.

 

The overall cost depends on how much face the family wants.

 

It can be relatively cheap or eye wateringly expensive. The choice, as always, will be the choice of the family.

[hotandsticky]

27 minutes ago, billd766 said:

I think that the cremation ceremony would depend on the wat itself, rural;, urban or big city wat, the number of monks needed/asked for, how many days the body is lying there. For the cremation itself, AFAIK the body is either soaked in oil, or a gas burner is used and would be relatively cheap. It is all the add ons that cost.

 

Food etc for X number of people for X number of days, Water, beer, whiskey, ice. soda for the kids are usually on a sale or return basis.

 

Gifts will be required for all the guests.

 

If the wives or the family do the cooking they will rent the stuff from the temple or elsewhere.

 

TBH brutally honest, asking for a figure is a bit like asking how long is a piece of string.

 

The overall cost depends on how much face the family wants.

 

It can be relatively cheap or eye wateringly expensive. The choice, as always, will be the choice of the family.

 

 

Whilst your list of expenses is perfectly valid, the net cost could be much less...... you omitted the pink envelope factor which could significantly reduce the figure.

 

30,000 Baht is the lowest figure I have seen for a local wat just to do an unattended burn. Most are just as likely to refuse because a 'direct cremation' does not sit well with Buddhist beliefs and practices.

[billd766]

11 hours ago, hotandsticky said:

 

 

Whilst your list of expenses is perfectly valid, the net cost could be much less...... you omitted the pink envelope factor which could significantly reduce the figure.

 

30,000 Baht is the lowest figure I have seen for a local wat just to do an unattended burn. Most are just as likely to refuse because a 'direct cremation' does not sit well with Buddhist beliefs and practices.

But the envelope expense are variable depending on how many people contribute and how much each person contributes. Some contributors may donate 20 thb (all they can afford), whilst others may give 100, 500, 1,000 thb or even nothing. Some wats will announce each donation and others may not, but the fixed deductions will still remain.

 

Some villages have an "insurance" contribution which is to be paid each time somebody in the village dies, and some villages don't. Our village does and even I as a farang am insured, as is my wife and son (but at 3 times the cost).

 

There are no hard and fast rules, so the best way to get a price is to send a Thai to each wat and ask the abbot for the price.

 

I doubt that any wat will provide a cremation only but the best way to find out would be to ask around all the wats in the area for a guesstimate before the event happens.

[jaywalker2]

15 hours ago, AngryMan said:

I am curious as to what is the general cost of a Cremation for a None Thai in Thailand?

Sorry if this info is posted elsewhere but I could not find it.

In a previous thread, someone pointed out that death insurance is available that covers cremation. I believe the cost was 20,000 baht

[hotandsticky]

3 hours ago, billd766 said:

But the envelope expense are variable depending on how many people contribute and how much each person contributes. Some contributors may donate 20 thb (all they can afford), whilst others may give 100, 500, 1,000 thb or even nothing. Some wats will announce each donation and others may not, but the fixed deductions will still remain.

 

Some villages have an "insurance" contribution which is to be paid each time somebody in the village dies, and some villages don't. Our village does and even I as a farang am insured, as is my wife and son (but at 3 times the cost).

 

There are no hard and fast rules, so the best way to get a price is to send a Thai to each wat and ask the abbot for the price.

 

I doubt that any wat will provide a cremation only but the best way to find out would be to ask around all the wats in the area for a guesstimate before the event happens.

 

The donations are usually controlled by a family member and the bookkeeping would put some banks to shame. Many years ago my missus lost her young son and she was most moved by the 20 Baht donation from an 80 year old villager who has nothing and walked 2 km from just outside the village to attend the cremation.

 

 I am sure there are a few wats that will provide a cremation only service; I have only heard of two - one near Pattaya and one in Buriram province.