12 hours ago, Will Iam Not said:

Yes you are correct. But it does go on, and is ignored. I know several girls who have used the ATM card after the death.

Maybe a fair approach before the police take them. 

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

Maybe a fair approach before the police take them. 

I guess the Police would take them to the Bank for cancellation.

I shall ask at Bangkok Bank today whether our Joint Account is either of us or the survivor.

After all Lou's posts, I can tell you that , according to Chat, Perplexity, Gemini and CoP, my long time partner CAN identify my body to the visiting Police after my death, at the place where I passed.  If they want an Autopsy, it's up to them.  But I shall go and ask at the Police Station and Amphur which is the exact procedure. 

 

She must then take my Passport, her ID, proof of our relationship???, to the Amphur, who will inform the Embassy and issue a Thai Death Certificate, take that to the temple and cremation can take place. 

 

It is better if I state my funeral requests in my Will just to be 100% sure. A Lawyer is not needed to help write a Will, there are templates in both languages available online. Unfortunately I cannot attach either a pdf or doc format of this here. I have the original and copies to my GF and step-daughter. My GF is my Executor and only Beneficiary of my Thai estate.

I

1 hour ago, Will Iam Not said:

I guess the Police would take them to the Bank for cancellation.

I shall ask at Bangkok Bank today whether our Joint Account is either of us or the survivor.

Yeah, maybe! I am rather cynical where the integrity of police is concerned here. 

A joint account may be a good solution providing one has great faith in the partner. 

13 hours ago, pub2022 said:

For a few thousand baht, you can make a simple will with a lawyer’s help and include clear instructions about what you want done with your body/remains after death (burial, cremation, repatriation, etc.). This will greatly help your girlfriend/wife and/or the embassy.

Do you have to have Probate on the will before the after death instructions are carried out

22 hours ago, connda said:

Really - who told you that the bodies of Thais are embalmed? 

I  saw my father in law at the water ceremony, quite grotesque.

In the time I have been here I must have been to close on a hundred funerals, including 3 with the Royal Flame, one at sea, and I think 4 foreigners. The majority of those have been 7 day events either at the home or in the temple and have never seen a refrigerated coffin in use.

It is not out of the question for things to be done differently in different parts of the country.

BTW,   in the temple grounds where my father in law's tomb is, there must be hundreds of tombs around it.

At the time he was interred there was proposed changes in the temple grounds and his wife , who had been deceased about 10 years, was removed form her tomb and was interred again along with her husband in the new tomb.The new tomb has space for the bodies of the 3 children.

1 hour ago, sandyf said:

have never seen a refrigerated coffin in use.

Difficult to believe they don't place the casket inside one of these when it's displayed in the home or at a temple prior to cremation.

 

4 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Yeah, maybe! I am rather cynical where the integrity of police is concerned here. 

A joint account may be a good solution providing one has great faith in the partner. 

Bangkok Bank said that our Joint account will be frozen as soon as they know of my death. I shall close it online today, it is no good for us.

After so long together, I guess I do have faith in her. And I always keep the ATM card.

 

Not much luck at the Police Station who said simply inform the Village Chief who wqill co-ordinate with all other necessary organisations.

The husband of one of my GFs friends died two months ago. All sorted in three days. Up in smoke!

28 minutes ago, Will Iam Not said:

Bangkok Bank said that our Joint account will be frozen as soon as they know of my death. I shall close it online today, it is no good for us.

 

I always thought that was according to Thai laws.  So all banks are likely to do the same.  Unlike other countries where rights of survivorship apply and all funds pass to the remaining account holder.

3 minutes ago, Upnotover said:

 

I always thought that was according to Thai laws.  So all banks are likely to do the same.  Unlike other countries where rights of survivorship apply and all funds pass to the remaining account holder.

T I T !

4 hours ago, sandyf said:

never seen a refrigerated coffin in use

 

Okay you can see one here in real use, been placed in living room of my friend for several days now, he inside 

 

13 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Yeah, maybe! I am rather cynical where the integrity of police is concerned here. 

A joint account may be a good solution providing one has great faith in the partner. 

And I do have great faith in her, after knowing my wife since 1993 and married to her since April 2000.

 

 

11 hours ago, billd766 said:

And I do have great faith in her, after knowing my wife since 1993 and married to her since April 2000.

 

 

What a sad lonely life the thumbs down giver on my previous post must live, if he has no faith or trust in people.

My British step-uncle recently died, aged 83 years in Non Thai, Nakhon Ratchasima. A very quick demise due to undiagnosed lung cancer (heavy smoker all his life). His Thai wife devastated as they got on so well and were together nearly 7 years (they met and were legally married in Thailand). He died on Monday and the funeral was Thursday so I guess paperwork was straightforward. I don't think she needed to get anything from British embassy. Death certificate issued by the hospital where he died. Zero planning for his demise has left his widow short financially.  

 

I made a film of the funeral to share with his daughters, and other family in the UK who did not attend. Many here may not have been to the temple ceremony (sadly I've been to many) and only to the merit at the home before the funeral.

 

 

 

36 minutes ago, soi3eddie said:

My British step-uncle recently died, aged 83 years in Non Thai, Nakhon Ratchasima. A very quick demise due to undiagnosed lung cancer (heavy smoker all his life). His Thai wife devastated as they got on so well and were together nearly 7 years (they met and were legally married in Thailand). He died on Monday and the funeral was Thursday so I guess paperwork was straightforward. I don't think she needed to get anything from British embassy. Death certificate issued by the hospital where he died. Zero planning for his demise has left his widow short financially.  

 

I made a film of the funeral to share with his daughters, and other family in the UK who did not attend. Many here may not have been to the temple ceremony (sadly I've been to many) and only to the merit at the home before the funeral.

 

 

 

I think that the only thing the the UK embassy NEEDS, is the return of his passport.

 

IMHO they are of little other use to the majority of expats on Thailand.

2 hours ago, soi3eddie said:

 I don't think she needed to get anything from British embassy. Death certificate issued by the hospital where he died.

 

 

 

Approaches of local officials seem to vary greatly also on this context then then. My friend's partner anxiously waiting to get something from embassy to persuade local officials to get cremate his body 

20 hours ago, billd766 said:

What a sad lonely life the thumbs down giver on my previous post must live, if he has no faith or trust in people.

It appears to have been removed now. 

On 11/16/2025 at 5:52 PM, mran66 said:

 

As we speak, the body is in a refrigerated coffin in his house in sakhon Nakhon. He died of cancer complications in a local hospital there, and the body was released to his gf. She has the death certificate. He has various cancers for a decade or so, finally internal organs gave up. Only a super paranoid would have concerns about reason of death in his situation. 

 

I actually drove up there couple of weeks ago to say goodbye as it was obvious he would not have long left. 

 

The pending issue is cremation. She was told she need to keep the coffin in her house with the freezer box running (lights on 24hr a day and incense too) until embassy gives permission to cremate it. Creepy. 

 

I am not aware of details of planned /required local arrangements (and honestly don't want to), just trying to help with the embassy thing. She told she can handle the rest locally, true or not remains to be seen 

 

Why would need to go to. Bangkok twice? 

 

 

Generally, problems arise when the death occurs in a hospital, and the hospital requires a letter of release from the Embassy. Frankly, I think this is less of a liability issue on the part of the hospital and more of an opportunity for them to make more money by holding onto the body for an extended period of time. Remember, things are never as they seem in Thailand. 

On the US Embassy website, they use the word "may" require a release letter from the embassy. It simply depends on each individual circumstance. In the case of the OP, the gf already has the death certificate and the body at home, so if it's the temple that is requiring a release letter from the Embassy, then go to another temple. Most temples do not require such a document. Just last month I assisted with the death of an Australian, and the wife took my advice and avoided the Embassy trap, took the body to the temple and had the gentleman cremated with a full funeral there. There was no problem at all. Stop listening to all the opinions of people who don't have a clue and are only "guessing" at what is required. Cremate the body and notify the Embassy of the death later when things have settled down and the gf can think with clarity.

On 11/16/2025 at 9:40 AM, mran66 said:

Anyone can shed some light to this on what actually would be the minimum requirements to involve 3rd parties like the funeral directors? Or would the british embassy authorise the GF to handle the funeral things?

The book Tiai Law for Foreigners have some probably useful information on page 82-83...

 

On 11/16/2025 at 6:02 PM, connda said:

Leave it to the Western nanny states to want to burden your Thai family with unnecessary expenses and procedures right to the end. Sad and sadistic. 

So funerals are free where you live 

On 11/19/2025 at 11:59 AM, billd766 said:

I think that the only thing the the UK embassy NEEDS, is the return of his passport.

 

IMHO they are of little other use to the majority of expats on Thailand.

They don't want your passport. 

On 11/18/2025 at 12:34 PM, Upnotover said:

 

I always thought that was according to Thai laws.  So all banks are likely to do the same.  Unlike other countries where rights of survivorship apply and all funds pass to the remaining account holder.

Banks don't close your account, but maybe IF you tell them the person is dead. I continued taking money out of my mates account until it was empty. To pay all the expenses involved.

On 11/18/2025 at 6:55 AM, Will Iam Not said:

I guess the Police would take them to the Bank for cancellation.

I shall ask at Bangkok Bank today whether our Joint Account is either of us or the survivor.

And the cops know you have their ATM card, just how would they know ??

On 11/16/2025 at 5:52 PM, mran66 said:

Why would need to go to. Bangkok twice? 

Once to visit their embassy, return to to the local amphur where they lived to register their death, then return to Bangkok for the body. 

9 hours ago, jacko45k said:

It appears to have been removed now. 

Thank you.

1 hour ago, brian69 said:

They don't want your passport. 

So why are the embassy involved in the first place?

 

3 hours ago, khunPer said:

The book Tiai Law for Foreigners have some probably useful information on page 82-83...

 

It says that the the Office or Police will inform the Embassy within seven days, and that the Embassy will inform the deceased relatives, I guess from what I had put on the last page of my Passport.

In my case, my GF will have done that before I am even cold.

Just to report conclusion of the case from my part as lessons to learn for others.

 

My friend died on 13 Nov in a govt hospital. Relevant hospital staff and local police did what they have to do as per local processes to deal with the death. Death certificate was issued to his partner by local officials, and the body was  released to her in a refridgerated coffin, for her to store as she saw fit. Coffin has been in her living room. She told me that she was told by local officials (village headman I understood) that she would need  a document from embassy to authorized the cremation and funeral.

 

After reading about the topic in embassy website, I learnt that such document indeed would be issued by them. I filed the application to UK embassy website

(https://www.prove-eligibility-foreign-government.service.gov.uk/letter-to-release-a-body-thailand/get-a-letter-to-release-a-body-in-thailand)

to get the authorization for my friend's partner to arrange the cremation and funeral on Sunday. At the time of filing I was uncertain whether a 'Funeral  Director' would be a mandatory thing to have (as implied by the wordings in the website), thus posted to AN the original post. As the issue seemed to be somewhat grey, I just filed the application to authorize her to take care of the funeral. Website said it would take 3 days to get the decision (and they would mail the document to authorized person).

 

By Wednesday 4pm I had not heard anything back, and my friends partner was anxiously chasing me on the issue, I decided to call the embassy to check the progress. 

 

To my small surprise, I ended up talking with a person who actually knew about the application, and he told me (the most important thing) that regardless of the way the wordings are on their website, nomination/use of 'Funeral Director' is NOT mandatory, a natural person can be nominated to this role also. He also told that they need her ID photo as they don't have it (...grrrr why didnt you contact me to ask as I had my contact info put to the application in the relevant section...I uploaded everything requested in application, but do not remember whether the ID was requested). He was mumbling something about possible problems with the IT system...anyway, I just emailed the picture to the person as we spoke, and he confirmed all OK, they would issue the document on Thursday morning - which they did. The officer called me around 9AM asking where to send it (in the application I wrote the address as it said they would mail it, and also had my email there for any questions...), so I just gave my email and got it while talking on the phone. Did not ask whether they actual would mail the paper as it did not matter.

 

Now all clear, cremation scheduled on Saturday noon.

 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, mran66 said:

(https://www.prove-eligibility-foreign-government.service.gov.uk/letter-to-release-a-body-thailand/get-a-letter-to-release-a-body-in-thailand)

Page not found.

I spent a while looking on the internet for a free download (in English) for my last will on Thailand.

 

What I came up with is this Word document which seems to be free for certain nationalities (in places). What I wanted was a template that was more specific about English people (expats) dying in Thailand with no assets in the UK, and the desire to be cremated in Thailand and remain here.

 

The attachment is 10 pages long, but a lot of  it can be skipped over when and it you find what you are looking for.

 

The one I think I will choose is NOT free, but it IS Thai specific and only 740 thb.

 

It seems that the file is in MS Word which is not an acceptable file format for ANN, so if anybody is interested, please send me a PM with your email address and I will send you a copy in either MS Word or in Libre Writer, but please tell me which format you want.