Deputy Interior Minister Polapee Suwunchwee has ordered the relocation of three sets of remains buried at a Jewish cemetery in Bang Khla district, Chachoengsao, after its operating licence lapsed.

During a visit to the site on Monday, September 7, Polapee said the three people had died after the cemetery's licence expired and district authorities had not been notified. The district office and provincial governor will issue a formal written order requiring the remains to be moved.

A fourth burial is believed to have taken place while the licence was still valid. Polapee said that interment was lawful, but instructed deputy district officials to review the legislation; the remains may also have to be moved if they find a breach.

Licence renewal was refused

The cemetery operator received a licence in 2021 and applied to renew it when it expired in 2023. However, an inspection by the district chief and other agencies found that construction at the site did not comply with legal requirements, including rules on its distance from roads and rivers.

The licence was not renewed. An appeal to the interior minister at the time failed, and the operator has since taken the matter to the Administrative Court, where proceedings are still pending.

Polapee said any question of official negligence in inspections or licensing would need to be decided on the facts. In this case, he said officials had carried out their duties properly.

Charoen Krung and nationwide checks

Polapee said early checks indicated there were four or five places in Charoen Krung where human remains had been buried, amid reports that another Jewish cemetery there had operated without a licence for 30 years.

Officials have been sent to review the sites under relevant laws and regulations, with findings expected within one or two days. A nationwide review has also been ordered for all cemeteries. This is to establish whether all cemeteries have valid operating licences, and any site operating unlawfully will face legal action.

Pictures courtesy of The Nation

---

Related story

Chachoengsao-rejects-Jewish-cemetery-permit-extension

---

Join the discussion?

9 September 2026

View full article

I guess the one which operated without a license for 30 years is the final resting place for the 1000+ burials which have been extensively talked about on certain youtube channels.

Not sure how reliable that is but it's not the same place. Now that one is going to cause a very big problem if it's been operating for 30 years.

How dare they die after the license had expired!

The.bloody cheek of them!

Are their TM30s and 90 day address reporrs current?

Edited Tuesday at 09:43 PM1 day by Jingthing

Mmmm, the only people who are 'special' in Thailand are Thais.

16 minutes ago, mfd101 said:

Mmmm, the only people who are 'special' in Thailand are Thais.

Perhaps just the rich ones maybe!

4 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

Polapee said early checks indicated there were four or five places in Charoen Krung where human remains had been buried, amid reports that another Jewish cemetery there had operated without a licence for 30 years.

Officials doing their job?

Since when do cemeteries have 6 ft concrete walls around them?

A nice hedge maybe but not a concrete wall.

I'm surprised there are no security spikes on top of the wall. Similar to the Chabad House in Pai. A nice welcoming feature.

5 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

The cemetery operator received a licence in 2021 and applied to renew it when it expired in 2023.

In what universe would a cemetery license only last for two years? Isn't the whole point of a burial ground that it's kind of a forever thing?

Will this also apply to Muslim cemeteries?

Why was it given a license in 2021 if then they didnt comply with legal requirements?

oh wait, it was the brown envelope with many monies inside that didnt flow to the right hands 🤣

on a serious note, for sure it was never supposed to be opened anyways.

6 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

The cemetery operator received a licence in 2021 and applied to renew it when it expired in 2023. However, an inspection by the district chief and other agencies found that construction at the site did not comply with legal requirements, including rules on its distance from roads and rivers.

Renewing a license for a cemetery every two weeks or three years that’s ridiculous what is it just the Money grab once they OK a cemetery should be there for life and the religion when they bury you that’s it that’s your place for the rest of the life they can’t remove a cemetery in the Jewish law without removing all the bodies

44 minutes ago, TheFishman1 said:

Renewing a license for a cemetery every two weeks or three years that’s ridiculous what is it just the Money grab once they OK a cemetery should be there for life and the religion when they bury you that’s it that’s your place for the rest of the life they can’t remove a cemetery in the Jewish law without removing all the bodies

In Thailand Thai Law rules.......

Sympathy to the families involved. But didn't they get death certificates? I'm not clear on that - and yes, that might have nothing to do with the Amphur refusing the cemetery license, or maybe it does.

3 hours ago, Peterphuket said:

Will this also apply to Muslim cemeteries?

Probably depends on whether they are properly licensed or not, comply with relevant laws and whether anyone complains.

5 hours ago, mfd101 said:

Mmmm, the only people who are 'special' in Thailand are Thais.

Some Thais anyrway.

But f-rangs moving to Thailand need to be aware if they aren't already that our rights in Thailand are very limited indeed.

It's one of the trade offs people make but the way things are developing here there are stronger reasons to decide the trade offs aren't worth it.

Edited 21 hours ago21 hr by Jingthing

3 hours ago, Peterphuket said:

Will this also apply to Muslim cemeteries?

Almost certainly does. They will be situated in areas with large Thai Muslim populations. Thai Muslims make up nearly 10% of the overall population of Thailand. Not sure how many Jews live as residents in Chachoengsao - but I'm going to guess very, very few.

In parts of Thailand where there is a notable presence of Thai-Christians (usually Catholic) like Samut Sakhon fishing and salt producing villages, there is a number of Catholic churches and I guess they might have cemeteries.

But that aside, why would a minority religious/ethnic group with no real ties to Thailand need a 1,200 plot cemetery?

Just get the bulldozers and raze that damn demonic thing once and for all.

7 hours ago, Hotchilli123 said:

Officials doing their job?

As usual in Thailand very very slowly. No brown envelopes hence no interest

4 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Some Thais anyrway.

But f-rangs moving to Thailand need to be aware if they aren't already that our rights in Thailand are very limited indeed.

It's one of the trade offs people make but the way things are developing here there are stronger reasons to decide the trade offs aren't worth it.

From day 1 I have always accepted that, as a farang, I am lower than a soi dog in Thailand. When one accepts this, Thailand just becomes a product, and when you no longer like the product, you stop buying / paying for it and move elsewhere.

In any case in my opinion Thailand is going through a very extended phase of politically motivated hyper nationalism. That's pretty much ugly by definition.

That's less than pleasant if you're not Thai and/or connected to the power structure here.

Hopefully things will eventually swing back to more calm waters but I'm making no predicttions.

A personal anecdote. The one time in my life that I visited Greece the people were enraged over a naming issue with Macedonia (which became North Macedonia). Without even speaking Greek you could feel the ugly vibes on the street.

Not saying it has gotten that ugly here. Perhaps Greeks are more hot headed.

Offensive troll post removed @rocketboy2