When You Die In Thailand

[McGinty]

This is not something I want to discuss with friends over a beer, so hopefully a TV member can help me out.

My mate and I both have our own homes and do not have a live in lady. We are both pensioners (him quite a few years older than me) and look out for each other and see each other every day. I am scared that one morning I will call on him and he might be deceased. God forbid this should happen for a long time, but I really don't know what procedure I should take. Do I call the police or an ambulance first? What happens then to the body? How is a cremation arranged?

Sorry if this is a depressing topic but I really need to know. Can anybody help?

[mrt273nva]

I'd recommend calling a hospital (not sure if it is the proper route here, but it is what I'd do if I were anywhere else) they can also make sure he isn't just in a deep nap.

[gzu88bv]

This is not something I want to discuss with friends over a beer, so hopefully a TV member can help me out.

My mate and I both have our own homes and do not have a live in lady. We are both pensioners (him quite a few years older than me) and look out for each other and see each other every day. I am scared that one morning I will call on him and he might be deceased. God forbid this should happen for a long time, but I really don't know what procedure I should take. Do I call the police or an ambulance first? What happens then to the body? How is a cremation arranged?

Sorry if this is a depressing topic but I really need to know. Can anybody help?

Sorry, cannot help you in detail, but my very first call would be to the embassy of your friend to seek help there what to do.

[rgs2001uk]

McGinty,

ah yes the grim reaper comes to us all.

on a more serious note, i take it you are both in thailand, assuming you both live in condos, the first thing i would do is contact the security within the complex and let them contact the relevant police authorities.

i would then contact your relevant embassay, has your friend given you a list of phone numbers of people he may want notifying in his home country.

you mention cremation, does he want cremated or buried here in thailand, if so contact the local wat, if thats what he wishes.

does he want his body repatriated if so to where, and then how will the body be disposed of and by whom, church service etc etc.

now ask yourself this, what happens if its the other way round, and your friend finds you have passed away in the middle of the night.

would your friend know what to do and who to contact, i know for some this may be a morbid subject, put its better to have plans in place now than leaving it for someone else to deal with.

we then get on to the problem of wills, if indeed one exists, and all that will be involved in being an executor.

sorry i am not a legal person and no doubt there will be many more boxes that need to be ticked off.

i am sure there will be members who have gone through the process who can give you more details on the correct procedures to be carried out.

[12DrinkMore]

I would suggest each of you write a will and give it to the other.

[onzestan]

This is something all expats should consider because even when your young accidents do happen.

What have I done.

Left instructions at my embassy what to do with my mortal remains.

Have copies of my and my Thai wife's legal testament at home, at a lawyer's and at the embassy This takes care of any dispute regarding mutually owned properties.

Have appointed trustee to take care of any legal procedures in my home country regarding insurance, pension (widow) bank accounts in my home country, etc. and the embassy and my wife have his contact details.

I was assured by the embassy that these steps are sufficient to ensure a smooth passing of official proceedings.

If a farang dies in Thailand, the first thing the Thai Police will do is saveguard the mortal remains in a hospital mortuary and contact the embassy, so the correct procedure is to contact Thai Police first.

Hope to have helped.

onzestan

Edited August 15, 2008 by onzestan

[jayjayjayjay]

McGinty,

ah yes the grim reaper comes to us all.

on a more serious note, i take it you are both in thailand, assuming you both live in condos, the first thing i would do is contact the security within the complex and let them contact the relevant police authorities.

i would then contact your relevant embassay, has your friend given you a list of phone numbers of people he may want notifying in his home country.

you mention cremation, does he want cremated or buried here in thailand, if so contact the local wat, if thats what he wishes.

does he want his body repatriated if so to where, and then how will the body be disposed of and by whom, church service etc etc.

now ask yourself this, what happens if its the other way round, and your friend finds you have passed away in the middle of the night.

would your friend know what to do and who to contact, i know for some this may be a morbid subject, put its better to have plans in place now than leaving it for someone else to deal with.

we then get on to the problem of wills, if indeed one exists, and all that will be involved in being an executor.

sorry i am not a legal person and no doubt there will be many more boxes that need to be ticked off.

i am sure there will be members who have gone through the process who can give you more details on the correct procedures to be carried out.

I think this is pretty solid advice:

1. Hospital-will handle relevant storage.

2. Police-if you feel necessary for a report-personally I think it is good.

3. Embassy-

4. Lawyer-of deceased to have will sent to relevant people and I guess this will tie in with the Embassy.

I think it would be wise to have all 4 of these prepared. What would be good is to be able to hand the Embassy representative a list of next-of-kin in his home country and the number of the Lawyer. For his benefit if he was to provide you with a sealed copy of the will that is posted with the lawyer then this could short circuit any shenanigans. Better still if the lawyer was based in his home country then all would be safer.

5. How will post death proceedings be paid for. His accounts will be frozen, who will cover these details.

All these are worth talking over with your mate sooner than later...

I've been in this situation before, not a real nice feeling, and when your trying to arrange proceedings and handle the lose of a friend it becomes all the more difficult..

[alantheembalmer]

Have a look at this site: www.dopa.co.th. You might find it helpful in putting all the parts of this jig-saw together. Good luck.

[Wandering]

My experience. (More than you will want to know.)

(Also I haven't listed a few items previously mentioned in this thread)

A friend died of asthma at a waterfall.

Very traumatic experience for all involved who tried valiantly for an hour to save him.

Took him to Maetang hospital where he was pronounced DOA.

The hospital transferred him to Chaingmai.

His body was stored in a cooler at Suandok Hospital (I think their name is now changed to Maharaj)

His body was immediately given an autopsy as are all farangs who die in Thailand (Standard procedure- no exceptions)

His body was kept for a week in the cooler until his parents could fly out.

I got his death certificate taken care of at the American Consulate.

At the mortuary they had no experience with body preparation. His body was turning black and so I went and purchased powder and foundation to make him look "normal".

Application was difficult because he kept "thawing out." (It took lots of powder.)

The parents agreed to cremation which was done at the hospital crematorium after the funeral.

Non-powdered bone-fragments were given to the family.

[Wandering]

alantheembalmer's link is dead and perhaps in the mortuary.

[mr_hippo]

I'm not going to die - I'm goimg to be immoral.

[onzestan]

I'm not going to die - I'm goimg to be immoral.

Are you sure you're not immoral already??? lol

cheers

onzestan

Edited August 15, 2008 by onzestan

[mr_hippo]

I'm not going to die - I'm going to be immoral.

Are you sure you're not immoral already??? lol

onzestan

Not there yet - still working at it!

[RAMPAGE]

This is not something I want to discuss with friends over a beer, so hopefully a TV member can help me out.

My mate and I both have our own homes and do not have a live in lady. We are both pensioners (him quite a few years older than me) and look out for each other and see each other every day. I am scared that one morning I will call on him and he might be deceased. God forbid this should happen for a long time, but I really don't know what procedure I should take. Do I call the police or an ambulance first? What happens then to the body? How is a cremation arranged?

Sorry if this is a depressing topic but I really need to know. Can anybody help?

From my own experience (twice so far) the following steps need to be taken:

1) Call Police who will call a doctor to pronouce death and provide a certificate

2) Call embassy with name and passport number of deceased.

3) Contrary to another poster, an autopsy can be avoided but it requires excellent Thai language skills and is rare.

4) No temple in Thailand will accept a farang for cremation without three documents, one from the embassy, one from the police and one from the Tesabaan.

Both of you should be mutually aware of these requirements and be in a position to assist whomever goes first.

[cecco]

This is not something I want to discuss with friends over a beer, so hopefully a TV member can help me out.

My mate and I both have our own homes and do not have a live in lady. We are both pensioners (him quite a few years older than me) and look out for each other and see each other every day. I am scared that one morning I will call on him and he might be deceased. God forbid this should happen for a long time, but I really don't know what procedure I should take. Do I call the police or an ambulance first? What happens then to the body? How is a cremation arranged?

Sorry if this is a depressing topic but I really need to know. Can anybody help?

Through Pattaya Expats you can you establish a living will with Bangkok Inter hospital. You can do this through other hospitals as well. You should do this, so that you will be allowed to die when the time comes, Thailand will otherwise keep you a living vegetable for as long as possible.

Also, here are some photos of a funeral (cremation) that you might expect after you are dead, unless they make a mistake of course, in which case you wouldn't want to disappoint your friends, g/f and or wife, who has already begun selling everything you aquired together which was in the house.

"Farang" means "guava" and can mean nothing else. If you are living here, you are ต่างแดน

dtàang daen exotic ; alien ; foreign ; remote <LI>foreigner ; alien ; immigrant ; non-native

Stop insulting yourselves or allowing others to insult you. Thais have to think before opening their mouths if u r beneath, equal, or above them. If u r called farang, guess where they decided to place you. If you are male, this would be impossible for a thai female, and if you are older, it would be impossible for either a male or a female who is younger, and if you are well educated and they are not, it would also be impossible. Meaning, you have been allowing others to insult you, and use 'passa sorphranee' with you. Knock it off.

Polite thai society will call foriegners on the news: ชาวต่างชาติ

chaao dtàang châat <LI>foreigner ; alien ชาวต่างประเทศ

chaao dtàang bprà-têt <LI>foreigner ; alien

[Newbee]

This is not something I want to discuss with friends over a beer, so hopefully a TV member can help me out.

My mate and I both have our own homes and do not have a live in lady. We are both pensioners (him quite a few years older than me) and look out for each other and see each other every day. I am scared that one morning I will call on him and he might be deceased. God forbid this should happen for a long time, but I really don't know what procedure I should take. Do I call the police or an ambulance first? What happens then to the body? How is a cremation arranged?

Sorry if this is a depressing topic but I really need to know. Can anybody help?

You are not scared that one morning he will call on you and you might be oh..., are you?

I love your optimism though

Edited August 15, 2008 by Newbee

[Andrew Hicks]

This is something all expats should consider because even when your young accidents do happen.

What have I done.

Left instructions at my embassy what to do with my mortal remains.

Have copies of my and my Thai wife's legal testament at home, at a lawyer's and at the embassy This takes care of any dispute regarding mutually owned properties.

Have appointed trustee to take care of any legal procedures in my home country regarding insurance, pension (widow) bank accounts in my home country, etc. and the embassy and my wife have his contact details.

I was assured by the embassy that these steps are sufficient to ensure a smooth passing of official proceedings.

If a farang dies in Thailand, the first thing the Thai Police will do is saveguard the mortal remains in a hospital mortuary and contact the embassy, so the correct procedure is to contact Thai Police first.

Hope to have helped.

onzestan

Interesting as to the suggested role of the Embassy.

You have instructed your Embassy what to do with your mortal remains. Is that their business?

And they're holding a copy of your will for you?

Would my British Embassy really want to do all this for me? They're happy to take my money and refuse visas fo no good reason but actually helping seems less probable.

I've simply left a will with my daughter in UK and tried to make sure Cat has money when I've gone to the happy hunting ground.

There are tears in my eyes. Being an expat's okay... but an ex-expat!

Edited August 15, 2008 by Andrew Hicks

[Maizefarmer]

"Farang" means "guava" and can mean nothing else. If you are living here, you are ต่างแดน

dtàang daen exotic ; alien ; foreign ; remote <LI>foreigner ; alien ; immigrant ; non-native

Stop insulting yourselves or allowing others to insult you. Thais have to think before opening their mouths if u r beneath, equal, or above them. If u r called farang, guess where they decided to place you. If you are male, this would be impossible for a thai female, and if you are older, it would be impossible for either a male or a female who is younger, and if you are well educated and they are not, it would also be impossible. Meaning, you have been allowing others to insult you, and use 'passa sorphranee' with you. Knock it off.

Polite thai society will call foriegners on the news: ชาวต่างชาติ

chaao dtàang châat <LI>foreigner ; alien ชาวต่างประเทศ

chaao dtàang bprà-têt <LI>foreigner ; alien

Attached thumbnail(s)

Well said, sir ........... folk would do well to keep in mind cecco's comments when in conversation with Thai's about themselves or other ex-pats .....

[girlx]

Polite thai society will call foriegners on the news: ชาวต่างชาติ

chaao dtàang châat <LI>foreigner ; alien ชาวต่างประเทศ

chaao dtàang bprà-têt <LI>foreigner ; alien

maybe you know more than i do about the intricacies of addressing people in thailand, but i don't really see the difference between what they say above and their saying "farang". why even make the distinction between themselves and someone as being a "foreigner"? aren't we all just people? "he" & "she" would really work better....

[onzestan]

This is something all expats should consider because even when your young accidents do happen.

What have I done.

Left instructions at my embassy what to do with my mortal remains.

Have copies of my and my Thai wife's legal testament at home, at a lawyer's and at the embassy This takes care of any dispute regarding mutually owned properties.

Have appointed trustee to take care of any legal procedures in my home country regarding insurance, pension (widow) bank accounts in my home country, etc. and the embassy and my wife have his contact details.

I was assured by the embassy that these steps are sufficient to ensure a smooth passing of official proceedings.

If a farang dies in Thailand, the first thing the Thai Police will do is saveguard the mortal remains in a hospital mortuary and contact the embassy, so the correct procedure is to contact Thai Police first.

Hope to have helped.

onzestan

Interesting as to the suggested role of the Embassy.

You have instructed your Embassy what to do with your mortal remains. Is that their business?

And they're holding a copy of your will for you?

Would my British Embassy really want to do all this for me? They're happy to take my money and refuse visas fo no good reason but actually helping seems less probable.

I've simply left a will with my daughter in UK and tried to make sure Cat has money when I've gone to the happy hunting ground.

There are tears in my eyes. Being an expat's okay... but an ex-expat!

I'm talking about the Belgian Embassy of course.

If the Embassy doesn't have your instructions, they will contact your nearest family in your home country to ask for instructions about what to do with the mortal remains, because they want to be sure they get their expenses paid in case the remains have to shipped to your home country. Meanwhile the expenses at the mortuary mount up.

Every Farang registered at the Embassy has a personal file and they keep the document in your file. What's so difficult about that? Off course here's the key question : are you registered?

The Belgian ambassador has a role as notary for such instances again if registered.

Better be prepared.

Hope to have helped.

onzestan

[justcruisin]

onzestan

Interesting as to the suggested role of the Embassy.

You have instructed your Embassy what to do with your mortal remains. Is that their business?

And they're holding a copy of your will for you?

Would my British Embassy really want to do all this for me? They're happy to take my money and refuse visas fo no good reason but actually helping seems less probable.

I've simply left a will with my daughter in UK and tried to make sure Cat has money when I've gone to the happy hunting ground.

There are tears in my eyes. Being an expat's okay... but an ex-expat!

As far as I am aware a will registerd overseas is invalid in Thailand and you may need to have a will for assets that are located here.

Just another point to consider.

[bdenner]

My experience. (More than you will want to know.)

(Also I haven't listed a few items previously mentioned in this thread)

A friend died of asthma at a waterfall.

Very traumatic experience for all involved who tried valiantly for an hour to save him.

Took him to Maetang hospital where he was pronounced DOA.

The hospital transferred him to Chaingmai.

His body was stored in a cooler at Suandok Hospital (I think their name is now changed to Maharaj)

His body was immediately given an autopsy as are all farangs who die in Thailand (Standard procedure- no exceptions)

His body was kept for a week in the cooler until his parents could fly out.

I got his death certificate taken care of at the American Consulate.

At the mortuary they had no experience with body preparation. His body was turning black and so I went and purchased powder and foundation to make him look "normal".

Application was difficult because he kept "thawing out." (It took lots of powder.)

The parents agreed to cremation which was done at the hospital crematorium after the funeral.

Non-powdered bone-fragments were given to the family.

This is factual and differs to the above:-

A friend died here last year, the official cause heart failure due to chronic sepsis. He had discharged himself from the Udon's AEK hospital against the doctors wishes about 36 hours prior to dying.

Within 3 hours of being pronounced DOA at our local hospital (not the facility he was being treated in) he was transported to the local Wat (no autopsy) and his body embalmed (thermaldahide) by village elders and some monks and placed into a refrigerated casket. I spoke to his parents and then contacted our embassy for instructions, they were most helpful, as I stressed the point to them that there was not an autopsy. The embassy spoke to his wife (an Aust passport holder) and everything was deemed to be in order.

His parents agreed to a Buddhist ceremony and flew over. His wife stayed with him bringing him meals and doing things in the Thai tradition prior to the cremation day. His parents and his wife then took his ashes to the Mekong River to scatter them as was their wish.

One year gone, RIP Mark, sadly missed.

[gzu88bv]

I'm talking about the Belgian Embassy of course.

If the Embassy doesn't have your instructions, they will contact your nearest family in your home country to ask for instructions about what to do with the mortal remains, because they want to be sure they get their expenses paid in case the remains have to shipped to your home country. Meanwhile the expenses at the mortuary mount up.

Every Farang registered at the Embassy has a personal file and they keep the document in your file. What's so difficult about that? Off course here's the key question : are you registered?

The Belgian ambassador has a role as notary for such instances again if registered.

Better be prepared.

Hope to have helped.

onzestan

Good point onzestan, that is also valid for Swiss citizens, if they register at their embassy in BKK. I had to leave address and phone numbers of people to be contacted when I registered.

[onzestan]

Good point onzestan, that is also valid for Swiss citizens, if they register at their embassy in BKK. I had to leave address and phone numbers of people to be contacted when I registered.

As far as I know, the same applies to citizens of The Netherlands, Germany, France and for sure Luxembourg.

Again - as far as I know - don't hold me responsible if it isn't so.

Key is, when you register ask for all details regarding the Embassies (consulate) role regarding such instances.

In my case I was given very useful information by the staff.

cheers

onzestan

[alantheembalmer]

Having worked in the undertaking profession for many years, but no longer, I would advise everybody to tell their friends and family exactly what they would like done with their remains when they die. In my experience, it is traumatic enough when someone close dies, without having to "second guess" what their wishes might have been about their funeral and disposal of their remains. Also do this when you are well, and do not think that this can wait until near the end, as funeral arrangements is not a good conversation topic to have with an unwell person! It is a bit like trying to sort your finances out when you are nearly bankrupt.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Having worked in the undertaking profession for many years, but no longer, I would advise everybody to tell their friends and family exactly what they would like done with their remains when they die. In my experience, it is traumatic enough when someone close dies, without having to "second guess" what their wishes might have been about their funeral and disposal of their remains. Also do this when you are well, and do not think that this can wait until near the end, as funeral arrangements is not a good conversation topic to have with an unwell person! It is a bit like trying to sort your finances out when you are nearly bankrupt.

Nice explanation Alan. Very helpful info'.

[alantheembalmer]

I've just had a look at the following site, and it seems to work ok for me. www.dopa.go.th/English/servi/serv.htm. I might have not given the complete address before. Hope this helps.

[ShugNorris]

"Farang" means "guava" and can mean nothing else. If you are living here, you are ต่างแดน

dtàang daen exotic ; alien ; foreign ; remote <LI>foreigner ; alien ; immigrant ; non-native

Stop insulting yourselves or allowing others to insult you. Thais have to think before opening their mouths if u r beneath, equal, or above them. If u r called farang, guess where they decided to place you. If you are male, this would be impossible for a thai female, and if you are older, it would be impossible for either a male or a female who is younger, and if you are well educated and they are not, it would also be impossible. Meaning, you have been allowing others to insult you, and use 'passa sorphranee' with you. Knock it off.

Polite thai society will call foriegners on the news: ชาวต่างชาติ

chaao dtàang châat <LI>foreigner ; alien ชาวต่างประเทศ

chaao dtàang bprà-têt <LI>foreigner ; alien

Attached thumbnail(s)

Well said, sir ........... folk would do well to keep in mind cecco's comments when in conversation with Thai's about themselves or other ex-pats .....

Not quite sure where this bit actually came from?

I've never felt insulted by being addressed as 'farang' Although, no ones really addressed as farang, sometimes in shops, restaurants etc you overhear them referring to you as 'farang' but I dont think it's insulting, I think it's quite harmless and they aren't insulting you by saying it.

What the definition of farang really should be is 'White person' because that's who they're referring too. Perhaps some different ethnic groups come from the same country but only the white person would be referred to as farang. Only worry if someone sneers the word farang at you... then maybe they're not too happy about something.

I can understand what you're saying though but hey, the word 'exotic' was in the definition of 'farang.' Exotic, isn't that good?

[McGinty]

I would like to thank everyone who took the time and trouble to respond to this thread. I have lots of information now and feel that I will be more able to deal with the situation should it arise. Obviously, I now need to discuss many things with my old pal, not an easy subject to get round to, but it has to be done.

[Pattaya_Fox]

There is a pinned topic in the general topics forum Fco Consular Publications which contains some useful information.

The link is Here