My wife recently passed away in the UK and we have since returned her body to Thailand where we carried out a traditional Thai funeral.

I have kept some off her ashes in a small urn and would like to return them to the UK.

Does anyone know whether there is any paperwork required in order to carry human remains through customs at both Suvarnabhumi airport or at Heathrow airport?. Should I declare them and go through the red channel once in the UK?.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Guemlum

Sorry to hear about your wife.

Condolances - no need to declare or go through Red Channel

My father died at his house in Spain last March & was cremated as is the spanish way the next day. We performed a memorial for him at his land & scattered his ashes there but I returned on a commercial flight with some of his ashes & his urn as hand luggage. I checked before hand & was told there is no restriction at all.

Condolances - no need to declare or go through Red Channel

I had already thought about that one but at Suvarnabhumi your hand baggage is x-rayed prior to you arriving at your departure gate. A small urn would clearly show up including its contents, and thats where the questions would start to begin.

My father died at his house in Spain last March & was cremated as is the spanish way the next day. We performed a memorial for him at his land & scattered his ashes there but I returned on a commercial flight with some of his ashes & his urn as hand luggage. I checked before hand & was told there is no restriction at all.

Thanks Boo for the reply. I'm not to concerned about the UK end but moreso the Thai end. I have since found out that as long as I have both a death certificate in English and in Thai, which I have both, this should be enough, but have also been told that a further piece of paperwork from the British Embassy in Bangkok is required. I shall get on the phone to them tomorrow to find out what it is. Today public holiday.

Thanks

Guemlum