Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Posted

What is the sequence of events when a forienger dies here? Is someone called to positive identify the body? Also, is the deaseased then burned to ashes and shipped to the person listed as "in case of emergancy" on their passport? Thank you

  • Like 2
Posted

The procedure varies depending upon the place where the event occurs -- at home, in hospital; nationality of the deceased; witnesses present; circumstances of the death -- i.e. long illness with anticipated death vs. sudden death, etc. In general, when a foreigner dies at home, the police are called and the body is taken to the morgue. Often an autopsy is ordered if the death wasn't anticipated. In all cases, the Embassy/Consulate of the foreigner is notified. The grapevine works very quickly here. It's difficult to hide the death of a foreigner and quite commonly the deceased's Thai bank accounts are frozen until the next-of-kin presents appropriate documentation (like a court order or Will) to the bank. Not always (some widows have be able to continue to use ATM cards, but not always) Bodies are almost always cremated here.

I have heard that the bones are offered back not ashes.

Any idea how true this is?

Posted

Is the box of bones all the bones from the body? That would be a big box. Femurs and hips and ribs and spine and skull just for a start.

(I can't get the 'Dem Bones' song out of my head as I type this.)

  • Like 2
Posted

That is way is normal procedure but for ritual procedure also needed for the soul to rest in peace, if he dies in jail the warden have to declare that this name are free from now onward if not his spirits still trap in jail, if he dies in apartment his next of kin needed to call out his name to call him back to back home, it's depend where he would like to go after dead if he would like stay here then find a proper church for him.

The brain still function for few hours after dead and his last wish is important to fulfill so that he can really can rest in peace of mind.

Posted (edited)

I was told they use a charcoal fire to burn the body,unlike gas in say the Uk,or Australia,don't know if it is true.A friend of mine died a few months back,his body was taken to Phitsanoluk for an autopsy,then brought back,then he was on display in the coffin for a few days,with all the relatives of his wife having the four day ceremoney,cooking ,eating, etc,then the monks came and did the chanting,followed by the funeral at the wat,which lasted about 2 hours i think.

Edited by marko kok prong
Posted

From my own experience;

The hospital is not allowed to release the body to anyone without written permission from the government of the appropiate country. In the cases I was involved in, this was the US Consulate in Chiangmai, and the permission was given by fax. Before this permission is given, the Consulate's job is to notify the next of kin. For me that was immediate, but I imagine it could be more difficult if the next of kin is not available or back in the home country, or worse yet, if the next of kin is not known. I imagine that if the body needs to be identified, it would have to be someone who actually knew the person, not the government involved.

As far as the creamation is concerned, I've been told that only the bones are taken because the ashes could also contain the casket, clothes, flowers, etc. With only the bones, you are pretty much guaranteed that you are getting only the remains with nothing else mixed in.

As to whether or not the police are involved, I imagine that is entirely up to the circumstances. And from other cases I have heard about, no one really knows what to do, including the police.

Posted

How do the banks find out so quickly?

The Thai banks find out because there is no such thing as patient privacy at the hospitals. The nurses talk. Police talk. Security guards in the moo baan talk. You may not think that the locals know about us and watch our activities but they do. Bank managers don't always know, but often they do. Individual bank managers are "graded" by the amount on deposit at their branch and they can sometimes be very stubborn about the next-of-kin closing an account. Technically it's illegal for someone to use an ATM card for an account in the name of a deceased person -- even a joint account. In the case of a joint account, it's suppose to be frozen while the bank sorts out rights of the co-owner. It's not a safe assumption that the co-owner is going to inherit the balance remaining in the account.

  • Like 1
Posted

Geez Louezzz! How long have you people been in Thailand?

Foreign death...police report, autopsy, burn! Embassy notified, the local family goes through the motions, same as any family member, ashes and bones (bones only if you request them to be not burnt), they (the bones) are laid out by the crematorium attendant in the shape of a body, the ashes are gathered up in a bag or other such container (why should the dead person complain how the ashes are contained?) and given to the NOK......job done! thumbsup.gif

  • Like 1
Posted

Yes, cremation here is done at lower temperatures than in the west, so there are more bones in the remains. Also, the Thais feel the bones are the important part of the remains, not the ashes, so the ashes are not kept when the remains are given back to the family. The family has to make a special point to request them. I know one case where the western family literally had to sweep the ashes off the ground themselves to be saved at the crematorium because the staff was regarding them as just so much trash to be separated from the bones. Actually it would have been a comic scene if it hadn't been the day after the cremation of a loved one. It was an interesting scene about the differences each culture has in what is regarded to be the important part of the remains. We consider the ashes important and are appalled to be handed a box of bones. The Thais consider the ashes to be trash.

As for me, I'd like my bones to be buried at the Foreign Cemetery in Chiang Mai after I'm torched.

Thank you Nancy.

  • Like 1
Posted

From my own experience;

The hospital is not allowed to release the body to anyone without written permission from the government of the appropiate country. In the cases I was involved in, this was the US Consulate in Chiangmai, and the permission was given by fax. Before this permission is given, the Consulate's job is to notify the next of kin. For me that was immediate, but I imagine it could be more difficult if the next of kin is not available or back in the home country, or worse yet, if the next of kin is not known. I imagine that if the body needs to be identified, it would have to be someone who actually knew the person, not the government involved.

As far as the creamation is concerned, I've been told that only the bones are taken because the ashes could also contain the casket, clothes, flowers, etc. With only the bones, you are pretty much guaranteed that you are getting only the remains with nothing else mixed in.

As to whether or not the police are involved, I imagine that is entirely up to the circumstances. And from other cases I have heard about, no one really knows what to do, including the police.

I consulted the US embassy in Bangkok and they said if I have a Thai will (which I do) stating that my designated Thai executor be allowed to proceed with my funeral arrangement without interference, they won't get involved. Thai lawyer agreed that what I stipulate in my will is what will be implemented.

I also will be buried, not incinerated. My small plot of land designated for that purpose is mine for 30 years from the time of burial, although some of my neighbors-to-be have remained undisturbed for more than 30 years.

Posted

Under what if any circumstances can the body be sent back to his/her country???

Basically if you (in a will) or your next of kin ask for it and can afford it, its not cheap.

Posted

I just spent the last month as an Executor of a Will and I can tell you that it is not easy. There are many people and officials to contact. Then the ashes/bones if repatriated need to be done by specialists and the containers need to be approved before they are allowed on the plane as cargo. The court needs to approve certain things too and finalising everything can take up to 3 months, if there are no challenges. Packing up the assets and giving items to nominated people, etc etc.

So if you think youre doing your friends a favour/honour by asking them to be the Executor of your Will then think again!

Posted

My wife and I was talking about leaving our bodies to one of the teaching hospitals,my way of thinking is once you are dead,you are dead.Has any one heard of this,if so how do you go about it?

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

  • Like 1
Posted

The body can always be repatriated if that is what is wanted by the decieced, oh and if it can be paid for as it isnt cheap. That's once the body has been released after medical examination.

Posted

I can see the WAT and its chimney from my window.

Went there to have a look. All looks decent. They (monks) even opened the door of the cremation compartment to inspect it.

I am satisfied that they use gas. Remains (ashes) are to be put in the sea.

Not being in a hurry but ready to go any time. No big drama but definitely do not want pain or prolonged suffering. Any recommendations for this?

Posted

FWIW, there's a book that discusses this matter a bit -- "Thai Law for Foreigners," by Benjawan Poomsan Becker and Roengsak Thongkaew. I can't say that it's the most definitive book on Thai law around. Maybe, but I haven't looked at/don't know of any others, and don't know that this the best in any case. Besides, it's a few years old now. Regardless, there's a section on the death of foreigners, and it talks about what must be done to repatriate remains and such. Doesn't sound like much fun. Specially certified (expensive?) embalmers, specially designed (expensive?) coffins or shipping containers, etc. Another small section on Buddhist funerals, another on wills. Other sections on going to court in Thailand, of course, and divorce, and marriage, and starting a business, and yada yada yada. Can't say that I've looked at it for a very long time, but I have gone through most sections. My will says the embassy should bugger off, and that I'm to be burned out in the countryside. What my wife does with the remains will be up to her, of course. Barbecue, perhaps, or maybe the folks who sell dog meat would want the remains. I won't be around to care, of course.

http://www.amazon.com/Thai-Law-Foreigners-System-Explained/dp/1887521577/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1400064992&sr=8-1&keywords=thai+law+for+foreigners

Posted

I can see the WAT and its chimney from my window.

Went there to have a look. All looks decent. They (monks) even opened the door of the cremation compartment to inspect it.

I am satisfied that they use gas. Remains (ashes) are to be put in the sea.

Not being in a hurry but ready to go any time. No big drama but definitely do not want pain or prolonged suffering. Any recommendations for this?

ever tried painkillers?

Posted

I can see the WAT and its chimney from my window.

Went there to have a look. All looks decent. They (monks) even opened the door of the cremation compartment to inspect it.

I am satisfied that they use gas. Remains (ashes) are to be put in the sea.

Not being in a hurry but ready to go any time. No big drama but definitely do not want pain or prolonged suffering. Any recommendations for this?

ever tried painkillers?

You may need morphine and they severely restrict its use in Thailand .
Posted

I can see the WAT and its chimney from my window.

Went there to have a look. All looks decent. They (monks) even opened the door of the cremation compartment to inspect it.

I am satisfied that they use gas. Remains (ashes) are to be put in the sea.

Not being in a hurry but ready to go any time. No big drama but definitely do not want pain or prolonged suffering. Any recommendations for this?

wow ready to go any time. Peace with yourself.

Posted

"The brain still function for few hours after dead and his last wish is important to fulfill so that he can really can rest in peace of mind".

Sorry, absolute nonsense....5 minutes after death or lack of oxygen the brain dies & starts to rot!! wai.gifsad.png

Yea, I was unsure if the poster meant brain functions for few hours figuratively, so I hesitated. Clinical death occurs upon cessation of breathing and heart. Biological death, on average, occurs 4-5 minutes later (excepting highly unusual circumstances). I still wonder if poster meant figuratively the brain remains as in while deceased navigates Bardo of the dead.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.




×
×
  • Create New...