Friends bid to repatriate body of killed Briton Sam Austin

[smellthecoffee]

One can only suspect the worst. Thailand the land ghosts. No smiles for all these poor souls losing their lives.

Maybe Nancy can help!

[allan michaud]

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What about the British Embassy for once doing the decent thing??

Get the poor guys body home and worry about the monetary aspects later!!

I'm British and I don't expect my embassy to give a flying fig about my corpse once I've carked it. What does it matter where a body is finally laid to rest? I'd rather my family (or indeed my country) kept the money (and its expensive to fly the deceased home - it's not the same as finding them an aisle seat - there are health regulations to be met, coffins to be found to hold the body, etc.) rather than moved my no-longer-in-the-remotest-bit-concerned flesh around the world.

Agreed, but that depends how you died. If you suffer one of Thailand's many mysterious 'accidents' your relatives might want an answer, lets face it they won't get one from the Thai authorities.

[jcisco]

What about the British Embassy for once doing the decent thing??

Get the poor guys body home and worry about the monetary aspects later!!

I'm British and I don't expect my embassy to give a flying fig about my corpse once I've carked it. What does it matter where a body is finally laid to rest? I'd rather my family (or indeed my country) kept the money (and its expensive to fly the deceased home - it's not the same as finding them an aisle seat - there are health regulations to be met, coffins to be found to hold the body, etc.) rather than moved my no-longer-in-the-remotest-bit-concerned flesh around the world.

Having to repatriate a friend several years ago, what you mentioned is all very straightforward. A good funeral director will be able to handle all requirements, and you need it to be a good funeral director that does a top job embalming otherwise no one back home is going to get to view the body.

But i agree with the sentiment of your post, I myself am happy to go straight to the otto.

[bkkcanuck8]

Remember: A society is judged by the way it treats its weakest member!!

Next you will want the government to pay to bury him as well as buy him a coffin etc. Where does the government's responsibility end in this regard. When my great aunt (who was not liked at all by most in the family because she was a vile person most of her life) died, the funeral and burial expenses were paid by my parents.... and they were not cheap. Shall we have the government stop the "poppers" burial and give everyone a government funded "proper burial" which would cost as much as shipping the person back?

Edited November 22, 2014 by bkkcanuck8

[bkkcanuck8]

Agreed, but that depends how you died. If you suffer one of Thailand's many mysterious 'accidents' your relatives might want an answer, lets face it they won't get one from the Thai authorities.

Hire an independent pathologist to do the autopsy locally....

[dcutman]

Lets assume he was most irresponsible, and his family or friends have no means of getting him home. You would be ok with just letting one of your own countrymen be left in a foreign country? Really?

Now consider how so much of your tax payments are spent on the most ridiculous things.

I for one would not have a problem spending some tax dollars repatriating one of my countrymen when their family has no means to do it.

I can respect your opinion, but it is truly heartless.

Yes, he was in the process of moving here anyway.... He can be cremated here and not shipped back.

Canada left many of it's soldiers buried in Europe.... if we are not going to repatriate every soldier during the world war, I am not bothered with leaving someone that is dead to be buried here (or at least cremated here).

I would rather spend the money on education.... than paying for someone else's lack of financial planning. It is rather low on my public expenditure priorities list...

Insults will not change my mind.

I guess thats the difference between some (1) Canadian(s) and the rest of the civilized world.

Now that would be an insult.

[Jip99]

Bury or burn me in Thailand when I go

Why cost so many so much to move dead person me around the world?

Regards

Wonder if you would have been equally unempathetic if it was your child??

So according to your "philosophy" they could just have left the victims of M17 in a field in Ukraine!!

I think that is a bit dramatic.

Nuddy's point is only a poorly worded version of what The Siem Reaper posted early on in the thread.

I am also totally opposed to repatriating bodies but (particularly in the case of a premature death) the decision must be the families. It must also be their burden if the deceased chose not to take out travel insurance.

I am of the view that, via the British Embassy, 50% of the repatriation costs should be covered - after all Mr Sam Austin is never going to be a burden on the State.

He would be if his repatriation was paid for.

Maybe we can take it a bit further along the same lines?

He should be charged for NOT making his contribution to the State.

Frankly, that is insensitive and below the standard of your normal posts.

My point was that he will no longer be a burden to the UK , he has probably paid some tax/NI so far, so it would not hurt the Treasury coffers to make a contribution to the cost of repatriation - or even cremation costs if it was over here.

Not playing the racial card here but I would much prefer to some of my hard-earned tax easing the burden of this British citizens transport/funeral costs than going to some rad-headed Muslim radical in west London.

[bkkcanuck8]

Lets assume he was most irresponsible, and his family or friends have no means of getting him home. You would be ok with just letting one of your own countrymen be left in a foreign country? Really?

Now consider how so much of your tax payments are spent on the most ridiculous things.

I for one would not have a problem spending some tax dollars repatriating one of my countrymen when their family has no means to do it.

I can respect your opinion, but it is truly heartless.

Yes, he was in the process of moving here anyway.... He can be cremated here and not shipped back.

Canada left many of it's soldiers buried in Europe.... if we are not going to repatriate every soldier during the world war, I am not bothered with leaving someone that is dead to be buried here (or at least cremated here).

I would rather spend the money on education.... than paying for someone else's lack of financial planning. It is rather low on my public expenditure priorities list...

Insults will not change my mind.

I guess thats the difference between some (1) Canadian(s) and the rest of the civilized world.

Now that would be an insult.

The logical extension is if someone dies in the wrong city, the government is responsible for shipping them to the city of the family's choice - government funded of course.....

[dcutman]

Lets assume he was most irresponsible, and his family or friends have no means of getting him home. You would be ok with just letting one of your own countrymen be left in a foreign country? Really?

Now consider how so much of your tax payments are spent on the most ridiculous things.

I for one would not have a problem spending some tax dollars repatriating one of my countrymen when their family has no means to do it.

I can respect your opinion, but it is truly heartless.

Yes, he was in the process of moving here anyway.... He can be cremated here and not shipped back.

Canada left many of it's soldiers buried in Europe.... if we are not going to repatriate every soldier during the world war, I am not bothered with leaving someone that is dead to be buried here (or at least cremated here).

I would rather spend the money on education.... than paying for someone else's lack of financial planning. It is rather low on my public expenditure priorities list...

Insults will not change my mind.

I guess thats the difference between some (1) Canadian(s) and the rest of the civilized world.

Now that would be an insult.

The logical extension is if someone dies in the wrong city, the government is responsible for shipping them to the city of the family's choice - government funded of course.....

Whatever dude.

Its not a crime to be a heartless bastard.

[benalibina]

Reading this topic, it is clear to see where people stand.

Money/responsability vs decency/empathy.

The mind vs the heart.

How well the thais try to protect thainess by covering up incidents it should encourage western countries to stand up for its own citizens abroad in problems by trying to do the right thing. Leading by example. Compassion, righteousness and the seek for justice.

Unfortunately a convicted murderer in a thai prison, from western origin, gets more attention from our embassies than relatives in a story like this.

A shame.

[Alwyn]

500.000 baht for transporting a body from Thailand to the UK??

Even in a tragedy there is clearly money to be made!! Humanity?? My backside!!

Not so simple as it sounds. All sorts of things to be considered including refrigeration of the corpse during storage and transportation to and from airports and so on. We repatriated a dead friend from Sweden to the UK in 1981. The cost then 33 years ago was over £800. The amount of people involved was ridiculous. The annoying thing was that the body was sent home due to his parents who insisted (but didn't offer to help with the cost) who then cremated him. We could have done the cremation in Sweden and sent the ashes back at a cost of £50. They could still have had a remembrance ceremony.

[Alwyn]

My question (like a lot of others I guess) is this another cover up? If so it seems the RTP have learned to keep their traps shut and not offer any news.

[Basil B]

He would be if his repatriation was paid for.

Maybe we can take it a bit further along the same lines?

He should be charged for NOT making his contribution to the State.

Frankly, that is insensitive and below the standard of your normal posts.

My point was that he will no longer be a burden to the UK , he has probably paid some tax/NI so far, so it would not hurt the Treasury coffers to make a contribution to the cost of repatriation - or even cremation costs if it was over here.

Not playing the racial card here but I would much prefer to some of my hard-earned tax easing the burden of this British citizens transport/funeral costs than going to some rad-headed Muslim radical in west London.

Yes, if he has paid his NI then probably entitled to £2,000 just like the rest of us, I am sure £1,000 would cover a cremation in a Thai Temple, and a urn couriered back to the UK, and £1,000 towards wages and expenses of Embassy and Consulate employees for all the work involved.

[wooloomooloo]

Not sure why the argument continues as nearly £12,000 now raised on the fundraising page to repatriate Mr Austin.

[green job]

One thing that it easy to reconise,by the nature of most of these posts is.....That Thai-ness must be catching.

Please explain Thainess. Is it wrong if your opinion happens to follow a supposed Thai way of doing things. Should each foreigner who in some people's opinion show signs of "Thainess" be sent to western re-education camps?

Looks like you are infected, Sorry as far as I know,there is no cure. Better take a trip back home sometime,you could get it on the NHS .

[green job]

One thing that it easy to reconise,by the nature of most of these posts is.....That Thai-ness must be catching.

Please explain Thainess. Is it wrong if your opinion happens to follow a supposed Thai way of doing things. Should each foreigner who in some people's opinion show signs of "Thainess" be sent to western re-education camps?

Looks like you are infected, Sorry as far as I know,there is no cure. Better take a trip back home sometime,you could get it on the NHS .

Just to add,be careful,is has a tendecy to return, A bot like syphils

[wilcopops]

Yet again it gives the impression that the main concern of Thai authorities is to make the matter "go away".

[wooloomooloo]

Yet again it gives the impression that the main concern of Thai authorities is to make the matter "go away".

Not every story makes the front page. Notwithstanding, the Thai authorities haven't done anything wrong as far as it stands.

Not every story has an underlying conspiracy theory attached to it. The story that you would like to imagine is yours alone. Have fun with it.

[alanrchase]

One thing that it easy to reconise,by the nature of most of these posts is.....That Thai-ness must be catching.

Please explain Thainess. Is it wrong if your opinion happens to follow a supposed Thai way of doing things. Should each foreigner who in some people's opinion show signs of "Thainess" be sent to western re-education camps?

Looks like you are infected, Sorry as far as I know,there is no cure. Better take a trip back home sometime,you could get it on the NHS .

Take each post on here at face value. If I disagree so be it. Thainess does not come into it. Daft things to my mind go on everywhere. Possibly here more than other places. Used to read a certain tabloid back home more for fun than news. If you believed every story in it the country concerned was a farce.

[evadgib]

What about the British Embassy for once doing the decent thing??

Get the poor guys body home and worry about the monetary aspects later!!

I have worked in a large Bangkok private hospital for the last 10 years and the number of tourists who are foolish enough not to take out insurance is legion, not just Brits but other nationalities too. If the British government paid to repatriate those who are uninsured, whether dead or maimed, then the costs would be excessive.

Just think that this happens in all countries where Brits travel and not just in Thailand do you think that the UK government should pay for everyone who is uninsured. And what about those who find themselves in hospital without the ability to pay, should the government stump up for their considerable bills too (and in every other country).

I deal with many embassies in Bangkok and none of them pay to repatriate their nationals.

[steve187]

Basil B said

Yes, if he has paid his NI then probably entitled to £2,000 just like the rest of us, I am sure £1,000 would cover a cremation in a Thai Temple, and a urn couriered back to the UK, and £1,000 towards wages and expenses of Embassy and Consulate employees for all the work involved.

What £2000 is that, - deceased are not entitled to any money only surviving spouse maybe

[gbswales]

It is not possible to get travel insurance that will cover you for moving to another country on a long term basis. You can take out local health insurance but that would not cover repatriation costs to another country - so the circumstances are not as you state as it would not have been possible to get travel insurance in this case.

Sadly however I must agree with the general principle - many UK citizens choose to live in countries overseas, often in retirement. In practical terms all of these people are likely to die in a foreign country and you could not expect the UK government to repatriate everybody who dies abroad. Those of you living in Thailand at the moment, and who think that your loved ones will want you returned to the UK, should set aside funds in your estate for this. Equally if it is your wish to be burried in Thailand make sure that is in your will.

What differs in this case is "tragic accident" seemingly unspecified - I think this might present reasonable grounds for the UK embassy at least taking charge of the body in order to investigate the circumstances. If a relative of mine died in strange circumstances I would certainly want it independently investigated if there were any doubt whatsoever about the cause

JOC, on 22 Nov 2014 - 13:21, said:

What about the British Embassy for once doing the decent thing??
Get the poor guys body home and worry about the monetary aspects later!!

Sorry, but it's not the British taxpayer that is responsible for repatriation. That's what travel insurance is for.

I note the victim's friend states:

Mr Russell, a chef, said: "I always thought that a British passport was a ticket to get back home if anything happens to you but it does not work like that

"If you are not insured, then your family and friends have to raise the money to repatriate."

http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/Appeal-launched-bring-home-Sam-Austin-s-body/story-24583021-detail/story.html

His friend, Jon Russell, said: "The plan was to move to Thailand, find a job and live there and when you live there you don't really get travel insurance."

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-bristol-30142309

Well, you do get travel insurance if you want to save your friends and family the trouble of raising the money themselves. I note that nearly £11,000 has been raised on a fundraising page for the victim's body to be repatriated.

If you have an accident abroad and are lucky enough to survive then repatriation will cost in excess of £30,000.

As much as I have sympathy for the young man and his family and friends, the small cost of insurance saves additional heartache if something untoward occurs whilst abroad.

This happens so often and is well documented but still people do not learn.

Anyway, RIP to Mr Austin.

[green job]

One thing that it easy to reconise,by the nature of most of these posts is.....That Thai-ness must be catching.

Please explain Thainess. Is it wrong if your opinion happens to follow a supposed Thai way of doing things. Should each foreigner who in some people's opinion show signs of "Thainess" be sent to western re-education camps?

Looks like you are infected, Sorry as far as I know,there is no cure. Better take a trip back home sometime,you could get it on the NHS .

Take each post on here at face value. If I disagree so be it. Thainess does not come into it. Daft things to my mind go on everywhere. Possibly here more than other places. Used to read a certain tabloid back home more for fun than news. If you believed every story in it the country concerned was a farce.

Yep I agree Banter is a british thing. TV can be very frustrating when they dont get the joke all the best to you

[alanrchase]

By the way Alan.....Whats Black and Brown and looks good on my Thai Wife ????? Answer, A Doberman Pincher

Love is in the eye of the beholder.

[wooloomooloo]

It is not possible to get travel insurance that will cover you for moving to another country on a long term basis.

Are you certain about this?

[alanrchase]

It is not possible to get travel insurance that will cover you for moving to another country on a long term basis.

Are you certain about this?

I believe it is not called travel insurance because that is not what is needed. What is needed is world wide (normally excluding the USA) medical insurance. Reasonable price if you do it in a well known supermarket out here.

[Lupatria]

Isn't it that mystery surrounds almost every death of an expat over here? Balconies, accidents, drowning etc....

[jpeg]

This is seven whole pages of bloody insurance. What happened to the guy? I got bored and am now on the last page to date

BTW They DON"T grind your bones here so your relatives will be in for a surprise when DHL turns up

[evadgib]

Posted in the hope of enlightening the 'embassy ain't doing nuffink' brigade re their own responsibilities:

[alanrchase]

Posted in the hope of enlightening the 'embassy ain't doing nuffink' brigade re their own responsibilities:

At least they tell it as it is, good for them. Now if you get jailed for trying to smuggle a couple of kilos of drugs out of the country they can't do enough for you.