I've been reading about many 'mysterious' deaths in Thailand since living here. Recently I read about the death of an Irishman in Buriam....

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/795185-mystery-over-death-of-irish-man-in-buriram/?utm_source=newsletter-20150127-0810&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=news

It was suggested in the above thread that the body should be flown back to Ireland for an autopsy. It calls to question why can't an autopsy be done in Thailand.

What are the steps involved in arranging an autopsy in Thailand? Presumably it can only be arranged by a family member. Can this be done at a regional govt' hospital or only in Bangkok? Does the police have to authorise it?

Maybe one of the mods in the health forum might know.

cheers

Moved to Health Forum for medical advise.

Embassies include details in the bereavement package sent to families upon notification of death.

The UK coroner has a duty to investigate all deaths where mortal remains are repatriated into their jurisdiction. This may (unnatural causes, young, suspicious circumstances etc) inc conducting an autopsy. Precedent for this was set more than 30 years ago after a death in Saudi Arabia cira 1979. The rules may be different elsewhere.

Mortal remains are unlikely to be repatriated without some sort of embalming process in the country where death occurred. If the authorities where death occurred wish to establish the cause they would likely be within their right to do so.

HTH

@ advancebooking:

Autopsies CAN and ARE of course done in Thailand for suspicious cases... it is only the ThaiVisa medical experts / wannabe CSI / private investigators etc who show up in force on every death of a foreigner claiming that the Thai police and government are hiding the real cause of death or the hospitals are unable to do proper autopsies etc etc.. conspiracy theories without the request for doing the autopsy outside Thailand would only be worth half the fun posting for these experts...

I can not however comment on legal proceedings, if families would want to have the body flown home for an autopsy.

I have personally known cases where Thai police refused to investigate a suspicious death or arrange an autopsy.

I have also personally read through Thai autopsy reports done for suspicious deaths and they can be pretty superficial and scanty on forensic details (though they will usually identify the cause of death, assuming it was straightforward).

Well worth having a body flown home for autopsy if the family has serious questions about cause of death and it will add to their peace of mind.