HomeUnited KingdomAssistance: Thailand, bereavement information: killing, manslaughter and suspicious fatalities

Assistance: Thailand, bereavement information: killing, manslaughter and suspicious fatalities

Summary

Local formalities for repatriation normally take 8 to 10 working days to complete. Embalming is necessary for repatriation. Sometimes nearby embalming methods mean that the entire range of tests cannot be performed if a second post mortem is requested. Embalming processes may have an impact on the effectiveness of any subsequent submit mortems (for example, when one is ordered by a Coroner in England or Wales). Mortuary standards vary. There are several mortuaries with suitable facilities in Bangkok yet rural mortuaries lack several facilities, including appropriate hygiene and sanitation. Some mortuaries also charge a daily fee. We therefore recommend a person make a decision about funeral arrangements as soon as possible. You should be aware that any hospital bills should be paid before the deceased could be released for repatriation. In order to repatriate the deceased, the British Embassy will need to issue a document called the “letter of release”. The British Embassy will need written confirmation from you confirming which funeral director will be organising repatriation – only after that can the letter of release be issued.

Write-up mortems/autopsies

If you decide on a burial or cremation abroad there would not normally become a Coroner’s inquest in England or even Wales. In Scotland plus Northern Ireland, inquests will not be held even if a is repatriated to the UK. As part of a post mortem occasionally local embalming methods mean that the full range of tests for a Coroner’s inquest might not be probable once the body is returned to the UK. The demise penalty still exists in Thailand. As there is an informal moratorium in Thailand the particular death penalty is normally decreased to a life sentence. The UK government opposes the dying penalty in all circumstances being a matter of principle. We believe its use undermines human dignity, there is no evidence of its deterrent effect, and errors made in its make use of are irreversible. Where there is really a risk of the death penalty being imposed and performed for the crime under investigation, the UK will seek assurances that anyone found responsible would not face the dying penalty. Provision of UNITED KINGDOM assistance and related details may not be provided to the abroad authority if inadequate or any assurances are received. The local mass media is often very intrusive and might publish graphic images, which includes of the person who has died, and the crime scene. Nearby media may also be present if you visit Thailand, including with meetings you have with the Thai authorities. The British Charge press team can help provide local advice and assistance;

Organ Retention

This information is to help you understand what you need to do if a British national has been a target of murder or manslaughter or has died in suspicious circumstances in Asia and you are the next of family member.

Repatriation

Write-up mortem reports are usually finished within three months. If you would like the copy of the post mortem report the British Embassy can request one on your behalf. A fee is payable towards the PFI for each copy. You need to note the post mortem report will be in Thailänder and you will need to organise and pay for translation. The British Embassy cannot do this for you personally but we can provide you with a listing of translators. Timeframes for police investigations differ although if a suspect is definitely arrested an investigation is usually finished within 6 months. However , inspections can continue for up to 20 years if no suspect is located. If no one is found accountable but you feel the circumstances throughout the death are suspicious, there is certainly little you can do unless new evidence comes to light. If the deceased is not collected from the PFI after 30 days they will be buried and you would then have to contact the PFI to arrange exhumation. A daily storage fee of 300 Baht will be charged immediately after 30 days.

Burial/Cremation

Information and advice in case a friend or family member has been a victim associated with murder, manslaughter or offers died in suspicious conditions in Thailand. Any time a foreigner dies in Asia, personal effects will be held by the police case official. You or your hired funeral director can ask for them to be returned but you should be aware that if personal effects are being used as proof in an investigation and courtroom case, they will not be released to family members until procedures, including any appeals possess finished. In those instances where personal belongings are retained by the Thai specialists, the Embassy can ask for their return once legal proceedings have concluded. Burials and cremation are available in Thailand, although because Thailand is a Buddhist nation, burials are rare and normally only for foreigners. Consequently they can be very expensive and difficult in order to organise, so you may want to think about having the deceased repatriated and arrange for the funeral occur in the UK.

Police Investigations

Neither the British Embassy nor HM Government accept legal liability with regards to the content of the information sheet. Entry to information concerning a passing away, other than post-mortem and police reports can be difficult. The police usually share their case statement with consular officials when the case has concluded. The particular Thai authorities will not provide information on their investigations directly to a person or the next of family member. Requests for this information must be made through a legal representative or the British Embassy might be able to make a request on your behalf. The discharge of any information can take several months and will usually just be released once a case has completed, and the documents will be in Thai. A local civil registry death certificate, the certificate of embalming, and a certificate permitting transfer are required. Your chosen funeral director may arrange this for you.

Judicial Process

A local death certificate, created in Thai and citing the likely cause of demise, will be issued by the Thailänder Authorities, and is usually obtainable within a day or two of death, although this will depend on how quickly the family contacts the District Workplace at the Province / Amphur. You should be aware that the cause of loss of life given on the death certification is often given in fundamental terms, and often does not expose any underlying causes. During a post-mortem, small samples of internal organs may be removed for assessment, including toxicology tests, at the discretion of the doctor with no consent of next associated with kin. Any samples removed are retained for the duration of the particular tests and are then put in storage for thirty days before being destroyed. They are not usually returned. The British Charge has no authority to get involved in this procedure, or to cease it taking place. You can lobby and appeal to the local government bodies to stop the destruction of the samples and have them came back to you if you would like to. You might be advised to appoint a nearby lawyer to assist in the process. The deceased can be cremated within Thailand or returned to the UK before tests on removed organ samples are usually completed. Timeframes for the judicial process can vary enormously plus depend on the complexities from the case. Legal aid is just not available in Thailand. The family of the murder/manslaughter victim will be given the opportunity to become a party to the situation. The Thai authorities will need to know at the first phase if you wish to be a party to the situation. This would allow you to be updated for the case and make representations in court should you wish to achieve this.

Additional useful information

You do not need to become a party to the situation, but should you wish to have comprehensive feedback from court procedures, you may wish to appoint a lawyer before the case passes to the public prosecutor, normally regarding 84 days after a person has been arrested. A lawyer can attend the trial for you and provide you with updates on the proceedings. For murder or manslaughter cases the police will certainly conduct a full post-mortem. Usually, the deceased can be kept at the Police Forensic Company (PFI) for up to 30 days. The deceased will normally end up being released after 30 days or even sooner if the PFI possess completed their tests. Your selected funeral director can help with arrangements. However , the release of the departed may be delayed if the State Prosecutor decides to cost a suspect. You should also read the guidance available on what you need to do if you are bereaved through murder or manslaughter abroad, and what support the Foreign, Commonwealth & Growth Office (FCDO) can provide.

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