In memoriam: Dick van der Lugt (77)
We received the message that Dick van der Lugt (1947, Rotterdam) passed away on Sunday, March 3, in a hospital in Bangkok. His health had been poor for some time. According to a friend of his, he was 'up' and fell asleep peacefully.
In collaboration with the Belgian embassy, I have made a document that is as clear as possible regarding what the remaining partner must do after a natural death.
Death in Thailand
The Dutch embassy in Bangkok has updated the information on the website about what to do in the event of a death in Thailand.
If anything has become clear during the information afternoon of the AsiaOne funeral director in Hua Hin, it is that many Dutch/foreigners have questions about the procedure in the event of a death in Thailand. If the course of events before, during and after the cremation is reasonably clear, few people are well prepared for the legal pitfalls and pitfalls upon death.
Arrange your own cremation and pay it in advance
If a foreigner dies in Thailand, the next of kin have to deal with a multitude of rules. Especially when the end comes unexpectedly, the panic is sometimes incalculable. What to arrange with hospital, police, embassy and so on? And what if the remains or the urn have to go to the Netherlands?
What should happen to you medically as your end approaches?
We don't like to think about it, but everything comes to an end, even our lives. In Thailand, active euthanasia is out of the question, due to a Buddhist way of life and the tendency of doctors and hospitals to keep the patient alive as a 'paying guest' for as long as possible.
Death in Thailand: How to act?
When a Dutch citizen dies in Thailand, the assistance of the Dutch embassy is often required, but not always. For example, when someone dies in a domestic circle and the funeral takes place in Thailand, the next of kin only needs to register the death at the local town hall. The town hall will then issue a death certificate. In this case, the Dutch embassy does not need to be informed.
Death in Thailand and transport release?
The extensive script on death in Thailand answers many of my questions. However, regarding the transport release document from the embassy, I have the following question. That document is needed to claim the body from the Police Hospital in Bangkok and to transport it to the place of residence in Thailand where the follow-up can take place. The embassy hands over this proof to the legal relationship. If this is not available, the embassy will inform the ministry in the Netherlands and certified and translated documents must be submitted and the Dutch family will come into the picture. With all the effort, loss of time and costs involved.
Schiphol has its own mortuary
Each year, approximately 2400 deceased persons are returned to their country of origin or brought back to the Netherlands via Schiphol. Since 1997, Schiphol has been the only airport in the world to have a morgue in order to allow relatives to say goodbye as dignified as possible.
Death in Thailand
A subject that people don't think much about or want to think about. A distinction must then be made between expats who live here and holidaymakers. As far as the latter are concerned, most of them have taken out good travel insurance, so that in addition to the grief, there is no great burden of arranging everything in a country where the language is not spoken.
With more than 15 thousand deaths, dementia was again the main cause of death among the Dutch in 2016. In particular, more men died of dementia, compared to a year earlier. More people also died as a result of a fall. This is evident from provisional figures on causes of death from Statistics Netherlands.
Arranging your cremation before you die…
The article about the 'cozy' cremation I wanted has stirred up quite a bit. And made several acquaintances think. The question that kept popping up was: I no longer have contact with children and relatives in the Netherlands. I don't want to bother them with this after my death either. How can I already arrange for my death to be cremated in Thailand?
Have I arranged my (financial) affairs properly?
It is a question that every expat should ask himself, whether or not with a Thai partner. Death creates great uncertainty and confusion among family, friends and acquaintances, who are often saddled with unanswered questions.
Pim was cremated in peace
Pim Hoonhout, the famous herring farmer from Hua Hin, was cremated on Wednesday afternoon. The Buddhist ceremony took place in the temple of Khao Tao, attractively located on the Gulf of Thailand.
Reduction of benefit for widow abroad reversed
The survivor benefit of Dutch widows who live abroad in, for example, Thailand or other countries may not be reduced.
Death in Thailand
In this article you can read what the procedure is when a Dutch person dies in Thailand. We make a distinction between an expat/pensionado and a tourist.
Scenario for the death of Dutch expats in Thailand
Many Dutch people who reside permanently in Thailand are already elderly. It is therefore good to think about things when you are no longer there, such as inheritance. Ultimately, you also want your (Thai) partner to be well looked after.