An elderly Thai man from Bangkok finally had his wife's body cremated after keeping it in a coffin at his home in the Bang Khen district for 21 years.
Since his wife passed away in 2001, the 72-year-old retired military officer said he couldn't bear to be separated from his late wife. However, he was afraid he would die without holding a funeral for her, so he contacted a foundation for help. The foundation helped him arrange a cremation and burial, which took place at a temple in Bangkok.
In 2001, Chanwatcharakarn's wife died of a brain aneurysm. After her death, Chan took his wife's body to Wat Chonpratarn Rangsarit in Nonthaburi to perform Buddhist rites. When the monks asked Chan if he would like to have his wife's body cremated, Chan said no, because he "couldn't accept the situation".
Chan took his wife's body, in a coffin, to his home in the Ram Inthra district of Bangkok. For 21 years, Chan said he talked to his wife regularly and told her about his problems as if she were still alive. He said it was love at first sight and said the couple never argued during their marriage. Chan's wife had worked as a civil servant at the Ministry of Health in Bangkok
Chan said that as he is getting older, worried that he would not get a chance to say goodbye to his beloved, he sought help from Petchkasem Krungthep Foundation. The foundation said they discovered the woman's body in Chan's home, which they described as more like a "storage facility." Chan's room — which has running water but no electricity — is in a "wasteland," according to the foundation, surrounded by trees and vines. The foundation said the woman's body was in a "dry state" when they opened the coffin.
The foundation took Chan to the Bang Khen district office to review his wife's death records and helped him arrange a cremation, which took place at Wat Sakorn Sunprachasan in Bangkok on Monday, April 30.
The woman's ashes have been placed in an urn, which Chan said he will keep until he dies.
Source: Thaiger
Strange that he received the coffin home with his wife 21 years ago. Is there no reporting obligation?
Yes, there is an obligation to report the death, but no legal or moral obligation to cremate or bury the body within a certain time. High-ranking people in particular sometimes lie in state for months to years before the cremation takes place. This is seen as a sign of love and gives the opportunity to acquire more merit for the deceased so that a better rebirth is guaranteed.