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AsiaRepatriation to Thailand and repatriation to Germany
Whether a Thai relative is to be cremated in their home village or a holidaymaker has died in Phuket, Pattaya or on Koh Samui: between Germany and Thailand, the route is always by air. We coordinate the paperwork on both sides and give you a written fixed price in advance.
Rudolf Nordheimer and team – in German, Russian or English.
Thailand at a glance
- Transport route
- Air freight; the coffin travels as cargo, the urn as freight or – depending on the airline – in a relative's luggage
- Flight connection
- Non-stop or connecting flights to Bangkok depending on the schedule; we check freight capacity before booking
- Destination airports
- Bangkok-Suvarnabhumi (BKK) as the main hub; onward transport to the provinces by connecting flight or vehicle
- Certificates
- Legalisation until further notice (Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs or German Embassy in Bangkok); the Apostille Convention applies to Thailand from 28.02.2027 – whether it will apply in relations with Germany is still open
- Agreements
- Thailand is not a contracting state of the Berlin Agreement of 1937 on the transport of corpses
- Representation in Germany
- Royal Thai Embassy in Berlin, consulates general in Frankfurt am Main and Munich, honorary consulates in Essen, Hamburg and Stuttgart
From Germany to Thailand: coffin or urn to the home country
Many repatriations to Thailand concern Thai citizens who lived in Germany and are to be laid to rest among their family in Thailand. We collect the deceased anywhere in Germany, apply for the death certificate at the civil registry office and for the body passport (Leichenpass) at the competent authority, and prepare the coffin for the long-haul flight. Handling is carried out as air freight, frequently via Bangkok-Suvarnabhumi.
For Thai citizens, the Thai mission abroad issues a Thai death certificate (form “Thor.Ror. 11”) on application. With it, the relatives later have the name removed from the house register at the local registry in Thailand. To release the coffin, Thai customs at Suvarnabhumi Airport requires, among other things, the passport, the air waybill and a death certificate issued by a Thai embassy or consulate in the country of death. In Germany, the responsible missions are the embassy in Berlin and the consulates general in Frankfurt am Main and Munich.
Until 27 February 2027, German documents for Thai authorities will still be certified in the traditional way. Thailand acceded to the Hague Apostille Convention on 30 June 2026; it enters into force for Thailand on 28 February 2027. Whether it will then also apply in relations with Germany depends on whether Germany objects to the accession. We clarify in advance with the competent mission which form is required in the individual case.
- German death certificatefrom the civil registry office at the place of death, ideally in the international version
- Body passportfrom the competent German authority for cross-border coffin transport
- Thai death certificate (“Thor.Ror. 11”)for Thai citizens, issued by the embassy or consulate general
- Passport of the deceasedchecked by Thai customs at release
- Air waybillProof of the freight booking for the coffin or urn
Death in Thailand: repatriation to Germany
If someone dies outside a hospital, the death must first be reported to the local police; their report forms the basis for registration. In the case of a death in hospital, the clinic issues a confirmation of death, which is not yet an official death certificate. The actual death certificate in Thai is issued by the district office (Amphoe) or the municipal office (Tesaban) – and only as a single original. For foreigners, the authorities frequently order a forensic examination.
For use in Germany, the Thai certificate is translated and certified by the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which has certification offices in Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya, Chiang Mai and Songkhla, among other places. The German Embassy in Bangkok then legalises Thai documents or verifies them directly with the issuing authority in an alternative procedure. It advises relatives and makes certified copies of the death certificate, but does not organise repatriation. According to the embassy, legalisation there takes about three to four working days, and the alternative procedure six to eight weeks. The embassy does not require a translation for this; German civil registry offices generally need one nevertheless.
For export, Thai customs requires, among other things, the hospital's death certificate, a death certificate confirmed by the police or the district office, the passport, a letter from the embassy of the destination country and the air waybill. According to the German Embassy, preparing a repatriation to Germany usually takes about one to three weeks. You should therefore only plan the funeral service once the flight has been confirmed.
- Police reportfor a death outside a clinic, basis for registration
- Hospital confirmation of deathdoes not replace the official death certificate
- Death certificate from the Amphoe or Tesabanonly one original, in Thai; translation and certification required
- Embalming certificateissued by the local funeral director for coffin transport
- Letter from the German sideConfirmation that the remains will be received in Germany
Good to know: funeral customs and particularities in Thailand
In Thailand, cremation is customary for cultural reasons, whereas a burial on site is complicated. Many families therefore opt for cremation with a Buddhist ceremony in Thailand and then transfer the urn. Thai funeral directors also offer to scatter the ashes in a river or at sea, or to inter them in a temple wall.
Thailand is a popular travel destination: according to the German Federal Foreign Office, around 900,000 Germans travelled to the country in 2025. Accordingly, repatriations often involve holidaymakers and long-term residents in seaside resorts. If the deceased are not claimed by relatives within a set period – usually around 30 days – the authorities may arrange a burial. Please therefore contact us early, even if questions about who will cover the costs are still open.
Urn transfer to Thailand
After a cremation in Thailand, relatives can usually take the urn with them on the plane themselves. The death certificate and cremation certificate should be available on departure; whether the urn is allowed in hand luggage is decided by the airline. In Germany, the urn is generally received by a funeral company or a cemetery administration – we take care of this at the arrival airport. In the opposite direction, Thai missions abroad certify on application that ashes may be taken to Thailand, for which a death certificate, cremation certificate and copies of identity documents are usually submitted.
More about urn transferFixed price for repatriation to Thailand
Tell us where the deceased is now. We check what Thailand requires and send you a written fixed price – free of charge and without obligation.
- Free and without obligation
- Written fixed price, no extra charges later
- Your data stays with us
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Your enquiry goes directly to Rudolf Nordheimer. You will receive a written fixed price.
Frequently asked questions about Thailand
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All questionsWho issues the death certificate in Thailand?
The competent district office (Amphoe) or municipal office (Tesaban) at the place of death. There is only one single original, in Thai. For German authorities it must be translated and certified.
How long does a repatriation from Thailand to Germany take?
The German Embassy in Bangkok estimates about one to three weeks for the preparation. The duration depends mainly on whether a forensic examination is ordered and how quickly the documents are available.
Do I have to travel to Thailand if my relative died there?
As a rule, no. Local funeral directors handle the formalities with a power of attorney. A trip may become necessary if the deceased lived in Thailand and matters relating to the estate need to be settled.
Does the apostille already apply to Thai documents?
Not yet. Thailand acceded to the Apostille Convention in 2026, but it only applies there from 28 February 2027 – and in relations with Germany only if Germany does not object. Until then, Thai documents are certified via the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the German Embassy in Bangkok.
Can a Thai citizen who died in Germany be buried in Thailand?
Yes. For import, Thai customs requires, among other things, a death certificate from a Thai mission abroad. We apply for this together with you at the embassy in Berlin or a consulate general in Frankfurt am Main or Munich.
Sources: German Embassy Bangkok – information sheet on deaths · German Embassy Bangkok – information sheet on legalisation (as of June 2023) · German Federal Foreign Office – missions of Thailand in Germany · German Federal Foreign Office – Thailand: bilateral relations · Ministry of Foreign Affairs Thailand – Apostille Convention · Airports of Thailand – Importing Human Remains or Ashes (BKK) · Thailand.go.th – Criteria for taking corpses or human ashes out of Thailand · GOV.UK – What to do after a British person dies in Thailand
Information provided without guarantee, as of 10/2026. Requirements of authorities and airlines change; we check them for each case.
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Day and night, including weekends. One call is all it takes to get the repatriation under way.