Thailand orders removal of remains from unlicensed Jewish cemetery

Thailand’s Interior Ministry has ordered the relocation of three sets of human remains from a Jewish cemetery in the Bang Khla district of Chachoengsao province. Deputy Interior Minister Polapee Suwunchwee issued the directive after determining the facility had been operating without a valid permit since its license expired in 2023.

The cemetery’s license renewal was previously denied because the site failed to meet legal zoning requirements. Specifically, inspectors found the facility violated mandatory distance regulations, being situated too close to a public road and a canal. While the operator has challenged these decisions in administrative court, the government maintains that the three individuals were buried after the permit had lapsed.

Authorities are currently reviewing a fourth potential case to determine if that burial was also unlawful. Following this incident, officials indicated they may expand investigations into other unauthorized burial sites and foreign-linked businesses, including facilities in Bangkok’s Charoen Krung district.