Remains exhumed, moved from unlicensed Jewish cemetery

CHACHOENGSAO -  Four bodies were exhumed at an unlicensed Jewish cemetery in Bang Khla district and moved to a licensed cemetery in adjoining Chon Buri province on Tuesday morning.

Chachoengsao officials were present for the 5am disinterments at the 15-rai Jewish Cemetery Thailand in tambon Samet Tai, Bang Khla, organised by the owner, Gan Chabad Co. 

Chachoengsao governor Chatpra-on Niyom on Sept 7 ordered the relocation of the remains wihin seven days because the cemetery's licence had expired and was denied renewal.

The disinterred remains were moved to Nirvana Memorial Park, a licensed cemetery, in Ban Bung district of Chon Buri.

Jewish Cemetery Thailand was licensed in 2021. At the time, adjacent Sanam Chang-Nong Sano Road was not registered as a local road, and tambon Samet Tai municipal officials were informed that the land was not close to a public waterway.

In 2024, local authorities refused to renew its licence after learning that Khlong Mai canal was only 187 metres away. Regulations require a cemetery to be at least 400m from a public waterway, to prevent contamination.

Only one of the four bodies was buried during the licensed period - an Israeli man who died in 2023.

Two others were of Israeli men who died in 2025 and 2026. The fourth was a British woman who died on July 18 this year.

The Department of Provincial Administration said the nationalities of the deceased were based on their death certificates and passports, not on forensic verification.

The Chachoengsao provincial authorities also ordered Gan Chabad Co to remove buildings at the unlicensed cemetery no later than Wednesday this week.