Thailand Orders Exhumation of Three Bodies from Jewish Cemetery

Thailand's Deputy Interior Minister, Polphai Suwanachui, has ordered local authorities to exhume the bodies of three Jews from a cemetery in Chachoengsao province due to an expired operating license. The directive came after Suwanachui visited the Jewish cemetery in Bang Kla and learned that the three individuals were buried after the cemetery's license expired in 2023, without the authorities being notified. He stated that official written orders would be issued to relocate the remains. A fourth burial, which occurred while the license was still valid, is also under review, with the deputy minister instructing officials to examine the relevant legislation to determine if it too must be moved due to any violations during the burial process.

Suwanachui also mandated a broader review of cemetery licenses nationwide, including those in Bangkok. The cemetery operator in Bang Kla had applied for a license renewal in 2021, but inspections revealed violations of legal norms, including distance requirements from roads and tunnels, leading to the denial of the renewal. An appeal to the former Interior Minister was also rejected, and the case is currently pending in administrative court.

Rabbi Nehemia Wilhelm, the Chabad emissary in Bangkok, stated that the cemetery, established nearly 30 years ago, was nearly full, prompting the acquisition of a new plot outside the city about five years prior. He believes the seller ensured all documents were in order at the time of purchase. Rabbi Wilhelm expressed concern that the site was deemed non-compliant with cemetery regulations approximately three years after purchase, despite their appeal. He suggested the deputy minister's decision is linked to recent anti-Israeli sentiment in Thailand, noting that "any place where they can find any problem" is being targeted amidst a wave of negative publications against Israelis and Jews. He affirmed that they have always acted lawfully and will comply with any order to move the bodies, adhering to Jewish religious law.