Thai Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul issued direct statements regarding foreign nationals seeking to establish private cemeteries and places of worship within the country. Speaking during an Interior Ministry policy meeting in Bangkok, the Prime Minister ordered regional governors to increase law enforcement measures targeting foreigners who violate local land and business laws.
The policy directives follow a recent government operation in Chachoengsao Province, east of Bangkok, where authorities exhumed four bodies, including three Israeli citizens and one British citizen, from an unauthorized cemetery. The remains were subsequently relocated for reburial at an authorized cemetery in Chonburi Province. The original cemetery had secured a license in 2021, but the permit was not renewed, leading officials to intervene after burials continued past its expiration.
Addressing provincial officials, Prime Minister Charnvirakul clarified the government stance on foreign private infrastructure. "Establishing a place of worship is not something you can simply do on your own," he stated, adding that religious institutions must respect local societal norms and laws.
The Prime Minister specifically addressed requests for private burial grounds during the meeting. "Recently I learned that an application was also submitted to establish a private cemetery, this is already too much," Charnvirakul stated. "The very fact that we allowed you to come here is enough, if you come, make an honest living, if you are about to die, go die in your home country, there is no need to come and die here, and do not take advantage of others."
Charnvirakul clarified that law enforcement efforts are not aimed at any single nationality. He noted that authorities have encountered legal violations involving foreign nationals from various regions in Asia, the Middle East, Central Asia, Europe, and Africa. He added that foreigners who enter Thailand legally, earn an honest living, and respect local regulations remain fully welcome.
The policy announcement comes alongside data from a NIDA poll conducted between September 8 and September 10 across 1,410 respondents in six provinces. The survey revealed that 76.38 percent of respondents heard about reported foreign misconduct through news or social media channels, while 5.11 percent experienced such incidents directly. Among those aware of reports, 77.49 percent indicated that law enforcement should strictly enforce local regulations.
