Chachoengsao orders illegal cemetery cleared, bodies exhumed

Chachoengsao’s provincial governor has ordered the exhumation of human remains and the demolition of an unlicensed cemetery in Bang Khla district within seven days, following an urgent petition from local residents who caught its operators secretly burying bodies without official authorisation.

The petition was submitted to the Bang Khla district chief on Tuesday by local residents concerned about public safety. Community members demanded the immediate relocation of buried bodies and a comprehensive audit of all past burial activities.

Initial inspections revealed that the cemetery currently operates without a valid permit.

Deputy Minister of Interior Polapee Suwunchwee stated that, although the cemetery previously held a license, it could not be renewed because the site no longer meets the required legal criteria.

Authorities discovered four buried bodies, with at least three brought in while the facility was operating illegally and without informing local officials. Consequently, the provincial governor mandated the relocation of all remains to legally authorised cemeteries or crematoria within seven days of receiving the notice.

Kittipong Seeleung, mayor of Samet Tai Sub-district Administrative Organisation, has posted a formal prohibition order on the facility's main gates, warning that trespassers face prosecution under the Building Control Act.

The district chief has convened an urgent meeting with key agencies to formulate relocation procedures and strictly enforce relevant legal action.

Department of Business Development (DBD) records show firm that owns the land has registered capital of 30 million baht, with registered objectives spanning various business types, including cemetery and crematorium operations.

Poonpong Naiyanapakorn, director general of the DBD, explained that shareholding structure assessments rely primarily on legal nationality. While Thai shareholders retain full corporate rights under the law, the department remains ready to coordinate with the Interior Ministry for a detailed factual review.